Insomniac is no stranger to throwing the most insane shows to ever happen. Just as reference, Insomniac produces Electronic Daisy Carnival, Escape from Wonderland, and even Nocturnal. Insomniac is predominantly based in Los Angeles and has been producing club night events for years. San Francisco has seen an increase in events by Insomniac and this new event, Bay Nites, is no weakling to its sister events. The Bay Nites lineup is just stacked.
As we see the direction of Electronic Dance Music move towards more of a hip-hop influence, it only made sense for this lineup to feature rappers as well as heavy trap DJs. Lil Yachty of “Broccoli” fame and NAV, who is a member of XOXO record label headed by The Weeknd. Then the supporting DJs include YEHME2, a former member of Flosstradamus, who without a doubt had a huge influence on bringing trap to the forefront. He’s the godfather of trap music or trap-father.
This event really does have everything and I even bought my own tickets because this is a must-attend event. The amount of trap, bass, and vibes that will be experienced will be unique. My top picks include NAV, who has produced many of your favorite rap songs and is having a skyrocketing career with hit songs with LIL UZI VERT. Then you have YEHME2, who I believed always kept Flosstradamus raw in their sound and now that he’s on his own production wise, it’s hard to not be excited for his releases which have been fire.
The KING is BACK! On November 15th, B.A.P has returned after a year and nine months hiatus with their fourth mini album, Matrix. They had introduced all of their songs through their comeback showcase that was held on the 15th.
As fans who know or recognize B.A.P know that the band has been active since 2012. They did numerous of promotions and preparations in their singles, full/mini albums, and concerts nonstop. Just then, last year in November, the group has filed a lawsuit against their label company which caused delay in all B.A.P group activities. The settlement came to an end in the summer. The label announced the group’s return after a year and nine months since they had released their first album.
Though going through all the struggles, B.A.P came back still maintaining a strong image expressing through Youth with their newest Hip-hop title track, “Young, Wild, & Free” with rock influences. Follow up with four additional songs that grouped into the mini album (produced by group leader, Bang Yong Guk). Each of these songs had just not only focused on the Youth theme, but also their stories with it. In other words, stories that contains: Love, Farewell, Wandering, Friendship, and Happiness. Of course, it is known that B.A.P has done a concept similar to these five concepts last year during their Live on Earth 2014 World Tour. This time, B.A.P has taken a different route. They wanted the audience to know that these songs had a more narrowed matter to it.
Track 1, “Take You There” represents the affection of a man is so grand that he wants to take and give it all to his lover. The beat in the beginning gives you moving already that makes you curious to see how the song is. As the melody flows, the member continues to synchronize well together. The vocalists are all low and soft with the nice R&B and upbeat rhythm that will “Take You There”.
Track 2, “Monologue” has two different types of music clashes together in one, just like how a movie trailer would be. The slow violin quietly comes in, introducing member Him Chan to take the narration to describe what they all struggled together and being able to pull back to a unity, in a group. Soon, the music shifts away from the calmness into a rock style that introduces the two rappers of the group, Bang Yong Guk and Zelo into the scene. The raps may be different from the calm narration, but they both show the side of B.A.P had developed through this mini album. Just as the raps exit, vocalist Dae Hyun raises the intensity of the mood with his high vocals. What’s great about this track is a foreshadow what to look for in the upcoming tracks and understand their meanings.
Track 3, “Young, Wild & Free” is the title track that glides a hard rock that mixes with the vocalists hitting the notes such as saying, “We are young, wild, and free” in the chorus along with the rap styles that the rappers had developed. The guitar of the song drives the lyrics even better. There are voices like a crowd to cheer off the lyrics. Of course track 2, Monologue gave a hint for this theme, but this track actually expresses and defines you, as audience, should not step back in what you do, but going forward for what you want. “Young, Wild, & Free” is a way to help encourage those who are struggling.
Track 4, “Be Happy” is a fun, pumped up song with grooves like their previous song, Spy in their first album. It’s a positive outlook of how people should feel when they are in stress. B.A.P greatly takes us to the verses saying, “go funky” to “be happy” in the chorus and ending with “lalala”. There is no need to worry when you listen to this song!
Track 5, “Blind” – This last track gives an interesting introduction and conclusion of a guitar with a style of pop in its verses and its chorus. The music gives the mood of being lost without anyone to help you. The line where vocalist Young Jae says, “Blind, I will never fall in love” discuss the person does not realize anything. This behavior defines a person who doesn’t realize the world. In this case, love is used as an example to be focused on. Everything is easily believed.
The turn of the millennium introduced the rise and eventual dominance of electronica in the U.S. Sure it has existed before and there was a niche who followed it. But its mass consumability was born post 2000. Ethnotronica by Ireesh Lal is an interesting addition in the electronica world that may go sadly unnoticed because it isn’t “main stage”-esque, or dubstep, trap, deep house, etc. What is it? It is art. It is music that paints a picture. It is music that sets various tones, moods, and feelings depending on the track you hear.
My favorite album of all time is a hard question to necessarily answer. I actually have four different ones, one each representing my favorite album for that particular genre.