This year has been an excellent year for the abstract. The idea that EDM can be more than just party music has gathered an incredible amount of steam recently thanks to artists like Cashmere Cat, Porter Robinson, & Diversa pushing a much more warm, artistic, and soundscape-esc style of music to the forefront of many a festival around the globe. One of the greatest duos to have benefited from this surprising shift in rave culture is most certainly Odesza.
Founded in 2012 by Harrison Mills (CatacombKid) & Clayton Knight (BeachesBeaches), this duo’s impressive combination of Electro-funk/hip-hop/soul has been making huge waves ever since its conception, and only improved with time. Their style of music is pretty much exactly what’s hot in the streets right now, and has been all throughout 2014; it’s that smooth, sexy, future style groove that is almost impossible not to like.
The funny thing is, they’ve been making this type of music for years. It’s just that the EDM community has only recently started to acknowledge it’s quieter, more sensitive, artistic side. People want to actually feel the music now, to relate to it, to be inspired by it.This inevitably, has lead them to Odesza. From their fantastic and numerous studio albums, to their powerful live shows, their sound isn’t something one can just forget about. It stays with you, and you want it to stay with you. That being said they’re music might not be for everyone (The Devil, Dick Cheney, Pat Robertson, etc.) but with over 125,000 Facebook fans and rapidly climbing, it’s obvious that these guys are onto something. 
“Being able to make something that impacts people seeing work flesh out is the best feeling ever. Playing a song in your bedroom and having people live it is incredible.”- Clayton
Currently these two are on a six week tour to celebrate their beautiful new album In Return. A Powerful, genreless album that is guaranteed to put them on your “Must See” list. So go check them out, and don’t forget to bring a date.
Back in July, we had an opportunity to pick their brains for a second at Northern Nights Music Festival in Northern California and here’s what else we walked away with:
What are some favorite places to play at?
We don’t care about the setting, we care if people are into it. The indie festival crowd is definitely in that mindset.Who is your favorite artist at the moment?
Hayden James; really into him right now. Really talented.What do you use to produce & perform?
Logic & Reason to produce. Ableton to play live using two laptops, both controlling everything individually.
Photo Credit: Your EDM (Thibault Palomares)
