There’s a touch of the epic in DjRUM’s productions. That’s no surprise to anyone who heard “Mountains”, his breathtaking set of 12s on 2nd Drop last year, or his astonishing mix for Resident Advisor some months back. One of the standout tracks of that mix was a sort of rework of “Undercoat”, the opening track of the “Mountains” suite, one that deftly incorporated elements of The Mamas & The Papas’ “Dedicated To The One I Love”. While “Mountains Pt 1” and “Turiya” recently received the remix treatment from Pedestrian and Tessela respectively, it’s fallen on DjRUM himself to push “Undercoat” into 2012 for this latest release.
While “Undercoat” shuffled along with nervous energy and rippling bass, “The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn (Undercoat Pt 2)” kicks off at full tilt. Syncopated kicks accompany the strings that have become DjRUM’s trademark, and the familiar chords of “Undercoat” peek behind the new track hinting at past triumphs and future explorations. A smattering of the closing vocals – “tell me what you want to be” – lead into the subtlest drop you’ll hear this year. Disparate elements sit together in sweet, unexpected harmony – a spoken sample uttering “Listen up London” grounds this track in the present world of future-bass-whatever-dancefloor gloom, while more unfamiliar tropes battle for view in the heavens above. After seven minutes of uptempo bliss, a woodwind chorus lends an other-worldy beauty to this track’s finale, as that famous sample is played out in full, masterfully woven into the very fabric of its surroundings.
What’s most surreal about this release is that “Darkest Hour” is the B-side (well, the AA-side, if we’re being strictly accurate). DjRUM could feasibly drop this one on its own and sit back and watch the plaudits roll in, but instead he’s pushed it to the flip, delaying the instant gratification of this gorgeous track. That said, A-side “Watermark” is no less glorious. Opening with the lapping sounds of the tide, rubato flows give way to a menacing selection of dialogue from “Synecdoche New York”. Harps and crackling effects overlap with the same sort of orchestral flourishes and booming bass that we’d expect from the man. Those arpeggiated harp licks pulse throughout the track, shifting up and down and contrasting marvellously with the gated techno riffs that sit next to these more organic elements. It’s this fusion of traditional instrumentation with the darker sounds of electronic music that makes DjRUM’s music so thrilling. File this one next to the likes of Untold and Objekt, in terms of beauty, experimentation and, most of all, excitement. Not unexpectedly, this one’s another winner for 2nd Drop.
Stream: DjRUM – Watermark (Preview) (2nd Drop Records)
Stream: DjRUM – The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn (Undercoat pt2) (Preview) (2nd Drop Records)
DjRUM – Watermark/The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn (Undercoat Pt 2) is out on 2nd Drop Records on July 23.
