Poztman - Ancestral Data (Rite of Cunning) [EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE]

Poztman’s stylized brand of dark, tech-heavy electronic production has earned him a mainstay position in the world of avant-garde and experimental music. In an ever-lasting quest to push his own conceptual boundaries, he’s partnered up with the hybrid label Outtallectuals to present his latest laboratory payload; Rites of Calling. In anticipation of the full EP release, The Rust has been given the opportunity to premiere the track “Ancestral Data (Rite of Cunning)”, loosening the seal on this new suite of compositions.

“Ancestral Data” brings scintillation to the forefront, with mottled, glitched-out textures splaying across the backdrop of the songs runtime. Brackish bass meets scalloped granular synthesis in a mist of sonic intrigue, pulsing like a reverberant steel heartbeat. With percussion provided by Byzantine Sound Machine, It’s a marriage of tribal and industrial influences sauntering around noire sound design and faded, momentary melodies. With a crystal clear focus on atmosphere and immersion, “Ancestral Data” channels the full spectrum of Poztman’s meticulous production skill set.

In tandem with the compositional precision of the EP, Poztman has envisioned and crafted a narrative surrounding a distant future in which these rites of passage bring one closer to their innate identity. Each step of the journey shares the lucidity and jagged psychedelia of the accompanying song, creating a truly multi-faceted experience around Rites of Calling.

The Rust Music · Poztman - Ancestral Data (Rite of Cunning) [EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE]

Rite of Cunning:

Alix is somewhat confused by the cryptic advice his ancestors gave him. He doesn’t need to worry, as no one can triumph all challenges equally. The Rites serve as guidance for one’s adult life, to find their Calling. A rite is passed when the Ring blesses the challenger with the according mark. Dao’s attempt at summoning was near to fruitless, though Rey managed seemingly without effort. All received the mark of community nonetheless, as the way of the Rings & the Harvesters is mysterious. Alix feels confident in the next challenge: the Rite of Cunning. He & his friends will have to enter the Birthing Grounds, the place where their first ancestors long dead came to live, out of machines made by the Harvesters. Here they will have to access the ancient codex, a gift from the Harvesters. The village Elder asked them to find out where other hunting grounds may lay, as the village’s supply starts to dwindle. The Codex must contain that knowledge, the Elder is confident. Alix knows the task seems trivial, but Steelings guard the place for unwelcome trespassers. The young ones will have to prove their cunning.

FOLLOW Poztman: Bandcamp / Spotify / SoundCloud / Facebook

FOLLOW Outtallectuals: Bandcamp / SoundCloud / Facebook

Voljum - Electric Forces (Smigonaut Remix) [EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE]

Voljum’s debut EP cyberglobe put a laser focus on the intersection between jazz, sound design, and intuitive sample play, solidifying his unique production narrative. Looking to merge new perspectives with his high fidelity palette, cyberglobe (Remixes) makes landfall at the end of this week, and The Rust has been tapped to premiere the Smigonaut remix of “Electric Forces”.

The Rust Music · Voljum - Electric Forces (Smigonaut Remix)[EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE]

With a natural inclination towards all things swing, Smigonaut’s arrangment philosophy slides into the design of “Electric Forces” with ease; Reframed rhythms bring down the energy ceiling of the track without compromising the weight and the mass behind each measure. It’s a careful twist on a playful composition, balancing moody hues and sharp clarity to fully pronounce the song’s attitude. On their own, Voljum and Smigonaut are electrified forces in their own right, so it should come as no surprise that their combined might oozes out of the “Electric Forces” remix.

Pre-order the Bandcamp Remix EP release here

FOLLOW Smigonaut: Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud / Facebook

FOLLOW Voljum: Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud / Facebook

FOLLOW VALE: Bandcamp / Soundcloud / Facebook

Shamanic Technology & Dusko - What Happened (Sixis Remix) [EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE]

In the wake of Shamanic Technology and Dusko's collaborative album Artifact, the pair have enlisted the creative output of twenty top flight producers to reimagine and redesign the musical collection. With the full remix album touching down next week, The Rust is proud to premiere the undulant Sixis remix of “What Happened”.

