Kaskade and deadmau5, two of dance music’s most respected icons, join forces to deliver their debut collaborative album, Kx5.
It is no secret that Kaskade and deadmau5 have established themselves as two pillars of dance music greatness over the past two decades. The two artists’ legacies are long and storied as each continues to release tracks that move fans while occasionally teaming up for global hits like “I Remember” and “Move For Me.” Yet Kaskade and deadmau5 were defined more as individual producers and less as a collaborative project – until recently. Enter, Kx5.
When the news broke about two of the most respected artists in dance music coming together to breathe new life into the scene, fans were abuzz with the newfound opportunity to see Kaskade and deadmau5 under the Kx5 alias. The duo officially pulled back the curtain on May 22, 2022, when they filled the circuitGROUNDS stage at EDC Las Vegas to capacity to serve up a collection of each of their fan favorites, capping off the set with the world’s first live rendition of “Escape,” featuring Hayla on vocals.
After delivering what was quite possibly the set of the weekend at America’s largest dance music event, the duo recused back into the studio before reemerging at the iconic LA Coliseum. Not only would this be the first dance music event at the venue in over a decade, but it would go on to be the largest single-day dance music event ever in the United States.
Now, just over a year after their debut single and globally successful hit, “Escape,” hit the airwaves, Kx5 has delivered their self-titled debut album in all its glory. From massive festival-ready drops to powerful, dark bass lines, emotive vocals, and beautiful synth work, there is no stone unturned in this ten-track collection that further cements their legendary status. After blessing fans with five previously released singles, each unique from the last, five new incredible tracks are ripe for the picking with the full album’s release.
Kx5 is now available on all streaming platforms. Check it out on Spotify and take a deeper dive into the all-new world of Kx5 and read our in-depth review below.
Stream Kx5 – Kx5 on Spotify:
The sentiment felt when seeing two legendary artists in the scene work together again holds strong as we peel back the layers of Kx5.
Opening the album is “Alive,” which features the alternative duo, The Moth & The Flame, and arrives with a bang and draws on alluring vocals, powerful synth leads that are immediately recognizable, and a drop tailor-made for the masses. The album’s final single, “Sacrifice,” appears soon after and features a sultry collaboration with SOFI TUKKER alongside massive techno-driven vibes. The freshly minted Kx5 sound stands front and center as their emotive bass drops, driving kick drums, and scintillating hi-hats carry the track throughout.
A track that needs little introduction, the duo’s breakout single and global sensation, “Escape” with Hayla, then lands in our laps. From the dingiest clubs of Los Angeles to Ibiza’s most prominent stages, dance music fans from around the planet have basked in the glory of this track, which stands as one of the last decade’s most significant dance music records.
Coming in at number four is a collaboration with AR/CO, “Bright Lights,” the first unreleased track with a more radio-ready vibe. The track elevates into a more delicate ethos from the previous two’s dark and ominous energy. Its instantly danceable groove dominates the track while an undulating bass line bubbles beneath an airy, uplifting melody.
Gently slowing the tempo, “Pwdr Blue” delivers immaculately polished synths and refined drums reminiscent of the early days of the famed duo’s career.
It’s a sensual track like “Pwdr Blue” that takes us back to Kasakde’s “Strobelight Seduction” era and deadmau5’s iconic “You and I” with a freshly reinvented sound that looks directly into the future. The vocals from Brother. really help this one hit the spot as you drift into a state of electronic bliss. And those delicate vibes continue to seep into “When I Talk,” the duo’s track that sees Elderbrook bring his Midas Touch into the mix. A standout from the album, it delivers just the right balance of vocal runs, high-intensity builds, and the utterly perfect drop that allows fans from around the globe to dance the night away to the iconic sounds of Kx5.
“Eat Sleep” delivers a transcendent vibe as it bridges the sonic gap between festival-ready banger and late-night warehouse anthem. Cosmic vocals from Richard Walters lift the spirit of the track to the upper reaches of bliss only until sharpened synths bring us back to Earth with an infectious, rolling bass line and perfectly placed synth stabs.
“Take Me High,” released in September, was the duo’s first foray into their melodic techno-driven sound.
An intentionally assertive single that achieved its sole purpose of elevating crowds of gargantuan size to the upper echelons of dance floor energy. While we enter the curtain call of Kx5, we all know what goes up must come down – or does it?
“Avalanche” continues the journey down the rabbit hole into the world of Kx5. This single hit the airwaves with a one-two punch back in November yet has remained in rotation to this very moment. A techno-laden, high-energy banger, this one comes primed and ready for dancefloor devastation with acid-twinged low-ends and perfectly polished vocals. As we enter the final reaches of Kx5’s debut album, “Unobsidian,” delivers a subaqueous vibe as ecstatic progressive energy thumps away. Powerful synth stabs dominate the front end of the track as the one and only deadmau5 takes total control to bring this album to a proper close.
Kx5 – Kx5 – Tracklist:
- Alive (feat. The Moth & The Flame)
- Sacrifice (feat. SOFI TUKKER)
- Escape (feat. Hayla)
- Bright Lights (feat. AR/CO)
- Pwdr Blue (feat. Brother.)
- When I Talk (feat. Elderbrook)
- Eat Sleep (feat. Richard Walters)
- Take Me High
- Avalanche (feat. James French)
- Unobsidian
