From the depths of music’s murkiest waters, AUDIO is back. Pumping bass heavy dumbbells and effortlessly reigning over the realm he helped to shape.
The opening credits roll out like a musical blockbuster, with those first few jabs sending you reeling in suspense. ‘Nil By Mouth’ is snappy, aggressive and builds tentatively, with an imposing drop which leaves a lasting impact. There’s an endless stream of hard-hitting bass notes, cutting deeper and deeper into the mix until its intimidating composition is exposed. The structure is then diced up by an elevating drum pattern, leading you into meticulously crafted anarchy. AUDIO smashes you head first through a glass prototype, leaving you to bear the brunt of his production.
Next up, we’re introduced to the mechanical drill of ‘Ultron’. The first few booms pushes the intro forward at an alarming pace, accelerating as the gears are audibly shifted. Measured, yet proving to be unstoppable and flying forward aboard one pounding rhythm, expect no less from the guy who brought you ‘Heads Up’ and ‘Stampede’. Ending with a final snap of breakbeat, you’re left to bask in a record that detonates with outstanding power.
Following on from these dance floor destroyers, is aptly named ‘Break It’. On first listen, stay away from anything fragile. Winding up with the same tell-tale aggressiveness which his production style is renowned for, he manoeuvres last minute into unfamiliar territories. Bouncing between bars with a war-cry like vocal sample, AUDIO pulls you in and keeps you there… another shining example of AUDIO’s ability to produce game changing, contemporary drum and bass.
Wrapping up this sonic assault is ‘Gotham’. As dark and brooding as the famed city itself, find yourself lead through a stepping, precise construction of beats. Unforgiving, weighty pads guide a steppy riddim into undiluted madness. This completely envelops the musical environment and it’s difficult not to blown away by the conundrum of quick witted instrumentation that snap, crack and smack with every break.
Out now in the RAM Records Shop.
