His sound is instantly recognizable. He is one of the industry's most beloved figures. Described by Black Book magazine as “…the man [who] gets his sh*t done with an unassuming demeanor, and usually in flip-flops.” Kaskade, a San Francisco-based electronic music artist, actually took his name from a nature book showing a picture of a waterfall. A co-worker helped him decide that ‘cascade’ was indeed a good choice, and Kaskade was born.
It’s not hard to understand why the world is in love with Kaskade. He is a road warrior of sorts, having rocked dance floors around the world close to every night for the last year. His ‘Big Room’ sound is defined by a certain level of groove, mixed in with a good dash of heart and soul.
What is so 'Grand'?
The Grand is the follow-up to last year’s chart topping Strobelite Seduction, and features a mix of both original productions and remixes, as well as individual tracks by Misha Daniels, Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso, Dirty Vegas, and others. When you listen to The Grand you come away with the essence of a Kasade live show, mellow and melodic, soulful and sexy.
This is a production of the highest quality, both technically and musically. The Grand takes your mind on a musical journey that will provide an aural soundtrack through memories of love and loss. Through it all, there seems to be an unending light. No other track in this continuous mix displays the contrast better than Jes’ "Imagination." You may remember Jes as one part of the trio formed by herself, Josh Gabriel and Dave Dresden- Motorcycle, awarded WMC's best Progressive/Trance record award in 2004. "Imagination" reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay chart in January 2009.
I’m a huge fan of just about everything I’ve ever heard from Misha Daniels, so his production "Another Place," featuring vocals by Crown, has a welcome spot on The Grand. Even though Daniels hails from the lands of epic Dutch dance music, not all Dutch producers have drawn their influences from the superstar DJs. You might expect cheesy melodies and super-saw synth, but no. ‘Another Place’ is a great fit amid a wash of San Francisco-style grooves.
'The Grand' Goes a Little French
You’ll even find some French-born House music included on The Grand. The irreverant Arno Cost checks in with a remix of "Saturday Night" by Michael Feiner and Dainel Lindstrom. The string-driven "Partouze" from Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso lithely gives way to an even funkier track by Tommy Trash ft/ Mr. Wilson called "Need Me To Stay" which starts as single guitar underlaid by a light tinkling of the piano keys, before the vocals kick in. This is what the Beatles would sound like if they produced electronica. Even though the beginning of "Need Me To Stay" is sans any beat, you won’t lose the sense of rhythm for even a second.
A Grand Australian
Another killer included on The Grand is the Australian duo Cabin Crew. Near the end of The Grand, ‘Can’t Stop’ reached # 8 on the Australian dance charts, and could be considered a follow-up to Cabin Crew’s successful underground bootleg release of a remix to the 1988 hit song "Waiting for a Star to Fall" by Boy Meets Girl. Kaskade’s extended remix of Plumb’s "In My Arms" is the final track on The Grand.
Summary
Although Kaskade has done remixes for stars like Britney Spears and LeAnn Rimes, it’s not his remixing that has landed him at the top of the heap. He is a continual presence at the top of the charts based solely on the strength of his own work. When he is not in the studio concocting the next big sound, he’s on the road, playing to sold out venue’s around the world. Global dancefloor respect and chart success has come through hard work, vision, and a willingness to explore the musical world. Kaskade’s The Grand may indeed be the best full-length mix album released in 2009.
Released March 2009 on Ultra Records.