The Upbeats have had a massive past year, releasing a joint EP with Noisia and the first instalment of a three part EP series. On top of that, their production skills are getting to a level that puts them among the best of the Drum and Bass producers. This is all shown in the second part of their EP De-Evolution.
The first song, Mediums, is a tune for the ages. The laser sample tops off a hard hitting tune that goes on for ages, which is a blessing because it’s so damn good. The next song, Joyrider, is a venture into Neurofunk. It’s no different from Mediums in that it’s huge, but it goes much harder and has a much more aggressive bass design.
Say Go takes The Upbeats back to their New Zealand roots, featuring Mara TK on vocals in a beautiful Liquid Drum and Bass tune where vibes abound. Babylon features Orifice Vulgatron from Foreign Beggars, and like the first two songs it’s massive. The unassuming intro turns into threatening vocals, which then turns into a mind-exploding build up. The drop is simultaneously half time and normal Drum and Bass, which goes to show how inventive the duo are as producers. No Surprises is the final song off the EP, and is more so an outro.
All in all De-Evolution Part 2 is an exceedingly well produced EP and will win them more than a few fans. You can listen to it here.