Heard It Here First

The True Colors EP is a delicate and vibrant journey created by LUZCID for Liquid Stranger’s downtempo-focused SSKWAN label. There was not a moment throughout this four-track EP that didn’t feel deep and impactful. Through the mind-bending sound design, euphoric swells, and intricate drums every song provides its own refreshing experience. 

“Lost In Time” combines layers of arpeggiations, moving chords, and a boom-bap style groove for a winding and hypnotic experience. In general, the runtime of these tracks stands out in a genre dominated by two to three-minute-long songs, this one is nearly five and a half minutes long. It really demonstrates LUZCID’s ability to fill space over time and not rush to the point for the sake of keeping the energy high on the dancefloor. The sustained, clean-sounding bass in the early sections plays well into the more distorted and aggressive bass in the later sections. The use of ghost kicks adds a lot of bounce to the groove that keeps you locked in the entire time. 

The next track, “Follow Me,” begins with more arpeggiations and chords that give way to compelling vocal chops. You can feel the attention to detail LUZCID put into this one with the micro-edits done to the vocals and how they motivate the progression of the song. Everything in this one is bright and shimmering, but also creates this sense of longing and desire. LUZCID’s minimal bassline in the beginning section highlights the vocals which lead into unique melodic wubs towards the end.

The melodic bass from the end of “Follow Me” plays more into the sound design of the third song, “Give It All.” This song is much slower, with a focus on filling the space with a lumbering beat and large swelling chords. Some of the metallic and wet sounds used throughout create the sensation of chills running up your spine, while the rest of the arrangement creates this airy, dream-like atmosphere.

The final song on the EP, “I Know You,” has the most uplifting feeling of the four. The entrancing chords in this impressive track are more embedded in complex rhythms. Each phrase has tight fills at the end, throwing momentum into the next. The final build brings those undulating chords into the forefront of the progressions and introduces some almost arhythmic glassy textures to create a very full and immersive final section.

LUZCID is bringing new life to downtempo with the True Colors EP, demonstrating that immersive sound design can bring calmer music to the mainstage. This is a really powerful release that found its well-deserved home on the quickly growing SSKWAN label. 

Crates I’m Putting This Into: Blue, Dreamscapes, Sacred Rave Cave

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