The Rust Music · Shamanic Technology & Dusko - What Happened (Sixis Remix) [EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE]

Wielding ferocious sub weight and precision engineering, Sixis reinterprets and reinvigorates “What Happened”, swapping out shuffled grooves and pronounced melodies in favor of pulsating basslines and hypertextural synthesis. The flair and stormy veneer of the original track remains pronounced, but undergoes a potent fusion with direct, high-velocity percussion. It's a bass junkie's paradise; sharp downbeats sling low end across the spectrum with terrific speed, and each rhythmic impact slams your chest like a one-inch punch. It's a furious take on an already bold track, and a vicious reminder of the intense, rib-shaking experience that is the Sixis project.

Pre-save the Bandcamp album release here

Pre-save the Spotify album release here

FOLLOW Sixis: SoundCloud / Spotify / Bandcamp

FOLLOW Shamanic Technology: SoundCloud / Spotify / Bandcamp

FOLLOW Dusko: SoundCloud / Spotify / Bandcamp

Waterchild Bears New Production Chops On "Smokin" [Premiere]

Switching gears after the release of the collaborative EP Illuminations, the Nashville-based producer Waterchild bears his sharpened edges and refined sonic palette on Perennials. Prior to the EP’s release tomorrow, the track “Smokin” is premiering alongside a dedicated music video, courtesy of Earl Kelly of METAnoia Art, utilizing visual assets from UON Visuals.

“Smokin” has the groove and stereo fullness that’s come to characterize previous Waterchild releases, but his sound design and mixing chops have undergone a total facelift. The track eschews the liquid, harmonic layering present in much of Waterchild’s earlier music, instead sporting a streetwise attitude mingled with viscous textures and brazen breaks. “Smokin” is a straightforward jump into Waterchild’s evolving musical perspective, setting the perfect stage for Perennials as a whole.

Waterchild’s sonic journey has come to encompass a diverse set of genre niches, with Perennials adding yet another tooth to his master key. In seeking to grow as an artist, he’s venturing head-on into new territories with both inside and outside of the studio. In his own words, “Tracks like ‘Smokin’ and ‘Boondocks’ represent a more uptempo version of Waterchild that up until now has mainly been reserved for live performances. I’m blending the chilled out sound I’m known for with something a bit more modern." That strive for modernity pays off nicely, and “Smokin” puts that newfound infusion on display, paving the way for an actionable variety future Waterchild releases.

FOLLOW Waterchild: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Facebook

Waterchild & Space Cadet - Flabber Ghasted [Premiere]

After the release of Impressions and Premonitions in 2016 and 2017, respectively, the Nashville-based producers Waterchild and Space Cadet cap their collaborative trilogy of mystic downtempo EPs with Illuminations, dropping tomorrow. The multi-dimensional and aqueous single “Flabber Ghasted” premieres today preceding the full EP.

This tune delivers a sensation akin to the ground shifting beneath your feet, while your head rockets up to outer space. The producers make excellent use of the space within the mix to set up dimension and foundation that grounds the listener. Then they begin shifting and rearranging those elements, altering depth perception and eventually tumbling the listener headlong into a galactic climax of triumphant melody surrounded by swirling particulate matter. “Flabber Ghasted” acts as an emotional high point on Illuminations, which is itself a climactic conclusion to this series of EPs.

There’s much to appreciate in the separate production styles of Waterchild and Space Cadet, both of whom were featured on The Rust Music’s Oxidized Vol. 2 compilation. Each brushes up gently against psychedelia without overdoing it, and each can create musical moments of great emotional weight without needing to blast the listener with sound. Together, they elevate to a higher, more nuanced plane of creativity where each pushes the other take risk. They can frequently be found on lineups together in and around Nashville, helping to hold down that southeastern city’s small but growing psychedelic bass scene. Illuminations is available for pre-order now, and also check out the prior two EPs for the full Waterchild & Space Cadet experience. 

