When an artist comes out of the gates with a strong debut album, the pressure to follow it up with an equally or more successful secondary project intensifies. However, the pressure didn't seem to get to Harley Streten, a.k.a. Flume, who recently dropped his 16-track sophomore LP, Skin.
The talented Aussie has steadily become one of electronic music's most influential tastemakers over the years, remixing some of the industry's biggest acts like Lorde, Disclosure and Alessia Cara. He made his first artistic statement back in 2012 with his introductory self-titled album. His debut album managed to spread feverishly for years while his constantly improving live show allowed his continuous tours to sell out as he's managed to climb the ranks to become a festival headliner following his frequent festival appearances.
Flume's debut LP hosted a deluxe edition as well, bringing on a handful of hip-hop artists including Ghostface Killah, Killer Mike and Freddie Gibbs. With respect to Skin's contribution to the genre, fans will find rappers Vic Mensa and Vince Staples shown in a more experimental and unconventional light. Other standout features on the album include Grammy winner Beck, indie pop star Tove Lo and London duo AlunaGeorge. Skin also includes several lesser known acts like Kucka, Kai, MNDR, and Allan Kingdom.
While a majority of the album's records include featured vocalists, there are a select few solo tracks that stand out. “Wall F**k” is orchestrated by organized chaos and features a spacey layering of extra-terrestrial synths that brings listeners outside of their comfort zone.
The LP acts as a melting pot of electronic timbres that manages to capture a futuristic aesthetic with universal appeal. Stream Skin below and enjoy!