Breathe Carolina: Biography, Discography and More | EDM Encyclopedia

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Introduction

Breathe Carolina is an American electronic music duo from Denver, Colorado. David Schmitt and Kyle Even formed the project in 2007, building a sound that would eventually bridge multiple eras of electronic rock and dance music. What began as a two-person operation in the late 2000s expanded into a full touring and recording ensemble. The best-known lineup included Schmitt on vocals, Even on vocals and guitar, Eric Armenta on drums, Joshua Aragon on keytar, and Luis Bonet as DJ and keyboardist.

In 2013, the project underwent a major personnel shift. Even departed the group, marking a significant change in the duo’s vocal dynamic. Tommy Cooperman joined that same year, helping steer the act’s direction into heavier electronic territory. Schmitt remained the consistent creative anchor throughout these transitions, ensuring continuity in the band’s identity even as its membership evolved.

The group has remained active from 2007 through the present day, with their first release arriving in 2007 and their most recent confirmed output stretching into 2020. Over more than a decade of activity, Breathe Carolina shifted from a scrappy electronic rock project to a fixture in the American dubstep and EDM scene, adapting to changes in the electronic landscape while maintaining a recognizable core sound. Their catalog spans six full-length albums and one EP, charting a clear creative arc from MySpace-era synthpop through aggressive bass music.

Genre and Style

Breathe Carolina’s style sits at the intersection of electronic rock, synthpop, and dubstep. Rather than settling into one category, the duo treated genre as movable architecture across their career. Early material leaned into upbeat, polished synthpop with prominent vocal hooks and programmed percussion. As their sound matured, heavier bass elements and aggressive drops became central to their productions.

The dubstep Sound

Their approach to dubstep distinguishes itself through clean vocal processing and structured songwriting. Instead of treating vocals as an afterthought layered over instrumental breaks, Breathe Carolina integrated singing as a core compositional element. Tracks often follow traditional verse-chorus-verse structures before opening into bass-heavy drops, making their dubstep music accessible to both pop audiences and club crowds. This dual appeal allowed them to tour alongside rock bands and EDM DJs alike.

The addition of live instrumentation, particularly Aragon’s keytar work and Armenta’s drumming, gave their performances a hybrid energy that separated them from purely laptop-based electronic acts. Even after the band streamlined back toward a duo format, the emphasis on melodic writing paired with bass weight remained consistent. Their productions typically feature bright synthesizer leads contrasted against sub-bass frequencies, creating a tension between pop accessibility and dancefloor impact. This balance of melody and aggression became their most identifiable sonic signature.

Key Releases

Breathe Carolina’s discography spans from 2007 to 2020, covering six studio albums and one EP. Their foundational release, the Gossip EP, arrived in 2007 and introduced their synth-driven sound to a growing online audience. The year, It’s Classy, Not Classic (2008) marked their debut full-length album, establishing their early synthpop direction with polished production and vocal-forward arrangements.

  • Gossip
  • It’s Classy, Not Classic
  • Hello Fascination
  • Hell Is What You Make It
  • Savages

Discography Highlights

Hello Fascination (2009) continued building their profile, refining the electronic rock template with tighter songwriting and expanded production choices. Hell Is What You Make It (2011) represented a notable shift, incorporating heavier electronic elements and bass-driven tracks that signaled their move toward EDM and dubstep territory. This album broadened their audience significantly within the electronic music community.

Savages (2014) arrived after the departure of Kyle Even and the addition of Tommy Cooperman, reflecting a harder stylistic pivot toward aggressive bass music and festival-oriented production. The group’s confirmed discography concludes with DEADTHEALBUM (2019), which continued their exploration of dubstep and bass-heavy electronic music. Across these releases, the progression from bright synthpop to weighty bass music documents a deliberate creative evolution rather than a sudden reinvention. Each album captures a distinct phase of the project’s development, making their catalog a chronological map of changing trends in American electronic music.

