*All words by Annie Datesh for MyMusicIsBetterThanYours.com*
Lane 8, Lane 8, Lane 8. How can I fully express my appreciation for this man (also known as Daniel Goldstein)? Maybe I can’t. But I will sure as hell try:
Lane 8 is becoming one of those you-must-literally-live-under-a-rock-if-you-don’t-know-him acts. Really, if you still haven’t heard of him, please see me after class. By way of background, Lane 8 is a 26 year-old, American-born producer and DJ. He one of the flagship artists for Above & Beyond’s Anjunadeep label, and his music represents the sort of multi-dimensional, genre-defying sound for which the Anjunadeep label has become known and loved. Lauded as an up-and-coming artist helping melodic House rediscover and expand its roots, Lane 8 has been getting well-deserved accolades this year from everyone from Dancing Astronaut to EDMTunes. Hell, even the The New York Times jumped on the Lane 8 bandwagon, hosting his new album “Rise” for streaming in its Press Play section (a section of the Times devoted to “noteworthy new music”) earlier this summer.
Give any Lane 8 song a listen and you’ll see that all this hype is not misplaced. Goldstein half-jokingly refers to his style as “Dreamy Back Rub House,” but the euphoric feeling he infuses into basically everything he touches takes that half joke and makes it into more of an “excuse me, has anyone seen my masseuse?” Indeed, Lane 8’s solid musical talent comes through in his ability to create his signature, ambient but still danceable sound in all of his songs and remixes. More than just another knee-jerk beat maker, Lane 8 is helping maintain some portion of EDM as a real art form. I still haven’t forgotten the first time I heard his guest mix on AGBT 063 way back in January 2014, which begins right off the bat with his original single “Nothing You Can Say” (ft. Lucy Stone) – easily one of the most goddamn beautiful songs released in all of 2014. Seriously, listen to it right now. While you’re at it, check out some other Lane 8 classics like “Every Night” and “Be Mine” or his remixes of Above & Beyond’s “Sticky Fingers” or Odesza’s “Bloom,” and tell me that airy signature sound doesn’t make you want to start up a back rub & vibe-out circle on the spot. Yea. Exactly.
https://soundcloud.com/lane8music/lane-8-nothing-you-can-say-ft
Great so, now that you’re appropriately primed, let’s talk Rise. Released just over a month ago and filled with 11 tracks of dreamy, melodic bliss, this album is a great full-length, freshman debut for a true rising star. The album’s sense of pleasant contentedness and calm starts with the first track “Cosi” and permeates the whole track list in a way that immediately draws you in and makes each song feel somehow familiar. But the album isn’t all slices of ambient dreaminess; it also incorporates some pop elements (without too much sugar), catchy melodies, and even some brooding undertones on certain tracks. Overall, the album comes together as a cohesive unit of emotionally powerful greatness, something that is rare in a culture of one-off singles, and is another testament to Lane 8’s status as an artist to watch.
https://soundcloud.com/lane8music/ghost
Fans and industry-players alike haven’t been blind to the progressiveness of Rise or the impressiveness of its tracks. You’ve probably heard “Ghost” (ft. Patrick Baker) on the radio or in other podcasts and mixes this summer. Maybe you’ve even been giving “Diamonds” (ft. Solomon Grey) some air time in your own playlists. I know that my personal favorite from the album, “Hot as You Want” (ft. Solomon Grey) has been maintaining its spot on my favorites list since it was first released as a single a few months back. No matter what individual tracks you may have heard so far, take my advice and make some time to listen to the album the whole way through. If not just for the nostalgia of actually listening to a full album, do it to let Lane 8’s sophisticated craftsmanship and signature atmospheric and uplifting sound take you on a journey that will end with his tracks becoming some of your Indian summer go-tos in the coming months, even if you’ve already been filling your summer soundtrack with Lane 8’s greatness.
https://soundcloud.com/lane8music/hot-as-you-want-feat-solomon-grey
If, like me, you can’t get enough of Lane 8’s smooth vibe, enchanting melodies and sweet ethereal vocals, you can grab tickets to the North American arm of the Rise tour (see tour dates below), which could be coming soon to a city near you.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
PURCHASE ‘RISE’ ON iTUNES HERE
PURCHASE ‘RISE’ ON BEATPORT HERE
