The Wizard of Electro: Another step in the further evolution of decades-old style in No Mana’s “Justify”
The Wizard of Electro: Another step in the further evolution of decades-old style in No Mana’s “Justify”
85%Overall Score
• Old-school flair
• Exotic vocals
• Unforgettable melody, catchy and bouncy drops
The house/dance scene is arguably the most influential and lucrative: While genres like Tech House and Deep House are ever so widespread with their skyrocketing popularity, No Mana has reminded us of existing niche styles that flourished in the not-so-distant past: Electro House.
Released last week on the Canadian record label Monstercat, “Justify” by No Mana featuring Voicians delivers a simple yet engaging Electro House-inspired track making the most of the stellar vocals from Voicians. One of the main attractions is the infectious retro chiptune synths; a sound that originated and prospered in the 80s arcade/video games.
This is no one-and-done experimentation: reputed for this exact style of Dance/Electro on deadmau5’s Mau5trap, No Mana has been perfecting his sonics, all the while modernizing and refreshing Electro House and setting new standards for the last few years. His prior portfolio from the previous year such as “Yesterday”, “Out Of The Dark” and “Space” ooze identical energy, atmosphere, and style as “Justify”, which is yet another strong addition to No Mana’s catalogue.
While linear in its construction, it doesn’t stray far into different elements or aspects regarding sound design. It’s a well-produced, high-quality piece of Electro House. Not relying on gimmicks with the aforementioned synths, the track instead holds a sense of restraint, perhaps beneficial for the record in making good impressions on various listeners. Airy and ethereal, the atmosphere of the track manages to exude nostalgia with its melodic arrangements. Even though a tad repetitive at times, the nostalgic melody is potent enough for future repeats. I felt a longing- for a journey or adventure in the past with a sense of eternity- equally reflected by the lyrics as well: “How long will you live in my mind? Please don’t tell me until the end of time”.
Speaking of the lyrics, the Voicians put up a magnificent show complimenting the divine feel, as the included reverberations and distanced vocals play a large part in favoring the instrumental with its simplicity.
No Mana’s latest installment is succinct and not unheard of, albeit thoroughly compelling. Suitable for clubs and carefree car rides alike, this retains an irresistible Electro sound from the American talent.
