Flume (musician)
An Australian producer who transformed bedroom electronic music into a glitchy, chart-topping global sound, winning a Grammy in the process.
Born 1991 (age 35)·Australian electronic musician·Birthday: November 5·Millennials
Biography
Harley Streten, operating under the name Flume, emerged from Sydney's Northern Beaches with a sound that felt both meticulously crafted and wildly experimental. His self-titled 2012 debut, largely created on basic production software, didn't just catch on—it detonated, topping the Australian charts and introducing a generation to his signature style of skittering beats, warped vocal samples, and lush, future-bass synths. Flume's success proved that left-field electronic music could have massive pop appeal. He leveraged that platform not to settle, but to push further, collaborating with an eclectic range of artists from Lorde to Vince Staples and constantly reinventing his live shows with ambitious visual art. His work created a blueprint for a wave of producers, making the strange sound accessible and establishing him as a defining voice in 21st-century electronic music.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Flume was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Flume Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Flume's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album for his album 'Palaces'.
- His debut self-titled album 'Flume' topped the ARIA Charts and achieved double-platinum status in Australia.
- Headlined major festivals worldwide, including Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Splendour in the Grass.
- Produced and featured on 'Never Be Like You' featuring Kai, a global hit that peaked at number one in Australia.
Did You Know?
He found the initial FL Studio music production software in a cereal box.
His stage name 'Flume' was taken from the Bon Iver song of the same name.
He created his breakthrough debut album while living at his parents' house.
He is part of the electronic duo What So Not, which he co-founded and later left in 2015.
“I'm always trying to find that balance between something that's really musical and something that's quite experimental and weird.”
