Heard It Here First

Forward-thinking bass producer Sully has created another gritty and immersive experience with his new EP, Hardwire. Sully’s sound has made waves throughout his career. Hardwire is being released on Liquid Stranger’s Wakaan label, alongside a host of his other works from Sully dating back to 2019. This EP stands out for its futuristic sound design and prominent melodic elements while also beckoning to the genre-bending tendencies Sully is known for. 

The first track off the EP is its namesake, “Hardwire”. The hook “Keep It Moving” accurately suits how quickly this song gets into its staggering and swelling bassline. There is a satisfying call and response between the more aggressive bass swells and a distorted overtone. The song also uses acid stabs that help drive the energy into each drop, bringing together a sense of old-school meets new-school sound design.

Sully takes his vision on a more emotional departure with the next track, “Anymore”. This song is brooding and somber but also cathartic. A screeching lead fills out the melodic drop that will get you in and out of your feelings on the dancefloor.

Sully generally rounds out his releases with a bass house tune and “Front 2 Back” fills that role on this EP. This one takes all the wild features you could want from a bass tune including yoinks, growls, and laser pulses, and arranges them around an irresistibly dancey house rhythm. It also cuts the tempo in half for an expected drop for the second portion.

The Arcturians stepped up to provide impactful vocals on the next track, “Far Away From Here”. This one also feels like a bit of a fake-out, this song sounds like it’s going to be soft and delicate but quick;y ramps the energy up into a wide and open bassline followed by a more aggressive and syncopated flow.

“Let’s Dream” featuring Taylr Renee provides a softer tone in this body of work. The vocals have an upbeat and poppy feel to them, which is a nice change of pace from a scene overwhelmed by sadder tones when using vocals. The lush melodic elements play nicely into the feeling of the vocals and the two elements make this a song worth returning over and over again.  Here’s what Sully had to say about the project as a whole.

“Hardwire’ is a statement for what I’ve set out to accomplish as a producer. I’ve always tried to pull influence from different styles and genres to weave together a well-rounded body of work. Songs such as ‘Hardwire’ & ‘Front 2 Back’ have a familiar but fresh take on my heavier sound design, whereas songs like Anymore, Far Away From Here, and Let’s Dream all highlight vocalists, melody, and songwriting. This EP checks multiple boxes for me as a producer and I look forward to continuing to build multi-genre experiences for listeners.” – Sully

Sully is way past his breakout stage and it shows in the consistent quality throughout his work. None of these tracks feel rushed in any way and all serve to create a cohesive vision. With a stacked festival season behind him and bookings already fleshing out 2023, this artist is quickly becoming a staple of any lineup.

What was your favorite track from Hardwire? Let us know down below in the comments.

*Written by Brandon Missig*

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