Perfect example of the nsu sound
by
sharkweek
The Escape EP is the first official release from nsu, and with a wealth of tracks to choose from, he has carefully selected five that showcase the range of moods and styles that comprise the 'nsu sound'.
The EP kicks off with Broken Mirror, a dark ambient tune with just the right amount of menace and a sense of foreboding, accompanied by crisp beats and haunting vocal pads.
This flows perfectly into Panic Bells, which could best be described as paranoid and fearful. Dub keys - usually a mark of mellow and peaceful tracks - are juxtaposed beautifully against urgent skittery beats and whispered vocals that give voice to the unspoken fears evoked by the music. It's not often you can say an electro track makesyou want to play air guitar, but the synthesised guitars in this track always make me want to do just that!
Discordia is next, a spacious and epic with deep pads and glitchy beats. I particularly love the gated synth, old skool funky bass and dub keys. Discordia ebbs and flows with perfectly-timed moments of urgency and peace, as well as deep and emotional piano chords you can really feel.
Upside Down is dark hip hop with an impossibly catchy piano hook that offers a delicate counterpoint to the nasty fuzzed-out bassline. Guest vocalist JR Trap tailors his rhymes perfectly to fit the mood of the music.
Sixteen 786 is - in my opinion at least - the high point of the EP: a gorgeous fusion of electronica and spacious guitar music. Moody yet uplifting, nsu shows he is a master of emotion with his powerful and moving chord changes.
