Insomniac Records' IN/ROTATION imprint continues to capture my attention. A launch pad for rising house producers, they've hosted the likes of Cloverdale, Proxy, X&G, SLATIN, NuKid and TYPE3 this year alone. Their latest, today's release of Anxiety from Parisian producer Hidden Face, features two equally unsettling offerings.
The title track lives up to its namesake almost immediately, giving its listeners goosebumps with some shiver-inducing, cold and creepy sounds right out of the gate. That icy, ominous feeling becomes a full fledged Gothic ghoul as the house beat kicks in, delivering waves of dread with each warped synth stride in its unholy drops. A masterful mood-setter, "Anxiety" remains present in your mind as you enter into the equally disquieting Dido-aided b-side "Talk To Me Again." Making use of the British songstress' Grammy nominated "White Flag," Hidden Face dives deeper into the pool of perturbing vibes. The atmosphere of this followup is subtly suffocating, exuding the feelings of dread and drowning, as its listeners slowly sink deeper into the abyss. That said, "Talk To Me Again" delivers a dope X-Files-esque dance feel, that somehow has me forgetting its foreboding core, beckoning me to the dance-floor. Each drop features a killer combination of strobing bass, swirling synths and a sparkling top-line.
Sneaky good, both bits of Anxiety are likely to become indelibly etched onto your brain, so consume Hidden Face's brilliance with care. Stream the EP below and get it from your preferred retailer here.
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