ZHU – Automatic
EDM’s favorite mystery man, ZHU, may have finally revealed his identity earlier in the year, but he seemed determined to prove that his releases could be just as powerful without the shroud of non-marketing that became his calling card. The high-profile collaborations on his Genesis Series will prove a memorable landmark on the landscape of 2015 dance music releases, and none are as memorable as his AlunaGeorge project, “Automatic.”
This track was everything ZHU fans had been waiting for. The sultry top line by AlunaGeorge effectively complimented his sonically rich production style. “Automatic” was a perfect way for the celebrated DJ/producer to kick off the Genesis Series, which saw rapid-fire releases from a variety of artists both inside and outside the scope of electronic music.
Nero – The Thrill
UK-based trio Nero made a name for themselves during the dubstep breakthrough of 2010-2012, but mysteriously faded into obscurity as the EDM movement reached even greater heights over the years that followed. Four years after their debut album, Welcome Reality, they finally returned with a memorable follow-up in the form of Between II Worlds – an aptly titled effort that succeeded in updating their sound without falling into the all-too-familiar tendency of fad chasing.
While Between II Worlds featured no shortage of memorable tracks, “The Thrill” stood out as the strongest for Alana Watson’s anthemic vocals and the almost heavy metal-reminiscent use of hoover synth stacks. With two studio albums under their belt, it’s clear that Nero isn’t going anywhere – but with any luck, they won’t wait four years to release another album.
