Exron End Of The Year: Best U.S. Sets Of 2019
When talking sets, 2019 did not disappoint – as EDM music has grown in popularity, there has been an industry influx of hard work, and good work at that. However, when it comes to sets there are always a top few, and in this case, a top five and valiant honorable mention. Without further ado, here are Exron’s picks for top North American sets of 2019 in order from most legendary to slightly less legendary (but still frickin’ legendary):
Excision B2B Illenium (Lost Lands)
Although #superhumanintherain was certainly a highlight, Excision and Illenium’s first ever B2B deserves to make the list as the finale to an incredible weekend in the valley. Not only did the duo release new music, but they also complemented each other in a way that we wooks had not seen before…
Excision’s music rings true to his name – instead of an incision, defined as the cutting of flesh from the outside, an excision is the reverse, a forceful lesion or removal originating from the inside and crawling outward. Eerily, this name is perfect for Excision, the icon who birthed soul-crushing bass and trademarked slogans like, “Release the bass cannon,” and “the portal.” However, something even more eerie happened to Excision’s music when he stepped out onto that stage with Illenium: the guttural violence of Excision’s style held its ground, but was met with Illenium’s souring melodies in a marriage so wrong, yet so right. Illenium, known for his emotional sets, maintained his identity but adorned an edge so precipitous, so dangerous, and anything but soft.
As for the unreleased music, it’s still unreleased, even months after Lost Lands. But perhaps that’s simply because an album collaboration waits, just out of sight, on the horizon. No one can predict the future, but hey, you heard it here first.
Flume (Red Rocks)
Out of all the sets from Red Rocks, the top for 2019 was undeniably Flume. As to be expected, it was eerily ethereal yet poetic and personal. The stage was set up like an odd living room of sorts, creating intimacy even in an arena as massive as Red Rocks. During interludes, he created art within art – he cut metal, painted canvases, and smashed hardened clay pottery against brick walls. Although he brought out rappers from his albums, Vera Blue’s cameo appearance was without a doubt the crowd favorite. Flume sat on the floor, tending to his board in the small spotlight they shared, while Vera floated around him. It was as though the audience was privy to a basement band rehearsal, a jam session and subtle spectacle of rawness, of passion, and of breathtaking and moving art.
RL Grime (EDC Orlando)
Although RL performed many memorable sets of 2019, his best was by far the one immediately following the release of Halloween VIII, mainly because so much of that mix was incorporated into the show. Grime dished what he’s known for: a stylized, hypnotic, and quirky set that maintained momentum via oscillating between hip hop refrains and then alien-esque choruses – a balanced variance. With remixes of A$AP Rocky’s “Praise the Lord,” Drake and Rick Ross’ “Money in the Grave,” and much more, Grime demonstrated his keen ability to dissect and then reassemble a composition with a fresh and compelling new take, specifically integrating rap and electronic genres. Grime has a spooky proclivity for producing a synchronized blend that’s perfect parts beep-bop while also maintaining the harshness and assertive masculinity of rap. Not to mention the visuals were insane – a 3D cylindrical machine, ostensibly a generator, turned round and round behind Grime, conceptually powering the entire EDCO mainstage. Grime stood in front of this generator, a small but mighty sorcerer helming the largest party EDC has ever reported.
Odesza (Electric Forest)
Out of all the incredible sets to bless the forest, this was the stand out. Odesza’s opener was killer, sporting a theme of space exploration. A pentagon illuminated Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight while a militant line of percussionists beat drums at the front of the stage – throughout the entire set these live performers came on and off, adding to the spectacle echoing through forest. The show wasn’t a headbanger’s respite, bass canon valley, or even tear-jerking melodic dub – it was percussion-heavy and thoughtful and a celebration of music, specially the music of their last album. This performance, as announced at the beginning of the set, was one of the last “A Moment Apart” shows ever. It was genuine, heartfelt, and true to the Odesza we all know, love, and respect.
DJ Snake (Coachella)
Pardon our French, but DJ Snake’s ability to transcend boundaries and cultures – from France to Spain to Mexico and all over the world – gives him a top spot on this list. For his Coachella set this year, he brought out the Latino artist Ozuna, followed shortly by Cardi B and Selena Gomez. Bringing cultures together, something Snake is incredibly passionate about and mentions at almost every set no matter the time or place, came to fruition yet again, this year via giving Spanish-speaking artists a place in the EDM industry. It’s also imperative to mention that Snake’s set was meticulously crafted, opening with “Butterfly Effect,” a poignant selection from his most recent album “Carte Blanche,” and building momentum throughout the set. He took his voyagers on a journey, as all the greatest DJs and storytellers do, back in time as he played all his hits from over the years and then to the present as the crowd vibed to the ones of today – it was an accumulation of a decade’s worth of culture, success, and a celebration of life itself.
Honorable Mention:
Afrojack – Secret Set (Ultra)
Yes, Afrojack played the mainstage at Ultra, but this isn’t the set we’re talking about. On Saturday night, the second day of Ultra, Afrojack played a secret set from 2-3AM on the island. This set’s purpose was originally a way to defer traffic on Virginia Key, to keep more festival goes on the island longer to avoid the conundrum of the night prior. However, this set was bad ass to say the least. At first, no one really knew it was Afrojack playing on the smallest stage to a crowd of about 50 people. Slowly, the wooks of the midnight hour began to accumulate and that group of 50 turned into about 200. The ultra police at one point came out and tried to get Afrojack off the stage, to which he must have given a “that’s going to be a no from me dawg” because he briefly left but then came back, playing for a full 30 minutes more. And this set wasn’t something mainstream or for the masses – Afrojack was reallllyyyy getting into it, playing for the crowd he loves, the music he loves, the sickos not ready to go home.
Saracha
Heralding from sunny South Florida, I am a proud Florida Woman. In my free time, I surf the swamp, wrangle gators, open fan mail, and tend to my pets. In the wild, I'm most often spotted at immersive art spaces, step tappin' in a shadowed corner of the club, hater blockerz on, totally incognito as your resident EDM spice girl. Although I generally tout my spicy side, if there's one thing I'd love to impress upon the world, it would be this: it's not a waste to give love to those who do not deserve it – it's a gift. The world would be a better place if we gave, in kindness and in mercy, to those who need it most with no expectation in return.
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