FOLLOW Waterchild:   Soundcloud   /   Facebook   /   Bandcamp

FOLLOW Space Cadet:   Soundcloud   /   Facebook   /   Bandcamp   /   Spotify

Losion - Swarm [Premiere]

The UK collective Outtallectuals is at it again with their genre-challenging behavior. We covered the label's philanthropic activities when it released its Warpball compilation in 2017, but their goodwill extends past donating to charity in Nepal and is, in this instance, laser-focused on uplifting an unknown self-releasing artist from France. Reflecting their taste for the avant-garde and a penchant for global sound, Outtalectuals’ latest EP ventures towards the harsher and darker universe of metal music. Forged by the design of a neuromancer and bearing a prog aesthetic, Imminent by Losion exists at the intersection of chugging guitars and IDM sound design. Occasionally using the label “neurohop” to describe his sonic experiments, Ludovic Delespierre (Losion) is more notable for his guitar playing and use of crash cymbals than this genre tag might imply, though his own term “djently” pretty much sums up the vibe.

Here is an invitation to dive deep into the most sedate of the five songs from Imminent. “Swarm” has enough quiet space in the mix to reveal fingers shaping the guitar strings' notes on the frets, while also possessing enough layers of ambient texture and double bass to make the label's chosen tag of “neuroprog” feel spot on. Glittering glitch noises and soft steel strings rest atop lightly tapped cymbals. Inverted drum samples turn the head, while the metal melody draws forth an epic emotive sensation that builds into a delicious drum breakdown in the final third. An unambiguous crossover track, “Swarm” is dominated yet not overpowered by the taste of metal, and its overtly complex progressive structure pushes it towards the IDM universe that inspired its sound design.

This EP is a big move for Ludovic’s project, which has languished on the internet since Imminent was first self-released on Bandcamp in 2016. Who can say what Ludovic has been up to since then, but the album was taken down some time ago and has since been passed around on metal forums and chatrooms, while nary a part of his artistic presence has been exceedingly active in that time. Such a unique voice has the potential to unite disparate subgenres, so one can only hope that this new label activity is indicative of a continued commitment to the Losion project. With a release on Outtallectuals, he is certain to reach fortunate new ears and inspire more activity around the project.

FOLLOW Losion: Bandcamp / Soundcloud / Official / Tumblr

FOLLOW Outtallectuals: Official   /   Facebook   /   Soundcloud 

ALEPH - NEXT HYPE [Premiere]

Breaking beat boundaries and blasting brain waves, ALEPH returns to the spotlight with the release of NEXT HYPE. A longtime resident with the label Renraku, ALEPH specializes in musical asynchronicity. This marks his production and makes it recognizable. Extremely saucy interpolation, audio artifacts, and crushing wave forms are the staples of his arsenal, and his newest endeavor takes all those assets along for the ride.

The title track “NEXT HYPE” is a fresh interpretation of the ALEPH style, channeling the power of breakbeat dance floor madness. He steers his preferred textures in new directions, and a retro-future smoothness is substituted for the hair-splitting intensity of his usual work. The percussion is an amalgamation of drums, pops, smacks, and aural bubbles slapping back and forth in the stereo space, throwing the listener into a hyperspace disco. Low-end grit and distortion plays it's part subtly, with bass lines laying down a follow-the-leader funk that shimmies in between each pang of the drums. Topping off the track like a cherry, the glitched-out audio trinkets that dance throughout the composition bring three-dimensional life to what would otherwise become too static of a song.

ALEPH always makes a killer first impression, and if you're just now learning about this stalwart audiophile, you're in for an absolute treat. If you have to get your hands on more, fear not; NEXT HYPE drops in full next Friday, March 15.

