#emoh instead

Many weeks have gone by since we all binged on Stranger Things season 3 on Netflix, but it would be absolutely insane to miss out on this remix of its S U R V I V E theme by the great What So Not. That’s right, just ahead of season 3′s arrival, What So Not’s Emoh Instead offered up the latest wicked edit of the much loved synthwave track, giving us a future trap rendering that’s atmospheric and cinematic. While some of the Stranger Things craze may have died down now that we’ve all been caught up in its hailstorm for a few years now, What So Not’s remix brings us right back in the thick of it all. Suddenly, we remember why we fell so hard for its 80s inspired music. Stream/download What So Not’s remix, here.

I'm better than a sweet lie. Better than a cheap night. Better than the way you drag me down to feel alive.

A behemoth dream team of collaborators join forces on 20:25, a lush throbbing anthem that came out last Friday on Circus Records. What So Not and Flux Pavilion combine their production prowess and enlist alt/synth troubadour The Chain Gang Of 1974 to give us a spate of wobbling beats, luxurious synths, and slick vocals. 20:25 is a bass undulating jewel from this three way juncture, and a pristine amalgamation of their distinct sounds. It almost feels like we’re not worthy of such a masterful single, so smooth and hypnotic yet pressing and vitalic. Stream/download the track via alternate digital platforms, here. 

It's been a long road for What So Not fans like us.  From the days when What So Not was a duo that also involved future bass pioneer Flume, to when What So Not collaborated with many other incredible artists, including Marcus Marr and George Maple, to all the times we've caught What So Not live (including sets at SXSW and that unforgettable countdown on NYE at SnowGlobe a few years ago), we've been die hard fans of the project's sensational future bass, hip hop, and electronica. And now, this week, it's finally happened. What So Not, aka Australia's Emoh Instead, has finally announced a DEBUT FULL LENGTH ALBUM. Not All The Beautiful Things will arrive on March 9th via Counter Records. The immense news comes accompanied by a transcendental new track involving Sydney’s BUOY, too. Stuck In Orbit all but shoots us into orbit with its atmospheric makeup and BUOY’s exceptionally captivating vocal prowess. It’s certainly one of What So Not’s more minimalist and ambient offerings, a restrained and more subtle, yet powerful and dramatic sprawler that strips away the very pull of gravity. We float among What So Not’s dark synths and cinematic drops, dissolving in pure bliss into its rolling waves. What So Not’s album is going to be a star studded affair, as you probably already expect. You can already pre-save and pre-order, here.

Photos courtesy of Tom Zhang | @Zomothy

As an electronic DJ and producer, Chris Emerson goes by Emoh Instead. But when he’s making and performing his own music, he uses the name What So Not, putting out a host of well-done EPs and singles, plus the collaborations-filled debut studio album Not All the Beautiful Things (stream it here), which came out last year. EDM Sauce calls the LP diverse and breathtaking, adding: “Overall this is quite the crowning achievement for What So Not.” And as much as you may enjoy listening to the album at home or through earbuds, the best way to experience—and feel—this music is live and in person. So make sure you get to Webster Hall on Saturday night. And if you’re smart, you won’t miss Graves and Alex English opening the show.

Switching from a two piece involving Flume into a one piece with Emoh Instead running the show obviously never slowed Australian electronic sensation What So Not down. It feels like eons ago that the change happened, and I’m sure many have all but forgotten the earlier iteration of the electronic project by now, particularly after all the immensely spellbinding tracks he’s put out over the past couple of years and the insanely scintillating sets he’s thrown down live. It’s been a long wait, but What So Not will finally release a debut full length named Not All The Beautiful Things on March 9th via Counter Record. Beautiful is the third song he’s unveiled from the release. It’s an acute jouncing, synth buzzing electronic track featuring Swedish newcomer Winona Oak, who alternates between candied sonorous and caramel charred vocals. The rusty grinding future house beats and restless percussion on Beautiful gives the track a pressured urgency. They urge us to move our bodies to Beautiful’s anxious yearning and vigorous vitality. You can pre-save and pre-order What So Not’s debut full length, here. Beautiful is available, here.

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