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Droptek - “Polygon” EP (Monstercat Media)
Article by Mitchell Buchanan
Monstercat Media is proud to present Droptek’s newest EP, Polygon, released on July 11th, 2012. This London, UK producer already has two singles released by Monstercat, and Polygon is the next step in the rising EDM star’s career. Featuring four tracks that will absolutely shatter expectations, the Polygon EP features growling, metallic bass, elaborate synth melodies, bouncing offbeats, and top-notch Droptek production quality. In geometry, a polygon has a potentially limitless number of sides – and the Polygon EP proves that Droptek isn’t afraid to explore each and every side of his sound.
“Polygon” opens up softly but quickly sets an energetic tone that will continue for the rest of the album. An uplifting melody starts things off but soon lands in a minor key. Laser blasts emerge from the depths as the bass drum ramps up its speed – and everything goes quiet. But only for a moment; an instant later, a panic alarm cries out but is quickly silenced by blasts of metallic bass and bubbling melodies. Synth stabs keep things musical, while the rumbling bass takes the subwoofer for a ride. And don’t be fooled when the track cuts out – Droptek’s known to cut things off and bring them back even harder.
Moving darker for his second track, “Madness” elicits thoughts of nightmarish nursery rhymes and horrifying experiences at the carnival. But that’s not a bad thing – just be aware that if you have a fear of clowns, you might want to listen to this track during the day. Tinkling bells and cruelly playful piano provide an unsettling melody as an unseen soul taps time in the darkness. With a gust of wind, ghostly synths play a wailing melody over the tightly-coiled drums – and if that doesn’t drive you mad, wait for the pre-drop and its single note, repeating – laughing – as you search for an escape. But there’s no way out, and almost instantly you’re thrown into the midst of shuffling rhythms, aggressively shifting synths, and an unstable floor of bass. Watch the entire structure of “Madness” spin around you as the tempo switches between standard 4/4 and the eerily-swung 6/8 rhythm. Ghoulish carnies laugh down the endless hallways as you try to escape – but your chance of survival diminishes with every second that passes.
If you somehow do manage to escape the “Madness,” don’t expect “Night Bus” to drive you to safety. Set in the same key as the track before it, “Night Bus” features aggressive downbeats paired with behind-the-scenes bouncing offbeats. A wavering synth melody takes control of the midrange, but only for about 30 seconds – at that point, everything cuts out and something sinister begins to rise from the murky depths. Sliding upwards as it becomes clearer, it brings the bass drum along with it until the track can handle no more. With one angry, resounding downbeat of grimy bass, the track explodes into mayhem. A metallic, growling high-end bass tone provides a shuddering melody as the sub-bass wobbles and pulses with the beat. Retro-sounding synths provide rhythmic stabs and the offbeats provide an energetic, albeit menacing, bounce. With its video-game melodic influences, this could be the soundtrack to the most difficult boss you’ll ever have to face. But even if you’re not a gamer, simply trying to stay on your feet during such an explosive track will be an almost insurmountable challenge.
Closing off the EP is “Vice.” Starting off slow with a synth build, the melody pushes its way forward above the chord progression. Soon, the track gathers steam once again as the synths start to sound more like a warning signal, growing faster and faster as the drums kick in to build intensity. Intercut by grimy spits of bass, “Vice” builds up until the very last second – and with a switch of the filter and a sweep of the synths, we’re dropped into another offbeat-infused banger. But instead of the metallic growls from earlier, we’re given a piercing blast of air horns. The sound is like an exfoliant – scraping away any grime that stayed behind from the bass’ smashing drops. The offbeats are back, too, providing a kick-back rhythm to keep the entire track bouncing along. If your vice is a dubstep track with some funk to it, look no further than this EP’s closing tune.
A message from Monstercat co-founder Mike Darlington:
“Since the very beginning, we’ve been excited to have Droptek on our team – but today, the feeling is indescribable. Polygon is an EP with countless sides, unexpected turns, incredible production quality, and irresistible tracks. It’s also our thirteenth EP – a lucky number considering the quality of the music that’s contained within. If you think you’ve got what it takes to handle Droptek’s next step forward in the dubstep scene, we’d love for you to grab a copy and show him your support. We couldn’t be more proud to present to you Droptek’s Polygon EP – and we couldn’t be more excited to hear what you think.”
Follow Mitchell on Twitter: @MitchellsMind
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http://monstercat.com/
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http://www.facebook.com/droptekofficial
http://www.soundcloud.com/droptek
http://youtube.com/droptekofficial
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