The House of God has finally opened: the legendary foursome has reworked the D.H.S. classic into “The Underground”
The House of God has finally opened: the legendary foursome has reworked the D.H.S. classic into “The Underground”
83%Overall Score
• Everything redone in a more modern key
• Outstanding vocal duty from Roland Clark
• Subtle details throughout enrich the outcome
Born as a project through Zoom sessions between two long-time friends and stable SIZE members Corey James and HIISAK, “The Underground” is a MASSIVE association between the two creatives, including eminent vocalist Roland Clark and subtle edit from the label boss, Steve Angello. It’s, in theory, a rework of the classic “House of God” by D.H.S., yet there is more to unravel, with an elaborate structure that deviates from the House classic and brings different specialties of the artists involved; laden with details that I rarely see around.
Let’s start with the vocals. Roland Clark retains the same ‘monotone’ vibes from the original, yet his lyrics’ flow and tonality are “living” over the base, keeping the hard-hitting flat pattern with the inclusion of a roaring bassline. The percussion work is subtle (where Steve Angello had his say?), but impressive with a whole new spin on the drop, which has always something supporting underneath.
In the breakdown, there’s HIISAK’s presence with some variations to the flat kick we have heard from his previous records. Overall, “The Underground” evolved from a classic (released 30 years ago!) which, dare I say, is a bit too monotone for my liking. Here. the new rework stands out by modernizing and improving the points I wasn’t satisfied with: from the vocals to the punchy kickdrums, the robust bassline, and the details in the intriguing breakdown… A whole revival with excellent results!
It’s something I didn’t know was needed, but yes, it’s hard to stop listening to this once experienced!