FOLLOW ALEPH: SoundCloud / Facebook / Spotify

Maxfield - Cage of Glass [Premiere]

The enchanting, Odyssean “Cage of Glass” is the third succulent taste of Maxfield’s upcoming EP The Malleable Mirage releasing on February 27th with VALE. The crisp, cutting mid-tempo tunes “Opaque” and “Chucklebup” each premiered on the Inspector Dubplate Youtube channel recently. But coming in at just under nine minutes, and missing the traditional whizzes, bops, and bright colors that entice bass music listeners, “Cage of Glass” is an enchanting electronic bass ballad that finds Maxfield again out on an artistic limb.

Listeners learned from Maxfield’s prior project Under the Pink Umbrella that the producer is not afraid of taking risks in terms of songwriting. Indeed, one distinguishing aspect of Maxfield’s music is that his songs can be twice as long as your average hit, and non-linear; they never take quite the turn that you’re expecting, opting instead for a series surprises that range from the serious to the wacky and irreverent.

“Cage of Glass” opens as if the listener is inside some sort of translucent prism, probably technicolor and highly reminiscent of a film adaptation of your favorite sci-fi novel. Suddenly, the prism because touring through space-time, passing jungles where flute melodies waft through the air and medieval caverns where a court jester sadly plucks away on acoustic guitar strings. Then, it’s off to the future as an array of synthesized percussive sounds scurry through the mix like a centipede. Before long, all these ages and their textures blend into a sonic collage beautiful for its diversity, not for the strength or severity of any one specific element.

Maxfield has indicated before that his music is suffused with themes of space and space travel. These themes are again at play on “The Glass Cage”. It’s open spaces and its windy and momentous melodies conjure images of a vast emptiness that upon closer examination is not so empty. Look out for The Malleable Mirage on February 27th when the full project in all its quirky glory will be available through VALE.

PRE-ORDER: Bandcamp

FOLLOW VALE: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube

FOLLOW Maxfield:   Soundcloud   /   Bandcamp   /   Facebook   /   Spotify   /   Instagram

Kalaha - Mama Ngoma [Premiere]

From the first guitar lick plucked by Niclas Knudsen, one can hear the West African influence in “Mama Ngoma”, the title track and second single off the upcoming EP from Danish band Kalaha which arrives on Rump Recordings on October 29th. This lick is followed by a simple but driving bass line. Faintly, one hears the drip and drop of a synthesizer, and a small tease of reverb. Suddenly, through a flash of color and the introduction of an absolutely infectious synth melody, the tune takes off and begins soaring through outer space. The premiere of “Mama Ngoma” is accompanied by far out animated music video, directed by Zven Balslev, animated by Mikkel Vedel, and edited by William de Waal.

Readers may recall from our past interview with him that producer Jens Christiansen aka Rumpistol plays the synthesizer and produces for Kalaha. In addition to Rumpistol and guitarist Knudsen, the group includes another electronic musician, Spejderrobot, and another jazz musician, drummer Emil de Waal, who is described as the backbone of the band. This atypical arrangement creates fertile ground for an innovative sound. Kalaha is rooted in afro beat and afro jazz and filters this style through electronic production and dance music motifs to create music that’s delightfully technical yet extremely danceable. It’s a fusion of electronic and acoustic that can hardly be heard elsewhere on today’s airwaves. Through “Mama Ngoma” this fusion finds its most straightforward expression.

The full release Mama Ngoma is a tribute to West African musical traditions, specifically the style called Highlife, which began in Ghana in the early 20th century before spreading to Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and other West African countries. The style found Ghanians playing out their culture’s traditional rhythmic structures on amplified western instruments. That four Danish musicians are weaving this magnificent sound together with their own take on jazz and electronica creates a beautiful full circle, indeed.