Famous Tracks

Breathe Carolina built their catalog through a steady stream of full-length releases and EPs that captured their evolving electronic sound. The group introduced their early style with the Gossip EP in 2007. This project laid the groundwork for their debut studio album, It’s Classy, Not Classic, which arrived the year in 2008. These initial releases showcased a heavily synthesized, vocal-driven approach to electronic music, relying on fast-paced digital arrangements and Auto-Tuned singing that resonated with the internet community.

As their production techniques matured, the act released Hello Fascination in 2009. This record pushed their EDM sound further into polished pop-electronic territory, utilizing tighter synth hooks and more complex drum programming. In 2011, they released Hell Is What You Make It, a defining record that integrated heavier bass elements and aggressive digital distortion. It demonstrated their knack for constructing club-ready anthems that bridged the gap between radio-friendly vocals and underground drops.

The group continued to refine their heavy electronic style with the release of Savages in 2014. By this point, their dubstep production relied heavily on rigid, mechanical sound design, reflecting the peak of the American electronic dance music boom. After a notable five-year gap in full-length releases, Breathe Carolina returned with DEADTHEALBUM in 2019. This release cemented their full transition toward straightforward dubstep and bass music, discarding their earlier pop-punk aesthetics in favor of high-energy tempos, deep sub-bass, and harsh electronic textures.

Live Performances

Translating heavily produced studio tracks to the stage requires a specific visual and auditory approach. Originally forming as a duo in Denver, David Schmitt and Kyle Even faced the challenge of recreating their multi-layered digital tracks in front of live audiences. To solve this, they expanded their lineup into a full band configuration. This move allowed them to step away from the standard DJ booth format and deliver a traditional concert experience built around physical instrumentation.

Notable Shows

The most recognized live lineup consisted of five members. Schmitt and Even handled the core vocals and digital programming, while drummer Eric Armenta provided live percussion, adding an organic punch to the electronic beats. Joshua Aragon contributed additional melodies on the keytar, bridging the visual gap between a rock guitarist and a synth player, while Luis Bonet operated as the group’s dedicated DJ. This exact instrumentation allowed them to fuse the energy of a live band with the precise, bass-heavy drops of an electronic set.

The live dynamic shifted significantly in 2013: Kyle Even exited the group, altering the dual-vocalist structure that had defined their early tours. That same year, Tommy Cooperman joined the roster, bringing a new instrumental dynamic to the EDM stage performances. Despite this major lineup change, the act maintained their focus on a high-octane stage presence. They continued to emphasize the fusion of live instruments with pre-programmed sequencer tracks, ensuring their performances remained physically engaging rather than static.

Why They Matter

Breathe Carolina holds a distinct position in the American electronic music scene due to their structural evolution and refusal to remain stagnant as a standard production duo. They actively merged the live band format with digital DJ culture at a time when most electronic acts relied solely on laptops and CDJs. By incorporating keytars, acoustic drum kits, and live vocal processing into their sets, they offered a tangible alternative to the stationary performances prevalent in the electronic circuit.

Impact on dubstep

Their studio discography serves as a precise timeline of genre trends over a twelve-year span. Starting with the synth-pop leanings of their debut, they successfully navigated through the electro-house boom and eventually settled into aggressive dubstep production. Their ability to adapt to the changing demands of the electronic landscape without abandoning their melodic vocal roots demonstrates a practical, highly responsive approach to music production. They carved out a specific niche by treating electronic music as a live, collaborative effort rather than a strictly solo studio endeavor.

The major roster shift highlights their operational resilience. Losing a founding member and core vocalist frequently ends musical groups, yet the integration of new personnel allowed the act to continue touring and operating as a functional unit. Their sustained presence through multiple eras of electronic club music underscores their commitment to the bass music genre. They proved that electronic acts can successfully navigate internal restructuring while maintaining a consistent output of high-energy, club-oriented music.

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