When Whyel and Etc!Etc! dropped their “It’s not a phase MOM!” remix of “Hello There” by Dillon Francis, we had no way of knowing just how truly “not a phase” it was. The pop punk remix was the highlight of that remix pack for sure, and we’re glad to see that Whyel is taking this new direction by the horns and running away with it.
So many artists have incorporated pop punk in their sets for years, having grown up on the genre themselves. Throwbacks to Sum 41 and blink-182 are entirely commonplace, especially in bass music, and it’s a great way to introduce nostalgia into a set which may otherwise be 95% heavy bass rhythms. But few artists (apart from maybe Kayzo on his new album) have attempted to actually produce pop punk – enter Whyel.
The previous Pandafunk artist who once dabbled in trap, moombahton, house and whatever else is heading in a new direction for 2018 and we couldn’t be more excited about it. As his first track of the year, he’s dropped this insane remix of DJ Snake’s “A Different Way” that blends pop punk and dance music in a way we’ve never really seen before. Newly recorded drums and guitar breathe fresh life into the original without losing its spirit or ever feeling overpowering or corny or cliché.
There’s always the question of where EDM is going now… with the boom of trap, dubstep, big room, and future bass far behind us, what’s left? Well, this seems like as good a bet as any, and I’m all for it.