Viper’s newest and possibly most diverse compilation is out tomorrow, April 27. It seems the label wanted to capture as many different styles of DnB as possible this time around, as the compilation features everything from rough and hard stuff by Synergy and Teddy Killerz to pretty liquid jams by the likes of Toronto Is Broken and J. Majik to more experimental styles that emerged just this year like “High,” the offering from Tapolsky and VovKING.
Tapolsky and VovKING have been on the leading edge of a new drum and bass style this year which pairs different, some might say weird synths with steppy drum and bass beats to make a sound and a style which, at this point, can really only be labeled as experimental. From their Modern Innovation EP and other singles with Technique this year, the Ukranian duo took “High” another step forward in terms of the evolution of their style.
The track has the seemingly mad and unstructured horn synth melodies to begin with, which fans will recognize from Modern Innovation. From there, however, “High” takes a different turn as it begins to incorporate more liquid or melodic melodies, including a female vocal track and lots of ambient sounds during the breaks. The composition of these two parts is also quite interesting because rather than using the intro bring all the different elements in one by one and then incorporate them in the body of the track, “High” does almost the exact opposite. It opens with both the liquid vocal track and the horn synths playing together, then after the drop they split off. After that there is a section where the synths develop with the beat, becoming more complex until the break, where the vocal track is introduced again. The second section of the song almost turns the synth melody on its ear, going with a completely different syncopation pattern and also incorporating the ambient work from the intro. If it weren’t for the consistency of the drums, “High” would be a tough track to mix, but it’s still a great listen.
It’s great to see Viper embracing so many different styles on this compilation. Futurebound and his cohorts are always good at featuring a number of artists, but with The Sound of Drum and Bass 2018 it seems like they really made an extra effort to include a huge array of extremely different styles, possibly even with different mastering on each. With this compilation, Viper are definitely showcasing the diversity this genre has to offer but also very clearly stating that it’s all drum and bass.
The Sound of Drum and Bass 2018 releases on Viper tomorrow, April 27. Pre-order and streaming on all available platforms can be accessed by clicking here. Also be sure to check out Tapolsky and VovKING’s megamix on Soundcloud or YouTube. See below for the Spotify sampler.
