Heard It Here First

Toulouse, France-based Visages is a four-person powerhouse that has quickly grabbed the attention of the underground bass music community over the last couple of years. Comprised of Hash, Midn8Runner, Dask, and Keu, this quartet of production wizardry is known for their wide range of sound and style, alternating between 140 and 172 bpm.

After a successful year with several releases on Alix Perez’s 1985 Music label, Visages have released their most cohesive body of work to date with their debut LP, From Lead to Gold.

What started as a refreshing drum & bass project has evolved over the last five years into a boundless goldmine of heat, and the From Lead to Gold LP is the perfect example of this journey in sound. These four maestros blessed us with eight flawless tracks, showcasing their continued versatility as producers with impeccable range and composition. Whether it’s their darker, more eery 140/dubstep or their uplifting, yet funky drum & bass, Visages certainly brought their A game on this LP.

Starting with the opening track, “MK Ultra”, we are quickly introduced to this darker side of Visages, launching us into this bass chamber in the form of five-and-a-half minute 140 heater. With an intro track like this, it’s clear that we are in store for an incredible audio journey. Switching it up immediately on the second track, “Sheitan”, Visages tap into their drum & bass roots with a forward-thinking thumper that keeps listeners engaged with this intersection of the underworld and hacking the mainframe. Sheitan translates to “Devil” in Arabic – they hit the nail on the head with this one.

This leads us into my personal favorite, “Black Katana”, the first collab on the LP featuring 1985 label boss Alix Perez. The dubious basses that were chosen for this track truly tickle the senses, leaving listeners’ jaws on the floor. One thing I really like about the first three tunes of this LP is Visages’ usage of filters and effects to create these atmospheres that build incredible tension leading up to each drop. We typically hear build-ups involving repeated kicks and aggressive risers, whereas Visages creates these subtle, yet super effective unique build-ups.

Next up is “Ouija Board,” featuring En:vy, a futuristic, funky drum and bass anthem that is sure to light up any dance floor. The bass lines and vocals in this one are incredibly addictive, helping to crank this LP into the next gear. Visages bring us back into the depths with the title track, “From Lead To Gold”, once again showcasing that deep, eery sound that I imagine would be core-shattering if played on the right sound system.

The LP closes with three spectacular drum and bass tunes. “Emotions Software” is a beautiful escapade that offers listeners some much-needed healing frequencies. “Ace of Spades” is a big brain collab with fellow 1985 star Monty, another name that is quickly landing on the radars of the underground bass community here in the States. You may recall these guys released a remix together of “Reaper” by Boombox Cartel and JID as part of the official Cartel II Remixes album. They are also the masterminds behind the hit singles “TEK” and “Hardware” featuring PAV4N and Strategy, which was actually featured on FIFA23‘s soundtrack this year. Monty is another great example of an artist with endless range – go check out his Hit the Lights album from 2021 to see what I mean.

The LP closes with “Gaïa”, an uplifting, vibey outro that caps off a soul-searching journey through darkness and light. By the time we have reached our destination, we will know that we have indeed struck gold, as the title suggests.

1985 Music has truly set a new standard for quality electronic music. Artists like Visages, Monty, Alix Perez (+ his Shades project with EPROM), Cesco, and several others have been leveling up for years and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sound. We truly do not know how good we have it, to exist at the same time as these artists.

We are looking forward to continuing to follow Visages as they continue to release more incredible tunes in 2023! What did you think of the From Lead To Gold LP? Let us know in the comments below or on our social media!

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