Kaskade Atmosphere

Anyone hoping for an album full of the euphoric club anthems we associate with Kaskade may only be half-satisfied here. The same could be said of fans who know and prefer the California producer as a West Coast house stylist. Atmosphere incorporates both sides of his musical id, Kaskade wanting a more personal album, rather than one bulging with Top 40 collaborations. Guests nonetheless abound—the most notable being Alejandra Deheza of indie band School of Seven Bells (“Missing You”)—but they’re hardly the most interesting aspect here. Three deep house instrumentals named after flights (“MIA to LAS” is surprisingly subdued for being inspired by a Las Vegas trip) actually bring Kaskade back down to Earth and offer Atmosphere some dynamic. The bangers (“Last Chance,” the title track that features Kaskade as a first-time vocalist) boast alluring melodies and will please devotees, but sound too safe and undistinguished. But that could be said for most of Kaskade’s big tunes. EDM won’t evolve until he and his headliner peers do.