Focus Five is back with its 18th installment. As always we’re bringing you the hottest under-the-radar talent that you need to be listening to. This month we’ve got a mostly house music duo, vibey future beat, brutal trap, filthy half-time, and even some D&B. If one of these artists doesn’t wow you, we’ll give you your money back.
Cloverdale
Self-described “mostly house music” duo of Alex Walsh (AWAL) and Jarett MacNeil, Cloverdale are both rising like the tides and making splashes like the waves found at their hometown Halifax Harbour. Their recently released four track Talk To Me EP was so stirring it had The Prescription Records head Dr. Fresch call it “THE WORST HOUSE MUSIC I’VE EVER HEARD.” Able to evoke such a visceral response, this dirty, deep and dark mixture of G house and bass house displays the most polished power the duo has yet to deliver. That said, it’s clear these two were up to no good as their early originals ‘Eat That’ and ‘Funky Junky’ both brought about serious screw-faces and ungodly grooves. Obviously inspired by some of Dirtybird and Night Bass’s best (see their remixes of classics ‘Keepmastic’ and ‘OKAY’), Alex and Jarett seem to have found the perfect mix of classic quality and future fire.
-OJ
EDP
EDP‘s ‘Dawn’ pretty much defines “a vibe.” From the stirring keys, to the sparkling synths and the gritty pitched rap samples, it’s top-tier future beat at its finest. The Californian beatmaker has proven that ‘Dawn’ was no fluke with a consistent stream of gems throughout 2019. Cuts like ‘gravity’ and ‘particles’ posses that perfect mixture of feels and knock that make future beat so sweet. His most recent release ‘Startup’ is a wavy love-song that captures the laid-back energy of California sunsets. If you’re looking for smooth grooves with just the right touch of bump, EDP is your dude. Oh and if you’re digging EDP, be sure to check out his family at SLIDERGANG.
-C
FrostTop
For a Long Beach-native, emerging producer FrostTop’s style of music lives strictly in contrast to the popularized laid-back portrayal of California residents, specializing in a remorseless variety of trap music permeated with eclectic drums, orphic mixdowns, and staggering volumes of bass as depicted in infamous singles such as ‘Discharge’ and ‘Fracture’.
Shaping up to be his biggest year yet, 2019 has given rise to collaborative opportunities alongside NXSTY and Remk, an official remix for GAWM’s ‘Bowser’ and the opportunity to put together a 30-minute mix as a guest of the NXSTY MFKAS series. It goes without saying FrostTop is on the trajectory for a substantial career in electronic music and will be a name to keep a close eye on as the rest of the year unfolds.
-ASL
Nvctve
Pronounced “Invective,” the talented youngster hailing from Massachusetts produces music that is just that. Insulting and abusive yet never lacking in quality and flow, Nvctve first caught my attention a few months back with their release on SATURATE RECORDS titled ‘Duh’ before earning support from bass music’s most promising names such as Chee and Akeos. Since the recent release of another halftime banger titled ‘Static,’ Nvctve has steadily grown into a uniquely aggressive sound that stands out among a plethora of up-and-coming halftime producers. In tracks such as ‘Duh’ and ‘Static,’ one really gets a feel for what the talented artist embodies, from their flawless meshing of melody and madness to their raw, unadulterated bass cataclysms. Already showcasing production prowess beyond their years, we’re excited to see what the future holds from Nvctve.
-SC
Unglued
From zero to hero. This quote can easily synthesize Unglued’s story. Instead of going viral on Tik Tok or similar platforms, for him everything started by just sending a demo to the right mastering company. What came next is already history. A record-breaking ‘If We Ever’ remix (which racked up 820k plays just on SoundCloud and has been voted Best Remix award in the latest Drum&BassArena Awards) and an exclusive contract with the legendary Hospital records. Not bad eh. Now, if you’re a newbie to the D&B scene and you feel a bit confused, don’t worry! That’s why Focus Five exists: to open your musical horizons and push them further and further. With less than 10 singles, in which he jumps from sub shuddering funk to tranquil liquid cuts to old-school jungle rollers, the 25 year old Brighton producer has proved to be a new enlightened bard of the drum&bass culture. But that’s not all. Despite the current industry constantly demands more and more viral content, Unglued has wisely declared that he wants to stick with a routine of 2/3 release per year. If you want to get familiar with D&B, hurry and get on board Unglued’s train because he’s definitely going places.
-AA
Words by Alessio, Colin, Oggie, Sam & Steph.
