Dropped down straight from a flying saucer into the throng of central Jersey, Shanghai Doom have been a duo bent on monumental destruction via sub bass. Roaming the exciting, yet murky, tides of experimental bass with their latest releases, they’ve found a home in the wilderness of weirdness that is the Wakaan label. In October they’ll have the distinct opportunity to perform at the inaugural Wakaan Fest in Arkansas, spearheaded by the head alien honcho himself Liquid Stranger. Back in January we had the pleasure of sitting down with the duo for an interview about their inspirations and origins, and they graced us with a guest mix packed to the brim with unreleased material. For now, their latest present to fans’ ears is the Biohazard EP, a 4 track collaborative EP so treacherous you’ll need lead earphones in order to survive prolonged exposure.
The opening track in this radioactive body of work is ‘Agent Orange,’ a collaboration with east coast boys Tsimba and Deez. The track lures you in with its impeccably EQ’d vocals looped to get you fully entranced in the infectious rhythm, sprinkling more and more reckless bass lines that build upon each other. Equal parts gangster and improvised explosive device, this piece will make you feel like a kingpin in the trap and also blast you with a full frontal assault. Arguably my favorite track on the EP, this is one I’ll keep in my daily rotation for weeks if not months to come.
Next on the roster is ‘Alchemy’, Big City’s collab with the purveyors of noxious materials. The pre-drop vocals state in a low tone “that is extraordinary,” which is spot on considering the first few notes simulate sound waves barking at you. The rest of the song is so alien even ET wouldn’t know what to do with it. Resulting in immediate quarantine, the 2nd drop is most assuredly a prime cause for a case of the aggressive wiggles.
Space Wizard jumps in the ring for the next collab ‘Teleblock’, the embodiment of joyful confusion. Featuring swift switch-ups, exceptional layering, and a wonky melody, this song is a grade A contender for a wook anthem.
Rounding out the EP is ‘Dangerous Impulses,’ a wild collaboration with the youthful wub dealer Toadface. Cleverly incorporating a phone dialing sample throughout, this could be a voicemail to Marvin the Martian. From an audiophile standpoint this song is exceedingly impressive, masterfully creating cohesion and veritable oodles of flow amongst many different samples.
Despite all these tracks being collaborations with different artists, consistent themes are present throughout each piece. Immaculate attention to detail, pupil-dilating sound design, and an innate push to be as unique and fun as possible. Make sure to check out the Biohazard EP in its entire glory for yourself below!
