If you don’t remember 23, I wouldn’t blame you. He had a run of successful tracks in 2011-2012 and then dropped off, nowhere to be found. We would later find out that he retreated to refine his sound and focus on mastering and improving his technique, finding his own sound as so many artists do when they’re suddenly faced with more popularity than they bargained for.
Now, 23 is returning with a more cryptic and easier-to-search-for name, Escher Beat. With a name that parallels the music he makes, Escher Beat has just released his debut album for the project, titled Inter-Universal Transmission No. 2. (We’re not sure what happened to No.1.)
The album is an exercise in psychedelic beats and far out sound design, more complex than your average banger. Escher Beat even includes some special instructions for the listening experience:
This album was designed, psychologically and otherwise, to be enjoyed either on good headphones or a good speaker system with a subwoofer, preferably absorbed in an altered state (through any means, meditation, sleep deprivation, a nice glass of scotch, a bowl, etc), listened from beginning to end.
Essentially, sit back, relax, light up a bowl, smoke a spliff, pour a glass, stay awake, get comfortable, and immerse yourself in the sound (maybe not all at the same time).
For more information on Escher Beat and his new project, you can check out his in depth interview with Terry Gotham here.