Dexter’s Beat Laboratory Vol. 43
Dexter’s Beat Laboratory is a weekly collection of songs from DA music editor and staff writer Robyn Dexter. With a taste that can only be described as eclectic — to say nothing of a name that lends itself to punnery — DA is happy to present a selection of tracks personally curated by Dexter for your listening pleasure.
House maven BIJOU has returned with another tasty dance floor-ready offering, “Take A Hit,” with Gerry Gonza. His hard-hitting style fuses perfectly with that of Gonza’s as they pair sultry vocals with a bass-heavy beat for a g-house collaboration that’s sure to entice dance music listeners of all persuasions.
Rameses B‘s style of drum & bass can be summed up in one word: intense. With each new release, the UK artist tells an enthralling tale. During his latest’s six-minute length, “Prometheus” builds and drops in tremendous fashion. Mystery-filled breaks that tell a tale of the narrator searching for someone, adding to the suspense. “This is the first time I’ve combined psytrance and drum and bass, the result is a progressive and ever-evolving track that takes the listener on a journey,” Rameses B says of the Monstercat release. “This could spark future iterations of the psy-dnb genre.”
Hidden Face exhibits a mysterious feel to his music reminiscent of ZHU‘s. The up-and-coming Parisian artist pairs a dark beat with alluring vocals painting a foreboding picture as he goes. Though slightly eerie, the track is fascinating, and I find myself listening again and again. “Turn off the lights” marks Hidden Face’s opening track to his debut three-track EP, out now on Daruma.
I’ll admit I was surprised to see ATTLAS on Louis The Child‘s “Better Not” remix package — pleasantly so. The mau5trap artist has composed a beautiful rendition of the Chicago duo’s hit, layering in a variety of lighthearted synths that give the track an extra feel-good vibe. It’s impeccably produced and shows a lighter side of the Toronto artist’s style.
Elephante‘s Glass Mansion EP has just hit the airwaves, adding nine emotion-packed originals to his repertoire. The EP’s namesake is a blissful and catchy track with a deeper message. “It’s the story about building and dreaming about the “Glass Mansion,” where the streets are made of gold and everything is perfect – and then finally getting there, and realizing that it’s not what you were looking for,” Elephante told Billboard. “You can’t wait to be happy until you achieve something – you have to find joy in the process. Because we’ll never have it better than we do right now.”