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Photo: Noah Kentis

Forgive me for sounding like an outdated '90s infomercial, but computers are radical. I'm not saying this just because working from home has drastically improved my work-life balance but because technology has significantly altered how we interface with all facets of the world, music included. DJ_Dave is one such brilliant example.

The alograve (algorithmic rave) and live code musician is rewriting how we look at not just electronic music but the very concept of a DJ, being the first to combine live coding and DJ mixing simultaneously in her shows. A queer female firmly planted in the center of music and tech, DJ_Dave is bridging the disparate worlds of live coding and pop sensible dance music. The latest result of this is "Castles," a self-coded and self-written lucid trip to the dancefloor.

Set to appear on DJ_Dave's forthcoming EP, releasing summer, "Castles" is a song that thrives in its inherent state of juxtaposition. Propelled by an electrifying soundscape, the alograve musician's vocals swim just below the surface, hinting at feelings of heartbreak and renewed love. "I found you in heartbreak / Thought you would be a mistake," sings DJ_Dave in a near whisper against a maximalist backdrop that threatens to swallow her whole at any moment.

The intoxicating emotional undercurrent of DJ_Dave's pop-minded dance music calls to mind both the catharsis of listening to Crystal Castles for the first time and falling in love with a stranger on the dancefloor, even if you know it's destined to end before last call. "Castles" is an underground club hit, a moment, and another bold step forward for the rising star.  

Watch the  "Castles" visualizer below: