American violinist/dancer/composer Lindsey Stirling is among many artists mining EDM terrain to take their craft to its next level. First finding major fame on Season 5 of the Fox television series America’s Got Talent, she took things up a notch with a number two spot on the Billboard 200 in 2014. On her latest album Brave Enough, Stirling boasts an impressive array of guest artists, including everyone from alternative rocker Rivers Cuomo to dynamic country duo Dan + Shay, to help realize her inspired sonic vision.
The LP starts of with the serene and fantastical “Lost Girls” showcasing Stirlings’ strings in top form accompanied by some light EDM. On the title track produced by San Franciscan rock producer Keith Varon, her violinist stylings go head to head with the enigmatic vocals of U.S. songwriter and pop artist Christina Perri who burst onto the mainstream with her “Jar of Hearts” hit single. “The Arena” goes into classical music territory carefully mixing in slow-brooding down tempo dance beats and trance-y atmospheric effects. Dan + Shay bring in some country swagger and down-home crooning on the “Those Days”, adding in more of that cross-genre appeal. Weezer lead vocalist and guitarist Rivers Cuomo further ups the ante throwing in anthemic rock to the album mix on “Don’t Let This Feeling Fade” accompanied by the hyped-up rap lyricism of hip hop artist Lecrae. Blues/rock/R&B songstress ZZ Ward shows her vocal prowess in “Hold My Heart” all while Stirling’s violin remains upfront.
The spectrum of music is indeed a continuum and can be boundless from a genre standpoint. It’s inspiring to see when artists like Stirling push those. There is something to be said about being ‘brave enough’ to do that.