Kx5

Kaskade and deadmau5’s artistic mind-meld dates back to 2008, when the pair teamed up on both “I Remember” and “Move for Me,” but this marks the first full-length collaboration from these two North American dance-music titans, collectively billed as Kx5. Their eponymous debut album is a masterful example of melodic house and techno, steeped in the inventive chord changes and immersive sound design that have distinguished their solo work. The opening “Alive” rolls out a quicksilver backdrop of synths to suit The Moth & The Flame’s dramatic vocal harmonies; “Sacrifice” pivots from the ethereal electro-pop of Sofi Tukker’s verses to a punishing drop and storming, late-night techno workout. And while songs like “pwdr Blu” offer the gently sentimental house that Kaskade is known for, what might be most surprising is how dark the album gets, particularly in the steely “When I Talk” and the percussive, triplet-driven “Eat Sleep” and “Unobsidian.” These two producers have helped carry dance music through many different phases; with Kx5, they begin a new phase of the journey.