Flume may have broken into the radio scene with hits “Never Be Like You” and “Say It,” but the artist has not received nearly as much admiration as he deserves. Yes, those are amazingly produced songs with beautiful vocals from kai and Tove Lo respectively, but throughout his 13-year career as an artist, they are just the tip of the iceberg. 

I first heard Flume’s unique electronic production in the background of an advertisement in 2015, which was a remix of Disclosure’s “You & Me.” Admittedly, I did not think much of it at the time – it is a unique-sounding song, but I did not drop everything to listen to it again. It was not until I came back to it a couple of years later that I realized how amazing it was.

There is something wonderful about the somewhat calm and simple build-up highlighting Eliza Doolittle’s vocals, and when the beat drops, it is a truly unique experience and combination of synths and drums. Right after, there is a space for instrumental and vocal chops until the next drop, which is the most magical part of this song because of its atmospheric sound.

To put this remix into perspective, it surpassed the original’s amount of streams nearly 25 times over, currently sitting at 500 million on Spotify. More streams do not automatically equate to better music, but in this case, the remix evidently elevates the song to a new level. 

He also prevails in his own productions, often featuring other talented artists. “The Difference,” which is one of my favorite songs of all time, features Toro y Moi, who is based in the Bay Area. His alternative influence adds more depth to the electronic scene, complimenting Flume’s production. “The Difference” is an energetic, fast-paced anthem that I had a hard time getting out of my head for months after it was released. 

Though “The Difference” balances on the edge of EDM and dance-pop, “Hyperreal,” featuring KUČKA,  is really weird – in the best possible way. Flume utilizes a slow build-up again, with randomized glitches in the instrumental and KUČKA’s distinctive vocals, creating a hypnotic and addictive song. The last quarter of the song is my favorite part, where the computerized instrumental continually builds on itself until eventually, the song ends with an echo of KUČKA’s voice. I truly believe it is one of the most unique electronic songs to date.

Flume is a fantastic producer because he experiments with different instruments and methods, and pushes musical boundaries further than I have ever heard before. Even if I don’t like some of his songs, I cannot think of any others that sound similar to them. His individuality as an artist deserves far more attention than what he has received so far.