Another week is coming to a close
and what better way to put on those Friday party hats than with a review of some
electronica/dance music? Even more so, the Ultra Music Festival in Miami is on
the horizon and it only makes sense to review someone who has in fact played at this iconic musical setting. With that said, Dirty South’s first full-length
studio album, titled, Speed of Life,
just dropped this week and is ready to take the EDM world by storm. Read on to
see if this seasoned DJ/producer has what it takes to keep us out of our seats
and on the dance floor!
One of the more captivating tracks
of Speed of Life is without a doubt
“Until the End” feat. Joe Gil. Like “City of Dreams,” Dirty South utilizes a
vocal accompaniment that is honest and sincere with lyrics that say things we
couldn’t. A sonically entrancing
electric guitar riff and piano synth opens the track as an upcoming artist in
his own right, Joe Gil, divulges us with his lyrical prowess. “I can see you
breathing/but you’re hardly moving/a life with no light is hard to define/but
you don’t see you’re holding/all the keys to all the dungeons/let yourself
out/just let you be found.” This first verse encapsulates the true essence of
music and its ability to cross genres in a way that still hits close to our
hearts. EDM is more than just tripping
balls or sweating your ass off to intoxicatingly catchy beats. It’s about the joy
and sanctity in life as well as its ability to bring people from different
walks of life together to share in this musical catharsis of sorts. Songs such
as “Until the End” delineate that life is to be savored like a fine wine—getting
better as we go on. As Gil states in the
chorus: “It’s you and I, ‘til the end of time.”
“Reset” is definitely one of the
more club-thumping inspired tracks off of Dirty South’s debut LP. Trying to describe an EDM song
and do it any justice whatsoever is like trying to tell a fat guy that he
doesn’t need that last donut from the dozen box he just bought 10 minutes
ago—there’s just no use. That said, “Reset” can best be described as that
iconic upbeat mix that will have you in a state of utter delirium from all the
head flipping and jumping up and down like a kid who got an N64 for Christmas
that one year in 1997 (I know that’s exactly what the hell I did).
In all honesty, this review
wouldn’t feel quite complete if we didn’t give our two cents about the new song
Ruben Haze is featured on: “Gods.” Starting off in more of a hypnotic trance,
Dirty South takes us on a musical journey that one would envision is exactly
how Hundred Acres Woods would feel if you and Winnie the Pooh dipped your hands
in too much “honey” one jolly afternoon. The drawn out synths add a feeling of
anticipation that magically intertwine seamlessly with the serenity that the
guitar brings to the track as well. To some, it may get a little monotonous by
the end, unfortunately. The main drawback, however, is that Haze’s vocals are
very minimal. Even more, his voice is so distorted that it’s hard to make out
what he is singing. At the end of the day though, EDM isn’t known for its
proverbial musings, so you can’t really harp on this any longer than that
Harlem Shake craze, which beat more than one dead horse to death over the past
few weeks.
If you’re a fan of Dirty South and
EDM music in general, than it is definitely worth taking a mandatory listen to Speed of Life. Even if this isn’t your
cup of tea, it’s definitely worth giving it that old college try. All in all,
Dirty South shows that he has the talent and musical repertoire under his belt
to make an even bigger name for himself. The only question is, when? Until then, Druggernauts!!!
Stream the entire album here!
