Rossy found an escape in music through her transient lifestyle, drawing from trap, future bass and classical elements to tell unique stories and bring listeners into her world.
This year has seen innovative new interpretations of electronic sound, from Vietnamese melodies woven with narcotic, loping percussion to Kenyan ampaiano music reminiscent of South Africa. Additionally, some of our favorite producers took steps towards expanding their creative exploration by founding imprints to further their creative exploration.
Lizzy Jane
Lizzy Jane is an emerging bass music artist making waves across the scene. She’s appeared at some of the hottest US festivals, has her own podcast and her high-energy brand of bass music is fast gaining momentum worldwide – her intricate synth melodies and heavy bass lines will please any fan of bass music!
GG Magree is an inspiring example of what it takes to succeed in electronic dance music. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, she has worked tirelessly in order to reach her current position of DJ/producer/vocalist extraordinaire. With a distinct blend of DJing, producing and vocal work – not to mention high-energy live shows and expert sound design skills – Magree has set the bar high.
Bass music has the power to get people moving. The combination of beats and lyrics can cause you to move your body in ways you never knew possible. Plus, bass music allows people to express their emotions and tell a story. No matter whether it be happy, sad or angry emotions there will likely be a song out there that speaks directly to them.
Women often remain underrepresented in dance music. One artist who’s making waves by pushing for equality in her industry is Alix Orion – she produces, sings and hosts the popular XO Radio podcast with the goal of providing more space for female DJs and producers within bass music scene.
TYNAN’s 2022 debut EP, Icons, was an instantaneous hit among both fans and critics alike. A brilliantly composed collection of tracks explores various human emotions; from ghostly electronica in Ghosts to ambient heartbreak in “Washed Away,” producer shows his ability to combine various genres to form one coherent sound – it is truly original release that keeps listeners intrigued!
Miane
Being an electronic musician often means freelance travel to new audiences with unfamiliar music. As part of a freelance profession, being an electronic musician requires being open to exploring sonic territory beyond familiar limits – for 2022’s top electronic musicians this means crossing genre lines to engage new listeners.
Producers whose work spans multiple EDM genres have achieved unparalleled prominence this year. From Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy and Colombian sensation J Balvin to UK hardstyle producers Act of Rage and beyond – an array of boundary-pushing synth savants and avant-garde knob-twiddlers who push boundaries are leading this wave of experimentation with sound.
The intersection of jazz, dance music and soundsystem culture continued to be an area of great discovery this year. One particularly exciting exploration was done by Nigerian-British producer Miane who used her debut album to map Black Atlantic connections that range from West African DJ culture and Amapiano through to new vernacular sounds like Nigerian cruise/freebeat style maniacal Nigerian cruise/freebeat style and new vernacular sounds like Nigerian cruise/freebeat style maniacal Nigerian cruise/freebeat style maniacal Nigerian cruise/freebeat style creating an incredible stream of music that exists somewhere between broken beat, Techno Theo Parrish-style organic house music Theo Parrish-style organic house music and indecipherable territory altogether.
Carmen Hillestad from North London took an unprecedented approach when releasing her fifth album this year, featuring sacred geometry trance and Fourth World ambience as its core. Filled with deep spirituality that’s both ancient and futuristic, Hillestad layered her sound with influences such as Radiohead-ish indie rock, minimalist dub, Norwegian composer Arve Henriksen’s muted trumpet contributions (who features prominently on this record), but created something truly original that remains her own.
The year has also witnessed many DJs take their careers to the next level by starting their own labels. From Dutch DJ Nicky Romero to techno titan Charlotte de Witte, there has been no shortage of talent who have established labels to support their own creative ventures and create playlists which reflect their personal tastes while garnering international fans for their work.
Mija
Electronic musicians use various instruments and equipment to produce music. These may include synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, mixers, effect pedals as well as software programs to compose, play, record music live with bands or solo. Furthermore, they may work at music technology companies as part of product development or sales teams – needing high levels of proficiency on their instrument of choice as well as adaptability when taking on various roles within an organisation.
This year, an array of artists has been exploring club culture through their new projects. Megan the Stallion and Rico Nasty both incorporate dance beats into their albums; genre-bender Hudson Mohakwe released an incredible sci-fi picture of Los Angeles sprawl. Additionally, many imprints were also started to foster creative exploration while providing platforms for smaller artists.
Mija, better known by her stage name Amber Giles of America DJ/Producer fame, rose to prominence amid America’s EDM boom during the mid 2010s after Skrillex discovered her at a festival and invited her onstage with him – their back-to-back set became viral and her career has since flourished considerably.
Dubstep prodigy Dua Lipa recently made her UKF debut album debut with Feel, her most introspective project yet. Balancing her music career and family obligations as a music executive can put undue strain on her; therefore this collection of songs explores both herself and those closest to her.
Many of the most successful electronic music artists have also launched their own record labels to allow for experimentation and reach. Charlotte de Witte recently unveiled RPM as part of KNTXT label; digital-only label that provides artists with flexible test circuit free from latency inherent to vinyl production.
Rival Consoles
Ryan Lee West (Rival Consoles), is a British producer renowned for creating synthesized music with human and atmospheric qualities. Using analogue synthesizers and pedals to craft ambient, techno, and cinematic soundtracks has allowed his style to develop over his acclaimed career, while experimenting with different sounds and styles – most recently his album Now Is showcases this evolution further with more complex sounds that makes his compositions truly original and interesting!
Rival Consoles is an accomplished musician who has released multiple albums and singles over the past decade, performing at major music festivals and venues alike. His music has drawn comparisons to artists like Jon Hopkins and Nils Frahm, with its intricate rhythms and sound design being widely appreciated by listeners.
As well as his solo work, he has collaborated with other electronic musicians. These collaborations include projects with artists like DV-i, Porter Robinson and Virtual Self; as well as music videos featuring Ivy Hollivana and Lizzy Jane. His music draws its inspiration from the 21st century era known as Y2K (Year 2000) as it began.
At the dawn of the Y2K Era, people were anxious about its future. Music created during this era reflected this anxiety; most commonly found was big beat – an influential genre with heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns; many prominent artists produced this style including The Prodigy and Fatboy Slim.
Rival Consoles’ work has changed over time to reflect his interests in acoustic instruments and minimalism. He has played piano, drums and guitar since childhood – developing an uncanny talent for seamlessly incorporating all three instruments into electronic music compositions while using acoustic instrumentation to create dreamlike atmospheres.
He also works as a composer, producing scores for contemporary dance productions as well as scoring an episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror. His 2021 full-length, Overflow, was an exploration of social media, advertising, and data exploitation while Now Is is an intricate blend of ambient, modern classical, and shoegaze sounds.