Green Velvet, Eli Brown invigorate with tech house time capsule, ‘Unapologetic Raver’
On “Unapologetic Raver,” Green Velvet and Eli Brown are taking electronic listeners “back, way back, back in time” to “a time before social distancing/when only ravers and doctors wore masks…a time when corona was a beer and not a virus.”
A tech house time capsule that simultaneously captures the zeitgeist of the contemporary moment and that of an earlier age in electronic music, “Unapologetic Raver” thumps its way to streaming platforms to remind listeners of just how much the dance scene has changed in past decades. Directed by the same distinctive sort of spoken-word monologue that has so regularly plunged Green Velvet releases into otherworldly underground territory, the record conducts a daring comparison of rave culture, then and now. The ceaseless strike of the beat and staticky breaks provide auditory stimulation beyond the verbal components, further amplifying the effort.
“Unapologetic Raver” sees Velvet and Brown assume control of streamers’ ears for an inaugural collaboration that, to borrow from the former’s 2014 release, is “bigger than Prince.”
Make no mistake—dance music is born from black culture. Without black creators, innovators, selectors, and communities, the electronic dance music we hold so dear would simply not exist. In short, dance music is deeply indebted to the global black community and we need to be doing more. Black artists and artists of color have played a profound role in shaping the sound and culture of dance music and now more than ever, it is necessary for everyone in the music community to stand up for the people that have given us so much. Dancing Astronaut pledges to make every effort to be a better ally, a stronger resource, and a more accountable member of the global dance music community. Black Lives Matter—get involved here:
National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Program
Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Legal Defense Initiative
Committee to Protect Journalists
Featured image: L. Leuterio Photo
Categories: Music