This is what I wrote exactly two years ago about Tom Finster and today, more than ever, I stand behind each one of these words. The past two years of the German producer have been studded with some superb releases (his legendary ‘No Tomorrow‘ remix, ‘Convoy’, ‘Lights‘) but little did I know that behind the curtain something bigger was taking shape. Two years in the making, Tom’s brand new album, Years Of I, came out in all its glory the past week, wiping out all my doubts and shattering all my predictions. I candidly admit that at first, I was not too thrilled with the news that the project was going to feature his own vocals. Most of the transitions from producer to producer and singer that I have witnessed in recent years have not been exciting.  Moreover, after the release of ‘Bleep’ (now one of my favourite songs of the entire year), I was also concerned about a possible pop/indie turn of his sound, following the new songwriting approach.

Now, with the entire album available at once, I can say that all my doubts have been dispelled. I still believe most vocal performances aren’t compelling on their own, but fully aware of his capabilities, Tom Finster has found the right balance without overdoing. Even when, for example in ‘Little Circle’, he tries a more rap approach, a style I don’t see fitting his voice very well at the moment, the result it’s extremely personal and “handmade.” A mood that fits perfectly, given that the LP is an introspective look at what he has achieved so far as an artist. In many cases, listening to Tom singing gives a feeling of intimacy, as if he was opening up to the listener, confessing his deepest thoughts, through a voice message in the middle of the night.

On a production level, there is little room for criticism, as the quality is immaculate throughout the whole Years Of I. If I had any reservations about the vocals, I never had any skepticism about the instrumentals. Even before this album, his intricate and crystalline take on drum&bass enjoyed an indisputable reputation. Like a blacksmith forging countless different tools from the same fused steel, in Years Of I Tom Finster bends instruments, notes, synths, and frequencies of any kind to his will, molding them with mastery and creating a plethora of exceptional soundscapes. There’re silky and lo-fi cuts such as ‘Stuck On Repeat’, ‘Nothing,’ ‘Bleep’ but also piercing, cinematic bangers such as the opening combo ‘Second Time Around’, ‘Will To Power’, or the closing track ‘Night On Earth’. It’s a mesmeric journey through Tom Finster’s legacy as an all-around artist.

An aspect further emphasized in the promotional campaign launched by Tom and the DIVIDID team.  The music videos for ‘Bleep’ and ‘Night On Earth‘ have helped tremendously to set the tone for the album and have made the Years Of I experience much more immersive. Those Instagram videos of Tom (who clearly isn’t a natural-born showman) talking genuinely thrilled about the project, made me deeply empathize with him and his efforts, turning the storytelling around Years Of I is a very human affair, not just a fan-artist business. Last but not least, I cannot fail to mention the boxset (already sold out) created in an extremely limited edition of 100 copies, containing among other things, a sixty-eight-page book designed by Tom, which takes you through his beautiful journey in making the album, along with photos and lyrics.

Years Of I is available now on your favorite platform.

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The post Tom Finster Outdoes Himself With New Album ‘Year Of I’ appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Now, it wouldn’t be fair to give all the credit to The Caracal Project, as Skylark has been catapulting his way to the top of the game independently as well. With releases on Overview Music, VISION Recordings, Neosignal and more, the talented Frenchman is making his rounds on the hottest labels, and for good reason. Together, the duo have concocted one of the most impressive four-track ensembles of the year.

“It’s the first time I spend so much time on a project, it’s the first time I let songs age so much, go back to them, love them, hate them and love them again. It’s the first time there is so much collective effort put into such a personal body of work. Trust me when I say it, this EP received the love and care an album would,” says The Caracal Project about It’s about time we run into you. One listen and fans will immediately understand.

The Caracal Project and Skylark have delivered four meticulously mesmerizing tracks worthy of multiple listens, each contributing a unique energy to the project as a whole. It’s difficult to pick a favourite as each piece is individually incredible, making the project itself a wild fifteen-minute journey through modern drum and bass. From peaks of high intensity in ‘Run’ to suspenseful vocal breaks highlighted by LaMeduza in ‘Quick of Breath,’ It’s about time we run into you has got it all. Don’t miss it below.

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Discovered completely at random a few weeks ago, it took me very little to be fascinated by latesleeper. First of all because there’s actually still little to listen to since her entire catalog is not enough to compose even an album (her first tune ‘Mosquito‘ dates back to less than a year ago). Secondly, because you don’t need to spend hours trying to overanalyze her music. It’s immediately clear that you are in the presence of something out of the standard. A drum & bass act that is not satisfied with navigating well-known water, but that has her eyes fixed on the horizon, at the borders that have not yet been crossed and the barriers that have not yet been broken.

This new release, a combo of tracks (including a collab with gyrofield) released on DIVIDID, only reaffirms this approach. ‘Bushwa,’ for example, is sure to drive you crazy and whisk your brain. To say that it’s syncopated is an understatement, to say that it is mental is just barely enough. Its broken rhythms together with an immaculate sound worthy of an ASMR video create a feeling of emptiness so effective as to make you dizzy even if you are comfortably sitting on your favorite armchair. It’s a challenging listen that I’d be curious to experience live to fully test its destructive potential. ‘Wake Up Slap’ instead sounds heavily inspired by footwork and results in a more canonical rave weapon than ‘Bushwa’. This at least until you get to the second drop, where you have to be ready to go through a further dose of sonic slaughter. The contribution of gyrofield on the groove is evident but extremely functional in the success of the track as it slightly softens the muscular latesleeper’s approach.

If you’re a drum & bass purist, I’m not gonna lie, these tracks will be hard to digest. If instead, you’re keen to discover what this genre can offer when someone explores new ideas and approaches, this is the ideal food to feed your mind with. latesleeper is proving to have her own unique and original vision, let’s see where it will lead her in the next ten months. Stream ‘Bushwa’ and ‘Wake Up Slap’ on Spotify or on your favorite platform here.

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