Get ready to gasp with fear and alarm when you see Rillium’s followers on social media. In the face of the massive sounds he’s created thus far on Blackout’s Evolutions vol. 9 series with his track “Mind Trap” and on BSE’s Driving Insane Remixes EP just released last month, the fact that he doesn’t already have a rabid following beggars belief. Now with NËU on the case as well as Blackout with a forthcoming dual single, those all-important social media numbers are about to start ticking up.
“Path of Abyss” and “Petrel” are due out on NËU this Thursday, May 14 and if you think drum & bass has been a bit devoid of atmospheric ass-kickers lately, these two tracks will turn that right around. Heavy, turgid yes somehow still clean and minimalistic, these tracks bring the “fear” to the “atmos.” “Path of Abyss” channels real dark vibes with deep, dot-point syncopation in the unconventional kick while the spiral snare also takes an off-center approach. Add cinematic ambient tones that will make the listener think they’re in the Mariana Trench, literally, and you’ve got one powerful atmospheric track.
The b-side and out YEDM premiere today is “Petrel.” This track has a similar beat profile to “Path of Abyss,” with another syncopated dot-point kick and spiraling snares. The punishingly ominous ambient tones swirl through this track as well but there’s a bit of a melody placed over top of it all, in the form of a cut up and deadened vocal melody. The afore-mentioned ambient sinewaves that flow in and out of the track as also a bit different, as they take on a more metallic or mechanized feel. Perhaps there’s a massive submarine that got stuck in the Mariana Trench? One never knows what imagery artists are trying to conjure, even in atmospheric pieces, but the that gives the listener free range to interpret the sound however their little mind desires. 
Jokes about social media aside, it’s officially time to jump on the Rillium bandwagon, as he’s already gearing up to be a hard D&B label favorite. His work is clean and minimal beat-wise with just the right amount of snap to ground all the other lush and verdant tones just on the borderline of experimental. Already showing a range of style that belies his thus far sparse discography, there’s no way Rillium doesn’t take off even more in 2021.
“Path of Abyss” and “Petrel” drop on NËU Music this Thursday, May 14. Click here to pre-order.
