DJ_Dave Codes Her Feelings Into a Lucid Dance Track With "React," Ahead of Debut EP 'Intercell'
Photo: Fenn Paider
Live code artist and producer DJ_Dave continues pushing her craft's boundaries with the brand-new track "React." The digitally-charged, atmospheric song is entirely self-produced, written, and vocally performed by DJ_Dave using code, a style known as algorave.
"React" opens with a collection of twinkling synths and ethereal vocals. The dreamy soundscapes comprised of layers of kinetic, cyber percussion and catchy beats lure the listener deeper and deeper into the code-based world of the rising producer and DJ. Lyrics focusing on a tumultuous relationship swirl in the air, ebbing and flowing through the multi-faceted sonics, inspiring listeners to dance out their feelings and cry over their own heartbreaks on the dancefloor.
"This song and the process of making it really felt like I was collaborating with my computer because of how many elements I wasn't expecting to create," shares DJ_Dave. "Almost every main element of it was randomly created by different functions that work with probability. I started off wanting to challenge myself to make a slower song that still made me want to dance, and somehow every element from production to vocals came together so easily."
The accompanying live-coded performance is a captivating continuation of the world created in DJ_Dave's previous music video for "ARRAY." It gives a closer look at the immersive digital universe she co-created with her visual partners Andy Rolfes and Char Stiles, using the game engine Unreal to form an imaginative, celestial landscape background and lay live volumetric footage on top.
"React" is the second single from her upcoming debut EP, Intercell, set to release September 8. The five-track release is filled with enchanting rhythms, intimate melodies, and kaleidoscopic textures, marking DJ_Dave's first body of work and is the project she's been dreaming up since she began coding in 2021. Leading into the record release, DJ_Dave has become a regular guest on Frank Ocean's Homer Radio, with six episodes and counting since the start of 2023, and has caught the ears of electronic legends Channel Tres, Tove Lo, and Uffie, who she has created official remixes for. Her recent performances include DoLab at Coachella, a live-coded performance at the Whitney Museum, and she will be joining JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown as the opener for nine stops on their summer 2023 tour.
Watch the "React" live-coded performance below:
