Courtesy of Stereogum.
Recently, Pitchfork published an article about what’s wrong with women in EDM. They used Skrillex and his label OWSLA as their main example of the problems in this genre. Responses to this article blew up over Twitter and launched another argument focusing on the lack of pieces praising female artists for their talent instead of focusing on the obstacles and negative aspects.
I decided to take this as another opportunity to praise those female artists who are not mentioned as much as their male peers. So…let’s talk about girls.
Ryan Hemsworth’s label Secret Songs has gained a lot of momentum over the past year on the Internet and even hosted an event at this past SXSW. Hemsworth’s label not only features many women, but also women of color (woo!). Here are a few of the amazing women from his label.
1. et aliae
Courtesy of The Fader.
et aliae (meaning “of girls/women” in French) is a producer hailing from London. Like many other artists signed to Hemsworth’s Secret Songs label, her tracks epitomize the Internet’s “vaporwave” movement. The best way I can describe vaporwave is the term “aesthetics.” Whether this “aesthetic” is about pleasingly minimal, clean, neon and/or 8-bit imagery, it can somehow be translated non-visually to music. It is a feeling of nostalgia for the 90s and early 00s, an almost new-wave musical revival of the early World Wide Web.
et aliae’s “Baby” is an electronic anthem that speaks to the heart of all millennials. Similar to Sweater Beats’ style of 90s R&B remixes atop catchy beats, et aliae breathes a new life into this celebrated 90s song in an inventive way. The song features a sample from Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody?” Aaliyah’s single is sampled by almost every producer on Soundcloud, but this rendition is unlike any other; et aliae successfully formulates a new song from a tiny bit of this R&B classic.
2. Qrion
Courtesy of The Fader.
From Sapporo, Japan is Secret Songs’ Qrion. Drawing on elements of tropical house, Qrion uses organic drums and dreamy synths with the occasional backing piano melody. Qrion’s tracks are comparable to a summer’s day walking down the street and gazing up at the sun.
Despite all of that, the song I’m going to talk about is definitely not tropical house or anything of the sort. If anything this song is vaporwave meets reggaeton in a club dance-off. “iPhone Bubbling” is straight up weird and might drive some people mad listening to it. For me, this song is hilarious in an amazingly catchy way; it’s almost a satire of our generation. If there’s any song you should listen to right away from Qrion, it’s this one. It’s also definitely the best one to share with all your friends and followers.
3. Ellie Herring
Ellie Herring is a producer from Lexington, Kentucky. Chillwave meets deep house is the best genre I could use to describe her songs as they have a bit of an indie electronic vibe to them, almost similar to Grimes, Washed Out and Shlohmo all in one.
Ellie’s remix of OceaÌÁn’s “Candour” was released two months ago as her i-D magazine premiere. It’s a lo-fi and upbeat, future-garage type remix of an experimental R&B track. OceaÌÁn’s style can be compared to James Blake, Jamie xx and Tropics. Herring transforms the mood of this track as appropriate to play at a club setting while keeping, and even emphasizing, many of the best elements from the song itself.