It would perhaps be reductive (and outdated) to call ElectroniCON a vaporwave festival, but in the rapidly-evolving musical landscape it represents, vaporwave remains the most well known iteration of the core ElectroniCON ethos. A quick review: the genre, which emerged over a decade ago and drew initially on heavy sampling of elevator music, soft rock and beloved schlock of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, brought a prismatic element to its source material. As music shed the physicality of CDs, tapes and vinyl and shifted to a more disembodied digital realm, a radical reimagining and dislocating took place. This was epitomized by the “are-they-for-real??” nostalgia and shadowy anonymity of vaporwave. The artists shrouded themselves in secrecy, often employing non-western spellings for their names or titles. Also of note were the frequent webs of sub-aliases that functioned almost like shell companies, hiding the creator behind one obfuscation after another. These tactics matched a hazy, impressionistic and often melancholic take on the dulcet tones of another era, harkening to sushi restaurant downtempo, the unfettered optimism of advertising jingles and the inferred sorrow of pop crooners.

While vaporwave emerged primarily online, the U.S. DIY noise underground birthed a parallel movement in hypnagogic pop. James Ferraro was, without a doubt, hypnagogic pop’s most emblematic artist. His 2011 landmark album “Far Side Virtual,” made on the just-introduced iPad, channeled the sounds of corporate self-congratulation with fascinating and disquieting effect, anticipating vaporwave’s evolution. His debut performance at ElectroniCON is both a nod to a foundational artist and to the overarching context that gave birth to the genre.

Similarly, newer artists like Doss extend out from vaporwave’s core while leaving the aesthetic hallmarks of the genre behind. The link between vaporwave and hyperpop, Doss’ genre of choice, should be plain to see: both revel in a self aware embrace/critique of commercial forms. The difference with hyperpop is that it unabashedly takes on massive, radio-ready pop. Often recalling the euphoric excesses of k-pop, a typical Doss track is so heavily processed and sculpted as to feel not-of-this world. That’s the point. There’s something incredible about this music, which aims to give you such a strong sugar rush that you see god.

In between these two is Clanton, channeling swaggy ‘90s britpop and even, in moments, boy bands, the refracted glamor of Saint Pepsi, the seductively hazy cool of luxury elite, the unnerving bombast of death’s dynamic shroud, the WTF underground hip-hop of RXKNephew, and many others. In the aggregate, these artists represent a grappling with lost futures, information superabundance, the atomization of society, the failed promise and nostalgic allure of previous cultural movements, and the animism of yesteryears’ artifacts. If you know, you know. If you don’t, you may find these artists touch a nerve that you didn’t know was there, but that you can’t unfeel.

Last week, we had the honor of hosting the Wu-Tang Clan. Organized by SiriusXM and Pandora as part of the celebration of 50 years of hip hop, the show brought 11 core members: The Rza and Gza, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, Mathematics, Cappadonna and Young Dirty Bastard (son of ODB), with a special guest appearance by Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav. It was incredible.