When one ponders a list of the most progressive producers in the industry, many names can pop into your mind. But, when it comes to stylistically sexy, wub flambeing, beat tastes, there is only one artist that should come to mind; Matthew Lucas aka Peekaboo. A man on a mission for the past several years, he’s swiftly clawed his way from sheer obscurity to being one of the most anticipated sets at any event he performs at. First amassing inordinate amounts of attention in 2017 when Bassnectar first rinsed his track ‘Wobbly’ at Electric Forest and subsequently at almost every set the rest of the year, he became a hero of the underground almost overnight. Since then, he’s dropped 2 spicy collaborations with the don in the forms of ‘Disrupt the System’, and ‘Illusion’, an international sensation in the form of ‘Babatunde‘ with G-Rex, and had 3 immensely successful EP releases with Imposters, Maniac, and Wrecking Ball, all three winning the support of a vast majority of the biggest names in the business. His latest work, the 4 track slug-fest titled the Impossible EP out on Zeds Dead’s Deadbeats label, continues his malevolent curation of sonic frequencies, taking his already fine-tuned sound and expanding upon it in ridiculous fashion.
The title track for the EP, ‘Impossible,’ has been teased for months, initially getting rinsed when the year was still young at Ultra Music Festival. Opening with an alien-esque melody that welcomes you into the clutches of the tractor beam of this spaceship, your curiosity will be spiked instantly. Adding foreboding vocals that loop “impossible” next, the only thing that you’ll think will be impossible is that this track will be anything but an absolute banger. The first drop opens with noises I can only describe as “mortars with swag,” deep growling basslines that then burst into the sonic embodiment of energetic confusion, leaving listeners amped with absolutely zero clue of what’s going on. If the initial drop was one single flying saucer coming down to grace Earth with its presence, the last drop is the entire interstellar fleet, hell bent on terraforming our world to their delight. Featuring some of the cleanest kicks and snares in the game and ungodly sound design (nothing new to the boo man), this track is truly a hi-fi listening experience.
The 2nd track on Impossible is an ode to the fact that only a true mad scientist of sound could come up with this piece. Titled ‘Nut Case,’ this one uses unintelligible vocal chops to set the tone, rendering one completely incapacitated. The first drop has a crispy, crunchy opening, paired with one of the most epic melodies I’ve ever heard. It’s almost reminiscent of a church organ that’s carried into an epic Lord of the Rings battle, thrust right into the thick of the action and proudly proclaiming that shit is about to go down in one of the craziest ways possible. The latter part of the drop all hell breaks loose, and you’ll have the strong compulsion to smash the closest object in sight out of sheer adrenaline. It’s almost unfair how well this track is mixed, with so many competing layers happening at once, but coming out so buttery smooth they build-on and amplify every other sound. A prime contender for “tracks that make you stand still and hold your head in utter disbelief as you stare bug-eyed at air and mouth ‘what the fuck’ to yourself,” ‘Nut Case’ will surely be stealing minds for years to come.
The next piece of this 4 track puzzle is ‘Rock The House’, arguably the most diverse song from drop to drop on the EP. Starting off with a hybrid trap/house combo that’s a joy to shake your ass to, you’ll be busting out your wildest trap arms and hitting your best shuffles with a grin on your face. The builds carry the tried and true Peekaboo aggression, but the first drop is definitely a different step for him and more proof that he can conquer whatever avenue of production he pleases. The last drop is much more his traditional style, albeit with even cleaner sound and a section that sounds like quite the pissed-off tornado.
‘Smack’ rounds out Impossible, gathering all hellions within earshot with its top-tier hype-inducing vocals of “bring us the motherfucker,” feeling like the lord of badassery is calling his minions to bring him anyone who dares speak out against him. The first drop could be Mike Tyson practicing his respective hooks on your abdomen, with thick destructive hits that leave you in waste. The second deluge of bass has a fake drop that will surely catch you off guard, something new to Peekaboo’s repertoire, done with the utmost precision. The final drop is the perfect end to the EP as a whole, with so much energy contained within you’ll be practically bursting at the seams from your molecules turning-up so hard. Rough, sensual, and so clean you could eat a four-course-meal off it, you could easily just have that section loop for hours on end, firmly and fiercely living in the present moment.
If there’s anything to gleam from Impossible, it’s that Peekaboo has already transcended any preconceived notion of what makes bass music what it is. Utilizing sound design that has reached an unparalleled level in layering and flow, he has crafted a body of work that is “impossible” to ignore. For fans of gritty, girthy, grimy bass music, this is a can’t miss, a can’t stop replaying, a can’t stop finding where he’s playing next because you physically need to hear these tracks on a pristine sound system and what madness he’s cooking up next. Peekaboo is here to stay, and his growth will surely see him headlining festivals across the country, and even across the entire globe. The only person that knows what’s coming next is Matthew Lucas, leaving fans anxiously awaiting any and every track that will grace their ears with. For now, check out the diabolical Impossible EP in all its glory for yourself below!