Keep your ears peeled on October 29th for the rest of the EP, Kalaha’s first release in almost two years. It features three original compositions in addition to “Mama Ngoma”, each as energetic and thoughtfully crafted as this title track. Diving deeper into the realms of electronica, Mama Ngoma also features remixes by MALAKAI and rising Danish musician Bwoy De Bhajan. Indeed, fans of new movement, fruitful collaboration, and the collision of musical cultures do not want to miss this release, so stay chooned and pre-order a copy of Mama Ngoma here.

FOLLOW Kalaha: Official / Spotify / Facebook / Instagram

Jackson Whalan & Rasp 5 - Time Dilation [Premiere]

Banding together to craft a head-splitting verbal melee, Jackson Whalan and Rasp 5 present “Time Dilation” featuring the production and musical prowess of B-Riddimz and scratches from Robbie Dude. This firebrand quartet brings hip-hop into a bold and somewhat virgin territory. From the ground up, the track is a mixing marvel that boasts a fidelity often reserved for the instrumental side of electronic production. While Whalan and Rasp 5 are lyricists of a high calibre in their own right, combined they’re venomous. The beat behind the bars is far more than just a simple backbone. It offers high-processed bass synthesis rocking the downbeat of each measure, and salacious vinyl cuts and resampled vocal chops to slice up the back end of the tune. For the headnodders, wave riders, and beat seekers, “Time Dilation” is the answer. You can purchase the track here.

FOLLOW Jackson Whalan: Soundcloud / Spotify / Facebook

FOLLOW Rasp 5: Soundcloud / Facebook

DeeZ - Data Splatta [Premiere]

Leading left-field bass music producer DeeZ is set to self-release a new four-track EP called Data Splatta this Thursday, September 20. DeeZ aka Andy Widdecomb has earned a reputation over the years by continually refining a raw, speaker-splitting sound that stomps around between dubstep, psy, and hip-hop. Data Splatta finds DeeZ again honing in on these signature vibrations, though with more ferocity and abandon than ever before. Today, the producer offers the title track “Data Splatta” as a first taste of the full release.

Strange Matter, the most recent EP from DeeZ, was an experiment for the producer that drifted into downtempo and atypical uptempo arrangements. He doesn’t lose that unique, alien attitude on Data Splatta, but it’s not as startling this time around. DeeZ has aligned himself more with the experimental fringes of bass music in the past year. As such, beats so severely broken and run through with ambitious synthesis are no longer out of character for the producer.

“Data Splatta” displays the dominant sound across this EP - a package of bass so wide and expansive in the stereo spread that it commands attention. The moist but grainy texture of the synthesizers, stacked on top of sub bass, produce an aural representation of complex and valuable data that’s been corrupted. The drums are crisp as always. The percussive arrangements are simple but not shallow, allowing the melodic lines to take full control of the listener’s headspace. Once digested, these melodic lines, massive chunks of synthesis, will leave listeners with a full belly.

During our interview with DeeZ from Elements Lakewood Music & Arts Festival this summer, we touched on the producer’s tireless work ethic. It’s that extra studio time, those extra micro-edits, that attention to detail which brings forth these cutting-edge sound designs. If there’s one thing the EP could use more of, though, it’s swing. Perhaps one can learn through practice and hard work to swing the drums just right, though perhaps not. Data Splatta has a touch of swing, particularly on “Who The”, but a touch more would give DeeZ’s sound that irresistible primal movement that can get lost amidst more technical achievements.

Still, Data Splatta is one release not to skip over in the constant stream of new, innovative bass music. Few producers achieve the sheer girth of sound DeeZ can. Just ensure that you’re data is backed up before buying Data Splatta, as this filthy EP is liable to corrupt it.

FOLLOW DeeZ:   Bandcamp  /  Soundcloud   /   Facebook   /   Instagram

Wax Future - Source Code [Premiere]

After several years of non-stop touring, sonic developments, and various releases, Wax Future is set to unleash the robust eight-track EP Source Code. Born out of the waning electronic hip-hop movement, they are one of a few select acts within the genre that has been able to distinguish themselves through their soul-drenched beats. Having transcended the pitfalls of copy-paste arrangement, lazy mixdowns, and constant sample recycling, they avoid the musical stagnation of similar electro-soul producers around them. As a result, Wax Future is heavy on the minds and thick on the taste buds for fans throughout the US.

