Change often is the solely fixed, however blazing infernos tearing by Pacific Palisades, Kaskade’s residence for the final 15 years, was a brand new form of change for him.
After 24 days of burning, his total life seemed totally different. Between excursions, the famed DJ and dance music producer, born Ryan Raddon, spent nearly all of his time at Palisades scorching spots just like the Village. Now he frequents Santa Monica and Brentwood by pressure. Of the 30 households in his church, solely 4 of their homes stay standing, together with his. Sadly, his brother’s home was misplaced to the fires.
“The community is destroyed. It doesn’t exist anymore. It’s hard not to be angry,” Raddon says, remarking that he’s been questioning if he ought to keep within the Palisades. His three daughters grew up there. Does he take away their childhood residence?
When requested how this sudden and unprecedented shift affected the music he made for “undux,” his first album since 2015’s “Automatic,” Raddon takes a number of moments to gather his ideas.
“I’ve done quite a bit of press for this record, and you’re the first person to bring that up,” he admits. He made two makes an attempt to put in writing a brand new album within the final three years, however he was already going by private struggles earlier than the fires. Divorcing his spouse of almost three many years and watching two of his daughters depart residence led to melancholy songs that didn’t really feel proper to launch. Ultimately, he determined to complete the physique of labor, it doesn’t matter what.
“I need to just make this, see what it is and get through it,” Raddon says. He was capable of full it with the assistance of songwriters he’s recognized for years, comparable to Cayson Renshaw, Finn Bjarnson and Nate Pyfer. “It is therapeutic to sit down and work with another songwriter. [Telling them] I have a lot going on I want to write about.”
The title of the album is “undux,” pronounced “undo,” as a result of every thing happening left him feeling undone. The result’s a set of tracks that skews deeper and fewer euphoric than earlier Kaskade albums.
Raddon ventures away from his normal four-on-the-floor home music and into damaged beats on “Started Over.” Heat orchestral strings and Renshaw’s ghostly vocals function automobiles for giant emotional builds over the scattered drums, portray a sonic image of how messy the heavy moments can really feel.
“If Only” is a clear, guitar-driven indie dance tune that straight recounts Raddon’s expertise within the aftermath of the blaze: “It’s all ashes / What the hell just happened? / Somehow I’m still standing / But I’m asking what for?”
The title of Raddon’s album is “undux,” pronounced “undo,” as a result of every thing happening left him feeling undone.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)
There may be nonetheless music on the album befitting of Raddon’s dozens of main-stage units he performs yearly. The lead single, “DNCR,” coasts on banging piano chords and an brisk kick. However he wrote the upbeat songs after working by the taxing feelings he introduced into the method.
“Any time you’re being honest, and you’re going into the studio, you can’t avoid that stuff,” Raddon says. “This was a hard record for me to make.”
When Raddon’s supervisor heard “undux,” he was glad Raddon was feeling higher, however he additionally delivered a stern warning: Solely die-hards would recognize the softer method. Labels echoed this impression earlier than the Vancouver-based digital powerhouse, Monstercat, signed the album.
“When I sent the record out, people generally weren’t having it,” Raddon says. “Labels that I had worked with in the past, and some other people that are making noise in the space right now, said, ‘Call us back when you’re doing dance music.’”
“Undux” contains dance music. Nevertheless it’s not all peak-time bangers like his largest hits, comparable to “I Remember” and “Atmosphere.” Within the years following “Automatic,” most of Raddon’s output was that form of music. Streaming shifted listening habits away from lengthy gamers and towards playlists and algorithms, each of which favor singles. Singles within the dance realm traditionally do the most effective numbers-wise after they’re primed for stay.
Raddon’s most in depth releases on this interval had been his 5 “Redux” EPs. The Redux mission channels his earliest years of DJing, when he was centered on protecting the dance flooring transferring. Kaskade releases get individuals transferring, too, however songwriting defines that music. Utilizing lyrics and melodies to inform the kind of tales he wanted to share after the fires.
“Making a single’s neat, but when you sit down in the studio, there’s so much pressure. I need to be able to play this at 2 a.m. in my set. That’s a weird box to work in,” Raddon shares. “When I’m making an album, there’s no thought of that. Let me just write and create.”
“The coolest thing for me is seeing dance music get a little bit of respect. [There’s been] so much success in bringing the music to a wider audience. It’s been a long road,” Raddon says.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)
It is sensible that Raddon spent so a few years producing for the stay area. Proper across the launch of “Automatic,” he began a historic run on stage. In 2015, he introduced the biggest viewers to an EDM act within the historical past of Coachella. In 2021, he was the primary artist to play for a public viewers at SoFi Stadium. In 2022, he broke the document for the largest digital music headlining live performance in North America on the L.A. Coliseum with Kx5, his collaborative mission with deadmau5.
Raddon has additionally been referred to as upon to deliver his artwork kind to skilled sports activities. In 2024, he grew to become the primary Tremendous Bowl in-game DJ, and that Could, he was the first-ever beginning grid DJ at a System 1 race throughout Miami’s grand prix.
Regardless of so many particular person wins, Raddon is most thrilled in regards to the constructive change this “decade of triumph” represents for the complete scene. He grew to become one of many first figures of dance music legitimacy when he broke by together with his 2004 hit “Steppin’ Out.” Now dance music has three Grammy classes.
“The coolest thing for me is seeing dance music get a little bit of respect. [There’s been] so much success in bringing the music to a wider audience. It’s been a long road,” Raddon says.
Raddon has been on prime of the style all through that lengthy highway, making him considered one of dance music’s solely constant superstars.
Raddon particularly emphasizes the flexibility to adapt. He began DJing when vinyl was the one choice, and he remembers when sure DJs refused to play CDs when that know-how developed. Now everybody makes use of digital recordsdata. The identical precept applies to creating music. He’s fairly calm within the wake of AI instruments (although he admits he feels relaxed about it as a result of he’s already discovered established success together with his music).
“This train is moving. You’re getting on, or you’re not. There’s no fighting it,” Raddon says.
The lack of his neighborhood within the Palisades and the shifts in his household life often is the most troublesome adjustments he has ever confronted. However he’s nonetheless on the prepare transferring ahead with the assistance of the music.
