When friends like Tiësto, Skrillex and Deadmau5 call you one of the ‘nu-breed saviours’ of electronic music, you accept that honour. The 21-year-old Porter Robinson is a powerhouse; he writes, produces and spins.
2011 was the year Porter broke into the EDM world – as well as graduated from high school. The same year, he supported Tiësto and Skrillex on their tours, made his debut appearance at Ultra Music Festival, and made DJ Mag’s Top 100 and Billboard Top 21 Under 21 chart. Then in 2012, Porter played at some of the biggest festivals in the world like Coachella, Tomorrowland, Creamfields and Lollapalooza. His hit single ‘Language’ received great acclaim and dominated the charts for a long time.
But that’s not why Porter is seen as a ‘nu-breed saviour’. He doesn’t create insipid tracks that embrace the ‘popification’ of EDM, nor is he merely a human jukebox at festivals, playing for a predictable crowd. He challenges the onset of dumbed-down EDM by making music that is full of unexpected edits, noises, bursts and skips.
If all this excites you, watch the debut KL show of this young DJ. We’re pretty sure you’ll be enthralled by his talents. Ian Loh