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A TAV Curator’s Pick.

Generationwhy is the debut studio album by the Chinese-American electronic music producer Zhu, originally released in 2016 by Columbia Records.

The album features works and vocals from the likes of Maya Angelou, Jaymes Young, Nylo, Mitch Bell, Nikola Bedingfield, Adam Schmalholz, and Broods. The album followed after the success of Zhu's collaborative debut EP Genesis Series, released in 2015.

“After years shrouded in mystery, Chinese-American producer Zhu released his dance/electronic chart-topping debut Generationwhy in August 2016. The follow-up to his acclaimed Genesis Series EP, Generationwhy is an electrifying collection of smooth, nocturnal house and neon noir. Zhu's own breezy falsetto is buffered by guest vocals, from Jaymes Young, Nylo, Mitch Bell, Nikola Bedingfield, and New Zealand sibling-synth duo Broods. Generationwhy also includes the bonus track "Working for It," a Genesis Series track featuring Skrillex and fellow Mind of a Genius labelmates THEY.” – AllMusic

"The music that makes up the entirety of Generationwhy lives in a dark, neo-noir aesthetic inspired world, giving listeners a blend of music that lies somewhere between the synth inspired sounds of the 80’s built on top of a deep house bassline with the vocal stylings of The Weeknd’s House of Balloons. This sound is only exemplified as the records opener “Intro (Neon City)” relies on a jazzy throwback using the saxophone to build before a brief monologue starts guiding listeners into the album head on. That same sound is showcased at the beginning of the records first full track “Cold Blooded” before delving into an atmospheric vibe-y dance track with an impeccable amount of instrumentation and stylistic elements. All of these elements come together to create a unique sound that is truly highlighted and accentuated on the first half of the record with tracks like “In the Morning”, “Electrify Me” and “Secret Weapon”." – Soundfiction

Trailer for album:

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