It’s difficult to say that you haven’t heard of electronic music. From reinterpreting Bach to the underlying rhythms of contemporary pop, a digital signature is everywhere. Yet, electronica is often marginalized into EDM, or electronic dance music—with it’s bass-heavy, trap beats serving as an anthem for a bro-friendly Spring Break. Jamie Larsen, under the banner Elysium Alps, has a problem with this:

“I try to sidestep that whole scene,” says Jamie. “Just because there are tropes and aspects of the sounds that don’t really interest me because I feel that a lot of producers, who are into that, repeat a lot of things.”

Within the world of EDM, stock sounds and presents can run rampant among novice producers. As Jamie points out, electronica can easily box people: “In certain [music], you can kinda predict what’s going to happen. I like to listen to music that’s less predictable in structure. I guess I am trying to do something a little different.”

Difference has been an undercurrent of Jamie’s work. Too young and too far away to grow up in Detroit or Chicago during the ‘90s house scene, he merges two conflicting schools of electronica.

“I want to see how I can bring [ambient and club] together, but also do it effectively, because a lot of times those two [styles] can stand on their own,” says Jamie.

Jamie got his chance to refine his vision with Wild Blue, a five song EP that blends ‘90s electronica with warm soundscapes. Working with Milwaukee record label Close Up of the Serene, Jamie pushes himself out of this comfort zone and covers new ground. He discovers Elysium Alps’ capabilities on the track “Languid”

“But ‘Languid’ was a complete, I want to make this song for this EP and that’s what kinda separated it from other ones,” says Jamie. “Sonically, I want it to do something that’s really rhythmic and driving, kinda propulsive. But, also with an airiness to it.”

Jamie has been able to sidestep the commercial safety of the garden variety EDM. Surprisingly, he attributes it to something that would have held many others back.

“When you’re in the Midwest or Duluth, it’s more isolated. You kinda get into this headspace where you can focus on a real personal view of what you are producing. [You can] focus on creating a real unique style or sound,” says Jamie.