Props to the digital age for bringing to the fore some of today’s most promising talents. Porter Robinson and Madeon met years ago on a message board for Daft Punk fans. On Friday, December 2, we’ll get to see what happens when the burgeoning artists take the stage at The Complex, on their first collaborative tour.
You most likely know Madeon (Hugo Pierre Leclercq) from his 2011 video, “Pop Culture,” which deftly meshes 39 different iconic songs from the past three decades in real-time on a Novation Launchpad. The video is currently at over 37 million views and counting. Early last year, he officially landed on the scene in a big way, with debut album Adventure, featuring hits “You’re On” and “Home.” Fellow up-and-comer Robinson also recently released his first album: Worlds, featuring singles “Divinity” and “Sea of Voices” was a cinematic project that wowed audiences with interactive live shows. Not a bad deal for someone who got picked up by Skrillex’s OWSLA label at only 21 years old.
Aware of the power that others’ work has on inspiring fresh music, the 22-year old invited fellow up-and-comer Robinson to his Nantes, France studio, and together, they crafted what would become “Shelter,” an all-encompassing “silky electro-pop” single celebrating friendship and family, with an accompanying anime music video to boot. The latter is an extension of the digital universes recurrent in Robinson’s own work, and chronicles the story of Rin, a teenage girl who lives in a self-composed futuristic simulation. Themes of loneliness, youth, and the beauties and pitfalls of technology run throughout.
“Shelter” will no doubt be a show highlight. Robinson and Madeon will also present reworked highlights from own work – notably, their signature interactivity and live instrumentation.
CHARISSA CHE
