It’s safe to say that Canada-raised, LA-based Troy Beetles, best known to the world as Datsik, made 2017 a massive year – both as a solo artist, and with his collaborative project with Bais Haus, Ephwurd. Last year saw highlights such as him and Bais starting their own record label, to fully rocking in the advent of his late-2016 EP, Sensei; now, Datsik has started 2018 off by fully flaunting his inner ninja with his latest heavy-hitting project, Master of Shadows.
There were hints of ninja-related influences in the EP before it, particularly in its artwork; this time around, the theme runs rampant throughout, visible not only through the track names and cover art (which is similar to that of its predecessor), but also in some of his choices of sounds/samples between the unrelenting bass. His shadow clan includes the likes of powerhouses jPhelpz, Ganja White Night and Excision, to aid him in his conquest of darkness.
‘Pressure Plates’ is the perfect storybook opener for the EP – a bright start which ushers in something grand with its triumphant synths, along with elegant vocals to uplift the spirit, to help prep for a new adventure. Nearing the end, it transforms into a wobbly beast of a tune, with the synthwork becoming much more mechanic, as well as a switch in the vocals to help put on the pressure.
His first track with Virtual Riot, ‘Warriors of the Night’, follows closely behind in intensity, and has resemblances to Knife Party‘s ‘Centipede‘- an ominous opener, with a dude (possibly some renowned expert) giving some knowledgeable insight to the subject at hand – proof as to how the silent-yet-deadly ninja is superior to the loud and boisterous samurai (like how ‘Centipede’ boasts the giant tropical centipede’s superiority over the tarantula). The riddim onslaught continues for the next few tracks, with Ganja White Night and jPhelpz joining in the foray.
Datsik’s second and only other solo track, ‘You’ve Changed’, could very well be a personal homage to Datsik himself, since it stands out from the crowd by flashing hints of his older style. It could be seen as a sort of treat to those who have come this far with him along his journey, experiencing his personal growth to the point that he’s at now.
His and Virtual Riot’s second collab on the album, ‘Freakuency’, really lets loose – it has its own version of a freakout, complete with a well-timed curse for added rage, before unleashing a three-way final blast with ‘Find Me’ – which features Kelowna basslord, Excision, along with rising sensation Dion Timmer, forming a bass trio which incorporates each artists’ style, to conclude in the heaviest way imaginable.
To coincide with the release of Master of Shadows, Datsik’s also going on a huge ninja expedition all across North America! He will be accompanied by fellow audio assassins Space Jesus, Riot Ten, Wooli, Carbin, and Swage, as well as other special guests throughout their journeys. The crew will have within their arsenal a PK Sound setup, and Shogun-inspired visuals (courtesy of Wolves Live Visuals) to demonstrate their definition of silence.
You can grab tickets for the tour here – while you’re at it, make sure your ninjutsu skills are at peak performance before the Master of Shadows infiltrates your village!
