Despersion has come a long way since they started releasing on SLK’s namesake label as Decent & Snapper in early 2018. The cheeky dancefloor/neuro crossover “Dark Fire” and the ambient, darkstep-inspired “Rapid Ascent” were clean and showed promise even before Despersion was Despersion.
The Russian duo have since refined their niche even more to blistering bass and snarling synths, having now also released on You So Fat, Kill Tomorrow, Neuropunk and Maztek’s 0101 imprint. It was only a matter of time before Eatbrain came calling.
Their first EP for Jade and company, called Starship and due out tomorrow, September 17, confirms the duo’s mastery of the afore-mentioned bass and synths while also adding whip-fast spinning snares, a flare for cinematic sound design and even some emotive melodies. Opening track “Shield” is chunky, crunchy and ominous, moving almost as though some unseen force is chewing up the staff as the track moves along and spitting it out the other end as an ominous melody adds even more visceral mood to the track. Meanwhile the closer, “Seems So Far Away” with Krot gives a cheeky wink to the pair’s dancefloor days while upping the emotional quotient with a heady, albeit still plenty grinding synth melody.
The title track and last to be premiered is the one neuro nuts will love the most. Spinning snares and even more spinny phrase transitions conjure up images of some hyperspace knife tornado while the buildups and drops erupt into a sort of wondrous chaos that only a true lover of the 174 arts could fully appreciate. Neuro who? Someone needs to some up with a new tag for this track. Despersion has really gone above and beyond.
Any lovers of hard drum & bass who hasn’t already been watching Despersion closely would do wise to start now. Between Starship and the rest of their thrilling discography, Decent and Snapper are making some of the most interesting stuff out there at the moment; so much so that it defies categorizing. Except, of course, that it’s categorically banging.
Starship drops tomorrow, September 17 on Eatbrain. Click here to pre-order.