When Kaskade and deadmau5 collaborated for the first time on their 2008 hit “I Remember,” the duo was well-known figures in the rapidly growing electronic music scene that had captivated a generation of music fans in America. 15 years later, the duo has formalized their occasional collaborations and long-running friendship into Kx5 and celebrates the project with the release of Kx5, their self-titled album, via mau5trap/Arkade.
Catch the UMF Debut of Kx5 (Kaskade & deadmau5) and the New Album, Tonight, March 26
Kx5 was formally introduced with the release of “Escape,” which featured Hayla, exactly a year ago. The debut single continued the smooth, melodic house sound introduced by “I Remember” (and its follow-up, “Move For Me“), garnering significant Top 40 radio airplay, spending 14 weeks at the top of the charts, and being named the top U.S. dance track of the year by Mediabase, the top dance/mix show airplay, and one of the “50 Best Dance Songs of 2022” by Billboard.
Other noteworthy recognitions for “Escape” include #1 songs of 2022 rankings from influential industry figures like Dancing Astronaut, SiriusXM, C89.5, Evolution, and EDM Tunes, as well as DJ Mag’s designation of the song as one of the “Best of 2022.” The song also won the “Electronic Chill Track of the Year” from the BBC’s Radio 1 Dance Awards and currently it is nominated for an iHeart Radio Music Award for “Dance Song Of The Year” with the winner to be announced on March 27, 2023.
However, “Escape” was only the beginning of months of sonic exploration that led to the creation of releases that are featured on Kx5, such as “Alive,” with its galloping beat, triumphant synth swells, and yearning vocals by The Moth & The Flame (TMTF); “Avalanche,” with its dizzying acid line and yearning vocal from James French,
When the Kx5 album was released, the duo turned to up-and-comers AR/CO for the focus track, “Bright Lights,” a cheery song for escaping the gloomy winter months.
We wanted to create a song as a farewell to the summer. Nobody we’ve ever met has ever expressed a desire for that period to end. We penned “Bright Lights” in Montreal’s warm mountains last September. It’s a snapshot of the feeling of that time for us both. – AR/CO
Find Kx5 performing live at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival on March 26, tonight, from the mainstage.
