Benjamin Kassel
"Papercut": when I realized there was more to electronic music
Zedd's serene house-pop production featuring Troye Sivan was the first track of its kind that impressed me with the greater story it told.
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Benjamin Kassel
Mar 20, 20223 min read
"Tainted Love": a cover that defined the 80s sound
Soft Cell weren't the originators of this song, new wave, or synth-pop, but their take on Gloria Jones set the stage for a decade of music.
Benjamin Kassel
Mar 20, 20224 min read
"Enjoy the Silence": fitting music for an ironic title
Depeche Mode's most successful song is an inner monologue, formed in a moment when the outside world is quiet.
Benjamin Kassel
Mar 13, 20223 min read
The irony and unity in hearing a crowd singing"Dancing On My Own"
Robyn's 2010s-defining hit is narratively unfitting such a response... but deep down, such an act really makes a lot of sense.
Benjamin Kassel
Mar 4, 20223 min read
"Paradigm" is my kind of deep house
CamelPhat are leaders of the style now, and I saw it coming with this 2015 production.
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 23, 20225 min read
"The Catalyst" describes how I feel given current events in Ukraine
*inhales*
*SCREAMS INTERNALLY*
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 22, 20225 min read
"Digital Love" is my favorite electronic track of all time
...and I break it down today to pay tribute to the two robots with human souls who made it.
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 5, 20223 min read
"Say Nothing" does all the talking itself
Flume's new release is chock-full of fascinating details as he plays with time and musical space.
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 4, 20224 min read
Close to a decade on, "Caliban's Dream" continues to embody the Olympic spirit
As Beijing 2022 begins, I return to Underworld's musical setting for the 2012 cauldron lighting.
Benjamin Kassel
Jan 8, 20224 min read
"Crystalised" presents the inner monologues that persist in relationships
The xx's debut single explores the fragility of love through two partners' ever-present individual thoughts.
Benjamin Kassel
Jan 6, 20223 min read
"Call Me" and the timeless sound of 1980
Blondie's Moroder-produced movie soundtrack anthem presents the state of pop at a sonic inflection point — a sound people still love today.
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 13, 20214 min read
"I'm Not Alone": a self-reckoning on self-destruction
Who knew that a house track could breed such philosophical discussion?
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 1, 20213 min read
"Dreams" demonstrates the power of recurrence
Gorgon City utilize mediated repetition — particularly of a single element — to create and reinforce their track's titular aura.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 23, 20213 min read
Few modern instrumentals capture me like "Bloodflow" does
Grandbrothers blur the boundary between classical and electronic worlds with this powerful, piano-driven production.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 8, 20214 min read
Getting up from your "Falls" is what counts
With a more restrained, yet emotive break, ODESZA reminded me that nothing is to be gained from wallowing in one's pessimism.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 31, 20215 min read
"Pursuit" captures how I want Halloween to sound
The industrial instrumental's dark, chilling nature makes it a great fit for the holiday — but it also isn't exclusively an October track.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 17, 20214 min read
"Hyperballad" stands the test of time... and honestly, we've yet to reach its time
A quarter-century after its release, Björk's ethereal dream sequence song still sounds like it's ahead of our current musical era.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 10, 20214 min read
Is it house? Is it electronica? Is it pop? All I know is that it's "Magnets," and it's awesome.
Disclosure's masterpiece with Lorde has a downright outrageous beat and great lyric / instrumental coordination to drive home its narrative.
Benjamin Kassel
Sep 29, 20214 min read
"My Head and My Heart" places a Eurodance classic into a new, house-based context
Ava Max demonstrates how to build up from a sample, creating new material in a different style while also not losing sight of the original.
Benjamin Kassel
Sep 14, 20216 min read
“Burn the Witch” soundtracks yet another harrowing election day in my mind
I hate that this beautiful song is the one that jumps out to me as fitting today’s mood, but that's how I'm feeling.
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