First gaining success in the jungle/drum & bass scene, DJ Rap has evolved into one of the few DJ/producers who can cross effortlessly between many EDM genres – house, trance, progressive, drum & bass, dubstep…? It’s only fitting that she maintains two labels – Propa Talent for drum and bass/dubstep, and Impropa Talent for house and electro.? For her new single “Satisfied,” she embraces her inner Kate Bush and effortlessly coos lyrics about her personal journey. What makes the track unique is the dynamic soundclash between her soft pretty vocals and hard aggressive beats.? True to her multigenre appeal, a variety of mixes- from AudioBender, Ridone, Neurologix, SupaDeckStars, YeahILikeThat, and DJ Rap herself cover all the bases nicely, whether you like old school house, aggressive dubstep, modern electro, or drum and bass – there is a mix that will work for you.
The video, which is the first of a trilogy, features her playing piano, proving that she actually does make her own music. As a fan and a critic, I am conflicted by the hypersexualized and violent S&M imagery.? Yes, EDM videos often contain edgy content because it fits the nature of the music as something tied to the id, the night, and the space in which people relax their inhibitions and let their reptilian brains do the thinking. However, the violently-stuttered action in dubstep videos has quickly become so cliched that the meme has been satirized widely, even crossing over as the minor internet hit by Ylvis “Someone Like Me.”? On the other hand, the difference here is that as the artist and the label owner, DJ Rap chooses to present herself in this sexualized manner as her own artistic statement rather than being forced to do so by a profit-focused corporation. So hats off for exploring experimental and alternative sexual issues in the music video format, and we’ll see what this trilogy brings us.
Image Courtesy of Propa/Impropa Recordings.