The EP is a matured, dialed-in interpretation of a sound Wax Future has been gradually developing throughout their releases. Taking on multiple emotive outputs, Source Code stretches between a funk extravaganza and a serenade of synthesis. As always, their choice of tempo and rhythm was born in the pocket, and forever remains in the pocket. Broken beat compositions are the lifeblood of Wax Future, and they consequently hone in on the rhythmic space available with all instruments and tones at their disposal.

Unleashing the EP's title track seven days shy of the full release, “Source Code” is entirely indicative of their musically affluent roots. Opening up with faded pads and complementary harmonies, the tones are saturated just enough to give them an organic pulse. Vocal cuts and choice synthesis meander into one another throughout the track, partaking in the fractured arrangement dance that is a tried and true staple of all glitch music. The guitar lines and harmonic layering fill out the rest of the frequency spectrum, covering everything above around 1000hz in a six-string shimmer. From start to finish, the song is a microcosm of its namesake album; a meticulous composition that stirs emotional output right from the very first note.

With one week away until the full release of Source Code, eager ears are patiently awaiting a full serving of waxy musings. After a summer spent blasting across the US festival circuit, and with this brand new bag of tunes coming hot off the press, it can be assumed that an Autumn tour is right around the corner. If you happen to make your way into the next Wax Future performance, be sure to safely secure your jaw in place, lest you leave it on the floor in the aftermath.

FOLLOW Wax Future:  Bandcamp  /  SoundCloud  /  Spotify  /  Facebook

Embed Block

Add an embed URL or code. Learn more

LuSiD - Highjacked VIP [Premiere]

It's 2:00 am...the elevator door slides open. Three hooded figures slide the cart of brick work out onto the roof lobby of the residence. The Boss said to stay low - the cameras angle high. This was the last job of the night we had to finish to earn our rank. I paged the boss that we arrived as we wait for his signal.

Three knocks on the other side of the roof access door. There it was. My heart began throbbing. Only one line of CoDean separates us from another successful heist. Hands trembling, I type in the code boss just paged me... success. We slide the cart onto the rooftop to be picked up by the chopper waiting for us. Only seconds remain for us to close out our most successful night yet.

I run over to the chopper and attach the grapple hook to the cart and signal the chopper to take off. But wait - the air is thick. Something's not right. As we watch the chopper fly I look down to my pager and read the message...

"Abort mission - we've been Highjacked!" But alas, it was too late.

Averise - Questions [Premiere]

Outtallectuals is a digital music label that was started in the UK by label member Баxтак in 2011. It has since become a collective of more than forty musicians, artists, curators and philanthropists stationed worldwide. Due to the vast capabilities of the internet, this net label is able to operate across multiple continents; specifically Asia, Europe and the Americas. While they do have individual catalog releases from their array of artists, they also curate unique live performances and festival stages, manage events, and release charity compilations. Outtallectuals has a breadth far beyond the scope of releasing music.

At the beginning of the new year, Outtallectuals will be releasing their next musical effort, Warpball. Today we have the privilege of premiering Aversive's "Questions", one of our favorite tracks on the compilation. The release features 20 songs and is also a soundtrack for a video game of the same name, created by game developers, Unruly Attraction. Being that this is an Outtallectuals release, you can expect to hear cutting edge, experimental bass music with technical prowess and a worldly view.

Each of the songs on this compilation is a composition unto its own. As a whole, it is a marvelous soundtrack. While this specific release is not for charity, most of their compilations are. In 2015 they released the Dhawa Sunrise Compilation. Originally it was created to raise funds for the building of a science lab, but after the earthquake hit in April of 2015, it went towards helping to rebuild the village. Outtallectuals feels strongly about using music as a tool for enacting positive change onto the world, and this is only one of many efforts they’ve made. In their words, they are “a label specializing in a conceptual hybrid of music, culture and sustainability”. Most recently, they worked together with many others to construct a Skatepark in Nepal, in an effort to build a foundation for skate culture in the country. You can watch a short documentary about the project here. 

