Few can argue the impact that Grammy-nominated artist Audien has had on the EDM genre. Growing up in Mystic Connecticut, Nathaniel Rathburn describes himself as an artist who produces music with melancholic feels while also striving to make his songs fun to listen to. Achieving that delicate balance of feels and fun along with his ability to take risks are some of the secrets to Audien’s success and why so many fans have enjoyed attending numerous appearances of his around the globe.
Over the last 10 years, Audien has produced a treasure trove of successful singles (Wayfarer, Insomnia featuring Parson James, Something Better with Lady Antebellum, One More Weekend with Max), mixes, extended plays (Message, Some Ideas) and collaborations. 2019 has been another great year for Audien. After a successful collaboration with Echosmith with their single “Favorite Sound” reaching #7 on the US dance charts and releasing the remix Giant (Calvin Harris and Rag’n Bone Man), Audien has finally released his greatly anticipated first studio album Escapism. The title of the album reflects what he himself has hoped listeners would use his music for and after hearing these amazing tracks Audien has created, it’s easy to get lost in them.
The lovely introduction to the first track, See you on the other side, hints at those we have lost and the final release to that other dimension that we expect when we cross. Perhaps one of the most touching and endearing interpretations of this journey, the other side prepares us in easing our transition into what happens next and what we would hope would be the experience we might have when our time comes to leave this place.
Reach has me trying to figure out the meaning of relationships and why we hold back in what we want the most. It’s easier to ignore the messages our partners try to give us and sometimes we give up on a relationship entirely. The importance of keeping a relationship alive and making an effort to keep communication going is explored. The upbeat tempo in the song expresses the hope that this connection will be made and gives us all hope that a resolution can be made no matter what the obstacles are. You’ll want to give those lost causes a second chance after hearing this song. Jamie Harman’s sweet and endearing vocals made me want to call out to him with a certain sense of urgency.
Escape is a fun rolling ride down a melodic trance wonderland picking you up and playing with your pleasure centers, making the case for a heavenly and euphoric place in the world where despair can’t harbor. No need to be sad in this track, its playful nature has me winking and smiling at the freedom it evokes. Escape with me and you’ll see.
In Buzzing we hear the vocals of Nevve confessing the reality of having a loss of hope and looking for more only to discover that she has a passion for someone that can’t be fulfilled but even when love is not returned the experience feels so good and sometimes that’s the only reason and thing that keeps us alive and going. Sometimes you hold onto that experience and you don’t want it to end, even if you are the only one feeling that love.
Favorite sound looks at the reality of accepting ourselves for ourselves and accepting that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. Walking away from that self-doubt, conquering that feeling of defeat and the triumph that comes along with it is what is sounds like. We as an EDM community are on the cusp of accepting how beautiful and important we all are, and that life is not perfect, that life goes on and that we can do this journey called life. There is much to rejoice in celebrating our own found realities and it’s ok to ask for help when you need it.
Over it’s beauty is the notion of recovering from disappointment and growing from it. This song is a celebratory anthem with the steps of closure and learning coming from a place of peace. this song is a deeply feeling self confessional that she is already over it… but is she?
Heaven, sung by Maty Noyes, strikes a nerve with the theme of the album which I am interpreting now as the things you want to say or do with someone when you can’t. The lyrics wishing “heaven had a phone” is a deep wish, but not perhaps as melancholy as it seems because as the album suggests there may be more ways we can communicate. The shared desire to hear the words “it will be ok” transcends the relationship needs for all of us.
Dreams paths us towards the notion of coming up with an ideal love and something more. There is a reason why we dream either consciously or subconsciously and this song portrays the idea of all of us collectively acknowledging that we dream even if we aren’t a “dreamer”. All of us have the ability to dream and make this existence better and you can feel that in this song. Clearly a trance anthem, I think it’s the song that inspired the album cover art as we cross over from the conscious world to the subconscious world. How ever we cross, I want all of my dreams to have this song in them with me grooving all the way to the other side.
Something Greater Interlude is a beautiful piano melody and perhaps is the classical version of the original song something better. The arrangements are lovely and complemented by synths which give it a trance feel.
In Rollercoaster, Liam O’Donnell sings his heart out with a sense of loneliness and resentment that feels somewhat personal as he admits to enjoying “getting hurt” by the one he loves. Perhaps another interpretation of the relationship gone “wrong” is “right”, rollercoaster has an undertone of the macabre. This restless track has the rider never at a state of rest and explaining how he got there.
Sleep paralysis’s piano chords are a lovely touch with the “rap-like anthem” instrumental feel that is reflective of perhaps a personal experience of the artist’s love for the hip hop genre himself. It’s complicated with jazzy piano chords with badass feels evoking the edginess of its deep reverbs.
This intelligent foray into the creative mind of Audien is refreshing and delightful. Feeling more like a live performance at a club, this studio album holds some of the best-composed EDM tracks reflecting current and important themes of our day while expressing feelings that may be otherwise overlooked. Audien’s sensitivity to the desire of human longing is portrayed here while he keeps you tapping your toes and raising your arms up to sing along to his lullaby.
*Featured image Via Beatport*
