Label: Fresh Meat Records
Cat: FMR 87
Format: 12” Vinyl
Genre: JACKIN HOUSE / DEEP HOUSE / DRUM & BASS
Release Date: 2nd June 2023
Audio Soul Project is back with their latest vinyl-only EP, Simurgh. With a title inspired by the mythical Persian bird, these four tracks fuse elements of house, R&B, dub, and drum & bass to create an ecstatic and hypnotic experience.
The EP kicks off with „Deliver Me,“ a dreamy house track with warm filtered chords and bouncing synth bass. R&B female vocal ad libs pepper the groove and the refrain „Deliver Me“ adds a sense of yearning. The percussion, including morphing 4×4 and breakbeat drums, piano and synth stabs, nod to the cerebral Detroit and Chicago house compositions of the mid 90s.
„Azizam Dub“ takes a more stripped-down approach with a subsonic bass line bump and Juno 106 stabs. Frantic percussion and deftly cut vocal samples accent the ebbs and flows of the arrangement, making for a dynamic and engaging dance.
The B-side of the record starts with „Internal Vybrations,“ a bass-heavy drum & bass track that winds and jumps with multiple layers of deep, fluttering bass and ambient pads and strings. Percussion layers like hi-hats, shakers, and maracas lift and relax the rhythm in parallel to the rest of the composition, making for a hypnotic and trance-inducing vibe.
The B2 track on the EP, „Celebration Dub,“ is a bass-heavy swinging house track with ecstatic diva „Whooo“ samples that punctuate the ups and downs of the groove’s energy. Classic reggae and dub-influenced vocal samples and heavy tape delay on certain key instruments add to the joyful and uplifting vibe of the track. The keyboard and string section can transport a dancer to other realms of consciousness if they let themselves go to the groove.
Simurgh is a masterful fusion of various genres that showcases Audio Soul Project’s production prowess and ability to create an entrancing sonic journey.