Outtallectuals is a music label and “live act”. In the past this has meant a selection of label artists, with the addition of local artists dependent on place. In Bhutan in 2015, Bwoy de Bhajan and Amin Payne performed together with the Monks of Majuli, a ten person collective of monks from Northern India, and a two person Sufi Rajasthani group called the Kutle Khan Project. The intention behind curating these live acts is to expand the scope of bass music, to evolve the live experience, to explore the different modes of global music and to encourage experimentation on all fronts. Outtallectuals is just scratching the surface for the potential of these collaborative showcases.

Based in Vancouver, Canada, bass music producer Aversive, or Avery Bremner, has been sharing her mellifluous creations with the world since early 2014. Today, we are premiering her track "Questions" off of the Warpball compilation. An opening circus-like melody leads into thick, bassy synths paired with a tempo that keeps your feet moving and your brain dancing. While the song is certainly bass driven, the recurring melodies maintain a nice light-heartedness to the track. There are many layers that unfold throughout. Questions is a terrific display of complex, sound-design driven music. We couldn't be more excited to share this with you.

FOLLOW Outtallectuals:   Website   /   Facebook   /   Soundcloud 

FOLLOW Aversive:   Facebook   /   Soundcloud 

Dhawa Sunrise Compilation 2015

Deez ft. Frequency Fodder - Juice [Premiere]

It's fitting that we cap our coverage of the compilation Neurons Vol. 1 from Elemental Minded Promotions (EMP) by premiering "Juice"  by DeeZ featuring Frequency Fodder. DeeZ, formerly known as Satori and going by Andy Widdecomb by day, mastered all 11 tracks on the compilation. Frequency Fodder, a friend of Andy's with mega modular synth capabilities, is a relative newcomer whose contributions to this track leave us looking for more of his work. 

"Juice" is led by a wonky piece of synthesis that sounds once like a psychedelic talkbox, and again like the shuffling of a metallic deck of cards. Distinct and mastered to crystal clarity, it offers a unique tingle for the ear. According to Andy, the pair recorded an hour of audio with Frequency Fodder's Eurorack modular synth rig, which Andy then chopped and arranged into the squelchy, maneuvering delight you hear in the track. 

Having worked with Elemental Minded Promotions for over three years, DeeZ is a pillar of the EMP family. Years ago, Andy struggled to juggle work, production and performing, a dilemma faced by countless musicians and not an easy one to remedy. It was at this time that Tyler Hettel, EMP founder, began managing DeeZ. "It was great timing and really helped me continue moving forward," Andy says. 

For over five years Andy has been practicing the art of mastering music. "I started doing it for two reasons," he says. "One, because I needed to put rough masters on tunes that weren't finished in order to play them live, and two, I wanted to have a better understanding of how it works." Putting a glossy veneer on complex bass frequencies is no small challenge, but it's one Andy has risen to.

The practice also informed his production process. "When I first started, I would notice problems in the mixdowns of my tunes when compressing/limiting them. Now that I know these things cause issues when the tune is mastered, I try to keep these common problems in mind when producing."

For his part, Frequency Fodder is a self-described "Eurocrack fiend", alluding to his synthesizer setup and an apparent addiction to it. You can see and hear more of this rig through some absolutely jamming clips on Frequency Fodder's Instagram, linked below.

We can apparently expect more collaboration from these two in the future. This is great news, as after a few listens to their contribution on Neurons Vol. 1, it's clear who's got the juice at the moment. 

FOLLOW DeeZ:   Soundcloud   /   Facebook    /   Instagram   /   Twitter

FOLLOW Frequency Fodder:   Youtube   /   Instagram