my vision is for the music to feel like the birth of something new. With this new record RL Grime takes his sound into a new cinematic direction and also welcomes aboard a plethora of artists as guest features. Throughout the process i had this vision of a “nova”, or of a star that begins as nothing but then expands endlessly until its light is all you can see. Returning with his second album, NOVA, is Los Angeles producer RL Grime. Shortly after release, through social media, Henry released an statement regarding his struggles and motivations that ended up conceptualizing the album atmosphere and the idea behind the title, NOVA: The album also features collaborations with artists Miguel, Boys Noize, and Ty Dollar $ign, who have worked with RL Grime in previous projects. The release date and tracklist were announced July 13, along with new merch in RL Grime’s store and the fourth album single, Undo (ft. It was first teased through a zine titled “NovaZine,” where he also wrote a letter regarding what Nova is about – “A journey that will define and encompass every part of the RL Grime project over the coming years.” Like so much satisfying, EDM-influenced pop music from the last several years, it sounds tailor-made for hearing in an open field, swaying to it in a sea of bodies before turning to your friend and asking, “Who made that song?” They probably won’t know, and until Steinway finds his sound and sticks to it, that question will likely remain unanswered.NOVA is the second studio album by LA-based DJ and producer RL Grime, released in July 27, 2018. You might recognize her from the Chainsmokers’ perfectly fine “Don’t Let Me Down,” and, for better and worse, “I Wanna Know” sounds like it could’ve easily come from the pop pariahs’ songbook, with jackpot synths yo-yoing on the chorus and effervescent drums splashing against its backdrop. Perhaps it makes sense, then, that Nova’s brightest moment is also its most straightforward: the anthemic “I Wanna Know,” assisted by a potent vocal turn from Daya. As the credits roll on the celestial, M83-aping theatrics of closing track “Atoms,” you might find yourself catching your breath after trying to chase down whatever overarching mood Nova is trying to cast. He tries his hand at the booming, mainstream-made 2-step sound Skrillex’s recently dabbled in on “Shoulda,” and crashes through the industrial grind of “Era” with a hair-whipping drop that feels as migraine-inducing as it does dated “UCLA” transitions from a palm-muted guitar bridge to a stomping chorus with a charisma-free anti-hook from rapper 24hrs. Play the bleeping, bruising electro of “Pressure” for any Electric Daisy enthusiast Folgers Challenge-style, and they’re likely to mistake it for, say, the searing tang of Alexander Ridha’s Boys Noize project-who, coincidentally, assisted with some analog-synth sounds for the track.Ĭollaboration is nothing new in dance culture, and even when taking into account the shadowy-but-common practice of ghostwriting in the genre’s upper echelons, it’s far from a scandalized convention-but these by-committee moments on Nova only further the theory that Steinway’s still in search of his sound. The skyscraping throb of “Light Me Up” could’ve come from any EDM mega-producer over the last decade, and it technically did the song was repurposed from an unused demo from Diplo and Skrillex’s Jack Ü project passed along to Steinway for a spit-shined finish.
The sonic makeup of Nova is split between nasty bass workouts and straightforward pop, but Steinway seems incapable of distinguishing himself as a producer in either mode. RL Grime's NOVA Tour comes to 1STBANK Center in Broomfield on 11/18/17 with special guests Jai Wolf, graves, + KITTENS Tickets & VIP Packages on sale. Located in the city’s Gaslamp Quarter, the 22,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor space will reopen later this month with performances by several high-profile electronic artists, including RL Grime (Feb. It’s big music, with gaping synth storms and mountain-flattening beats sprawled across its 15 tracks. RL Grime, Illenium, Deadmau5 and more are booked to play NOVA SD in its first weeks open. If Void was reaching for stylistic smarts, Nova sets its sights for the highest rafters in the biggest arenas possible. It’s loaded with guests, from the increasingly ubiquitous Ty Dolla Sign and Miguel to Chief Keef and songwriter-of-the-moment Julia Michaels the music backing said guests is appropriately glossy and bombastic, possessing all the subtlety of a thousand confetti cannons. If Steinway still possesses promise as a producer, it seems we’re going to wait a little longer to see him deliver on it: his second full-length, Nova, largely abandons the cool-kid stylistic tics of Void for something bigger, brighter, and wholly anonymous.