Weekly Roundup XLV (with Mau P (Maurice West), Brooks, Chocolate Puma and more)
With vacation done and dusted, the time has never been more than appropriate: the forty-fifth edition of the Weekly Roundup has your favorite artists covered, ranging from heavy-lifters such as Mau P (Maurice West), Brooks, Chocolate Puma with relatively upcoming but industrious names. Let’s get to business, shall we?
Mau P – Drugs From Amsterdam
86/100
In an audacious and unanticipated move, former Rave Culture prodigy and renowned producer Maurice West decided to restart his career. It’s a risky maneuver, especially considering the music industry doesn’t take so kindly to people turning over a new leaf.
Safe to say, Maurice has outdone himself yet again. “Drugs From Amsterdam” was already making several rounds around various festivals as an ID (even eliciting remakes to sustain the excitement from the anxiously awaiting fans).
Published on Repopulate Mars (founded by Lee Foss), the Tech House record is nothing short of dynamite. We already had a taste of this on the veritable “Sky Turns Dark” and the remix of “Blow Ya Mind”. The magic lies mostly in the rude low-end and the now iconic vocals reciting the song title. Sprinkled over with a muted pluck and a shuffling snare to accentuate the beat.
If this is the opener from Mau P, goodness knows what other nuclear IDs he is keeping up his sleeves!
DubVision, Otto Knows & Alex Aris – Electricity
83/100
The union between DubVision, Otto Knows, and Alex Aris has arrived on STMPD records. “Electricity” gracefully balances on the signature of the major players here, notably being the iconic Swedish act’s electro house flair going with a tinge of DubVision’s melodic feels. Vocals accompany here in vibrant fashion, and the elegant intro sets the mood right away with a single riff pluck synth.
GRAVEDGR & Angel Cannon – So Alive
84/100
Mayhem and chaos await you in “So Alive“, a neurotic creation from the minds of GRAVEDGR and Angel Cannon. This Barong Family signed track is stockpiled with ear-hitting hardstyle kicks that mostly dominate the drop sequences, while there’s a trap hybrid beat that takes the creativity applied a notch further.
Unpredictable and fist-clamping vibes here!
Brooks, Vluarr & Jay Mason – Sober
80/100
After an exceptional single release with “Someday”, the Future Bounce pioneer Brooks has teamed up with STMPD’s hotshot Vluarr, who you might know from various other collaborations he has sorted with other regular faces in STMPD, including the label-head himself (“Reboot”).
“Sober” remains largely hinged towards the hybrid between a bass house trademark that the imprint has become reputed for, with future bounce flavoring tossed around in the drop section. There’s a pleasant male vocal that provides the hook in the chorus, afterward letting the familiar synths prance around in a funky rhythm. Brass tacks such as the production aspects are expertly done, as one would expect. Most STMPD fans are sure to be delighted by this.
Gabry Ponte – Club Weapons Vol. 1
82/100
Former Eiffel 64’s iconic producer Gabry Ponte has been industrious these days, becoming a mainstay at Spinnin’ Records with various records spanning from commercial electronic sound to mainstage, festival-type records. Having shown his preference for Future Rave and the recent driving techno trend, the Italian heavyweight unveiled “Club Weapons Vol.1” alongside names like DJ From Mars and R3SPAWN.
Since describing four separate songs will turn this article rather lengthy, here’s the summary: the EP opens up as self-proposed by the title with “Body Talk”, which includes razor-sharp saw synths riff-raffing across tight kick-drums and an attractive vocal presence in the breakdown. “U Can’t Stop Me”, the following track, is all aggressive with the screamo-esque vocals and rumbling kicks, going for a full-on techno treatment. Another synergy with the Dutch big room house specialist R3SPAWN happens a “Time Goes By”, adhering to a formula more or less the same from the opening track, instead opting for more tonal kicks than usual. Masked duo DJs From Mars help close this occasion with strutting off-beat basslines and distorted saw leads, ultimately forming a cover for the Fugees’ renowned hit “Killing Me Softly”.
ay-Mill – That’s Life
80/100
Crafting an optimistic and uplifting deep house instrumental around an encouraging, delectable vocal is the Swedish enterprising talent ay-Mill with “That’s Life”. Signed on TurnItUp Muzik, the track whole-heartedly devotes its groove to dance-able and jazzy piano chords that instill the cheery-ness, as the songstress involved breathes life to the already hooking groove.
A well-produced treat for the ears, best indulged upon before the last hints of summer are gone.
EXECUTIONER x NIMDA – GLUM
84/100
LA-founded Malignant music, an imprint focusing on dubstep productions and more such, has recently published relentless, brutal teamwork between EXECUTIONER and NIMDA on their “Screamer” EP.
Positioning as the third track in the four-part compilation, “GLUM” is filthy beyond words with a dark aura that is run by the likes of squelching synths, pitched-down often cursing vocals, and pounding snares that best display an appealing sense of dystopian rebelliousness.
IMANU – Empress
83/100
Although DnB isn’t my forte, to begin with, IMANU’s “Empress” is both majestic and wreaks havoc with overtly distorted and bleeping, arcade-like synths that flow effortlessly over the frenetic drum patterns, as expected from such a style of production. On the other hand, the said elegance arrives in the breakdown with glimmering and analog synths that introduce a gentle touch, much like calm before the storm.
