Drawing inspiration from his deep roots in the bass music scene, REAPER is perhaps one of the first American-born and bred artists to have truly carved out his own unique niche in the often insular drum and bass scene. In many ways, the drum and bass that REAPER produces and has come to represent are an entirely American version of the genre, not only in origin, but in the references and influences it brings into its orbit.
To a population raised on trap, dubstep, and bass, the mysteriously masked DJ is a familiar figure, one whose avatar fits into the larger narrative of the electronic music mythos. But masked DJs are rare in drum and bass, and so REAPER is unique in that regard as well, his music and his intimidating figure bridging the gap between the old-school chin-strokers and the freshly minted ravers eager to wild out to a gnarly groove.
Regardless of how you parse it, the language REAPER’s music speaks has elevated him into the top tier festival and club circuit, providing support for artists such as Kayzo on both his 2021 and 2022 NA tours, as well as having become a familiar face at festivals ranging from EDCLV, Nocturnal Wonderland, EDC Orlando, Countdown NYE, Excision’s Lost Lands, and Project Z . With the smoke still settling on his headlining THE UPRISING tour with Kumarion, a full-length album project is the perfect step on what will no doubt be his continued evolution.
Enter DISRUPTOR. A nine-track behemoth (ten if you count the cinematic minute and 53 second “Interceptor” that serves as an intro to the project) designed to grab listeners by the jugular and drag them kicking and screaming through the wild and genre-breaking soundscapes that REAPER has become known for.
As REAPER tells us: “I wrote DISRUPTOR about the distinctions and attributes that I’m striving to establish as REAPER. I want to be remembered as a force that eternalized the drum and bass movement. The songs and stories I’m sharing are intended to create an unstoppable movement to bring people together.
While writing the album, I continuously referred to the idea of Newton’s Law, that an object in motion will stay in motion unless disrupted. DISRUPTOR is designed to create a new wave, a new motion, and initiate acceleration. I am the Disruptor.
The concept was to become a monument that interfered with anyone who doubted or wanted to gatekeep drum and bass. I want to share with the world how to love dnb more simply because I love it so much myself. This record is a testament to new fans that I’ve committed to coaching how to expand their love for drum and bass. I want to show listeners a selection of drum and bass that feels fresh yet familiar so they can love the genre more.
GUN FINGERS TO THE SKY, DNB ‘TIL I DIE.”
And with that mic drop moment, there’s nothing left to do but buckle up and dive in to the full fury of REAPER’s DISRUPTOR album while keeping an eager eye on the future to see what other kind of trouble REAPER will no doubt be stirring up at a dancefloor near you.
REAPER’s DISRUPTOR LP is out now via the ever-essential Bassrush Records so lock in your stream/download here.