Zhu Unveils Mysterious Electronic Dance Pop on ‘Generationwhy’

Matt Matasci

The veil of anonymity is not a new idea in electronic dance music. Two of the genre ‘s biggest acts, Deadmau5 and Daft Punk, go to extreme lengths to hide their identities. Many up-and-coming EDM artists have followed, claiming the noble purpose of wanting the music to be judged without preconceived notions. Despite such claims, the simple truth is most of them are trying to build a mystique as part of an elaborate marketing ploy.

For dance musician Zhu, the choice to stay anonymous for the first several years of his career was not based around marketing (though his debut album’s roll-out was a heavily marketed and planned affair). Instead, the secrecy was intended to avoid any potential prejudice listeners may have, even subconsciously. After it was revealed in 2014 that he was the Chinese-American Steven Zhu, his management cited the current music landscape’s “black and white” nature as reason for being so secretive—they feared many music fans would discount music made by an Asian. Whatever the motivations behind his secrecy, it paid off—in spades. Zhu signed a major label contract, scored a GRAMMY nomination and collaborated with stars like Skrillex even before the release of “Generationwhy.”

Zhu’s sound pulls influences from across the musical spectrum, unafraid of incorporating elements which have been traditionally uncommon in electronic dance music. The appropriately titled “Intro (Electric City)” opens with a sultry saxophone wailing across the song’s sparse instrumental arrangement while a woman provides the listener with an ominous monologue. “Cold Blooded,” the very next track on “Generationwhy,” features that same sax interspersed with a simple synth progression and jazzy guitar noodling for a noir-esque effect.

Zhu’s strong vocal ability is one quality of “Generationwhy” that allows it to stand out within the always-competitive alternative dance-pop genre. Many DJs and producers are forced to call upon outside artists to color their instrumental compositions with human voices; this is not a crutch that Zhu needs. “In The Morning” is driven by the Zhu’s high-register singing, mixed over a simple, shuffling beat and repetitive blipping keyboard lines as he tells his lover: “Touch me in the morning / I’ll tell you while you’re moaning, baby / There’s something in this water / So drink it ’til you’re falling for me.”

At the album’s midway point is “Palm of My Hand,” another previously released single. As a droning keyboard line and sirens flashing across the mix, a guitarist pounds out a virtuosic solo for the song’s first ninety seconds then, fades into a trumpet line before morphing into a standard dance groove. Relying on mood establishment more than hooking the listener with sugary vocals, it’s one of the highlights of “Generationwhy.”

The hypnotic title track is the second to last song and helps close the record on a strong note. Robotic synth chords stab through the mix as Zhu is able to combine his knack for creating entrancing instrumental atmospheres with a radio-ready chorus. Like many of the album’s best songs, “Generationwhy” would fit well both on the dance floor and Top 40 radio. The album concludes with a bonus track titled “Working on It” featuring THEY and Skrillex. With a much more hip-hop sound, it’s a powerfully catchy song but was tacked on as a bonus track for good reason—it doesn’t fit with the mood or aesthetic of the preceding 13 songs.

Despite the fact that Zhu is very much invested in the marketing and stylization surrounding his work, it’s also clear he is even more dedicated to his music. “Generationwhy” showcases an artist equally capable of creating an intriguing aesthetic and dispensing a worthwhile dance pop product.  

“Generationwhy” is available from Apple Music July 29.