Hoo boy, I've been excited about this track ever since the mix-cut first materialised on Hardwell on Air. To fully understand why, let's journey back (pretend the screen's gone all wavy like we're doing a flashback... Go on, it's fun! )...
In many ways, my electronic music origin story began properly with Tiësto's Club Life Vol. 4 - NYC. Before 2016, my entire music world had been experienced from a live band perspective; I grew up listening to Blink 182, went through a questionable death metal phase, and then spent my early 20s listening to post-rock and experimental indie. But when I got into progressive house, everything changed.
You see, around 2016 I was really struggling with the concept of being in a band. It was so frustrating trying to get everyone to agree on a particular idea, and then be able to execute it, never mind recording it so you didn't forget or, fuck, people could actually listen to it. I was so sick of this compromise and stress that when I discovered that in the world of electronic music, you could do everything on your own, you could bet I was welcoming that with open arms!
Coming into this brave new world, without knowing any of the rules, styles, names - never mind how to go about actually making dance music - was incredibly intimidating. Thank God for Club Life. This album was my Bible when it came to understanding the new world I'd entered, and some of my favourite dance tracks to this day live on this album.
So it may come as a surprise then that Rave Alert isn't actually on this album... Right. So why did I just bang on about it for three paragraphs, in between an autobiography that no one asked for? Because this track fully transported me back to the very beginning of my journey the moment it opened up. Like a lucid flashback with Batman sparring with Ra's al Ghul or Captain America trying his damnedest to join the military, I was right back where I was in 2016. Tracks that can transport you to other places in time, either through memory or vivid imagery, are what it's all about for me. Music can be a time machine, and sometimes time is all you need to Save the World!
I'm really proud to feature our good friend SWACQ on this playlist once again after his headline run back in October, and this time he's joined by the amazing Justin Mylo, who's work I've been a massive fan of since the ridiculously filthy Bouncybob (although I was about a year late to that particular party...) Swac keeps going from strength to strength, and I have to keep myself from going mad and adding his entire discog to this playlist - a similar restraint I find myself having to exercise with Flume...
Maybe you won't be able to take the exact same journey I did with this track, but if progressive house fills you with the same kind of energy and optimism as it does for me, then Rave Alert will definitely be tickling your pickle in all the right places!
Himalaya by Ellipsis
The Music to Save The World playlist is sponsored this month by Himalaya from Ellipsis.
The journey begins - fresh Chillstep from Ellipsis to help you focus. Stream it now:
You can learn more about SWACQ here:
You can learn more about Justin Mylo here:
About the curator - Matt Jenko
Matt Jenko is a university postgraduate and music producer with an unhealthy obsession with Rick & Morty and all things Game of Thrones. When he’s not in the studio (a rare occurrence these days), he’s fueling his passion for music either on the net or out in the real world. He likes being out in the nature (in the least strenuous capacity though, let’s be real here) and chilling with his cat, and he’s also pretty proud of his mammoth collection of books that he’s never read.
Checkout Matt's project Ellipsis on Spotify and Facebook
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