“Superhero – EDM Remix” by Priceless Lion and DJ Shaw-T

Following a blast of ethereal melodicism that is as fleeting as it is mood-setting, Priceless Lion and DJ Shaw-T are off and running in the EDM remix of the song “Superhero” this summer, with little to stop the momentum that quickly builds behind their groove. In an era that has been robbed of its best beats by a litany of societal bandits, Priceless Lion didn’t come into this version of “Superhero” with plans of giving us more of the same plush rhythm his contemporaries have been manufacturing lately, but instead with something all-encompassing of his identity as a player. This is a gorgeous mashup of pop, hip-hop, EDM, and old-fashioned club music, and best of all, it doesn’t sound like the deliberate hybrid so many other singles have this year. 

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Lyrics don’t have the same effect that the tonal delivery through which they arrive in this song does, which isn’t to say that Priceless Lion sounds lost in the verses here. On the contrary, the confidence in his vocal is what makes a greater statement than any words ever could have; he’s using the melody to make the narrative as opposed to relying on linguistics alone. Are these literate lyrics? Of course, but I’m arguing they could just as easily be the instructions for setting up a smart speaker – it’s all about the way this vocalist is laying them down. His voice is the bread and butter of his content, even when it’s arranged between some devilishly sexy beats. 

This brings us to the most intriguing point of interest in “Superhero – EDM Remix;” its lack of excess on the bottom-end. The percussion and the bass are sizeable elements in this mix, anchoring the verses and giving us a consistent, fluid run from start to finish, but they never overwhelm our singer nor us with a textural presence as big as a mountain. One of the most troubling trends I’m seeing in melodic hip-hop at the moment is the influx of noise-laden basslines, but this is an electronic track that proves no such machismo is necessary to create big, immersive music in any style of pop music. The competition would be wise to take a look at this and learn from what Priceless Lion and DJ Shaw-T have done so perfectly through their collaboration.

“Superhero – EDM Remix” is a remix that goes further than its source material could, and not solely because of the fresh blood brought into the studio to give it a twist. I’ve been keeping up with Priceless Lion for a minute, and he’s definitely getting more ambitious as he gets deeper into his career. There’s nothing in this single to indicate a period of reflection on the horizon nor a sudden stoppage in output due to inspiration woes; I get the feeling that Priceless Lion is only scratching the surface of what he wants to develop as an artist, and I believe we’re going to get a fuller picture of his vision in his next major release. 

Michael Rand