Single released by Photek Productions, Mar. 12, 2012.
No doubt, any long-time electronic music fan saw this news hit a few months back and immediately started thanking the music gods. It’s not hard to see why either! Photek and Pinch are two of the most respected producers in their fields. Photek’s drum and bass productions from the 90s have earned him critical praise throughout, while his recent house, hip-hop, and movie soundtrack projects have brought him to mainstream prominence, including a Grammy nomination for his contribution to the Tron: Legacy soundtrack. Pinch has been one of the leaders of the dubstep genre, forming Tectonic Records in 2005, and releasing his and other producer’s influential works, including the massive Qawwali, still one of dubstep’s most recognized tunes. It is safe to say that without these two gentlemen, many of today’s EDM artists would not have the platform they have today.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this collaboration single exceeds any expectations we may have put on it. Each producer puts their stamp on their respective tracks, but with a heavy influence from the other. Acid Reign and its off-kilter, old school dubstep beat should be familiar to many fans, each element perfectly placed and boasting the heavy dub influence many of the old guard proudly display. This serves as an excellent backbone for the rolling, thundering bass lines, distant vocal pieces, and airy synths that make up the meat of this track. For those folks who like to complain about “what those kids did to our dub music”, Pinch keeps it decidedly old styled like he usually does. The heavy use of percussion and vocal samples, along with those beefy bass lines, should satisfy any dubstep fan, but particularly the older heads. M25FM shifts gears, taking the listener into Photek’s world of atmospheric, groovy dance tunes. Once again he showcases his flair for haunting backdrops, swirls of synths and simple melodies weave in and out behind a driving acid bass line akin to the ones he used in many of his 2011 productions (like Avalanche and 101). Photek has done an excellent job transitioning into the world of dubstep, this track being an example of Rupert’s ability to take a genre and bend it to his style. It’s unmistakeably Photek, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find other producers who make similar tunes.
Fans of these two heavyweights are hoping this is a small taste for greater things to come. If not, the two legends have delivered a solid 10 minutes of heavy bass and groovy beats that should satisfy most of those who want a little more bass in their life. It’s also a great testament to these producers’ quality and staying power, two producers who continue to reinvent themselves even though the always-evolving EDM scene threatens to leave them behind. Who knows what the next big trend will be? It won’t matter to these two, I think we can count on them to deliver the goods no matter what style they try.
Support the artists!
Buy on Beatport: http://www.beatport.com/release/acid-reign-m25fm/875527
Photek Official: http://photek.fm/
Photek @ Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Photek
Photek @ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhotekMusic
Pinch/Tectonic Official: http://www.tectonicrecordings.com/
Pinch @ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PinchTectonic
