Drums of Death

Red Waves EP Drums of Death

Following on from the dark atmosphere of ‘Black Waves’, Drums Of Death returns with the next in the sequence: ‘Red Waves’. Four tracks of ecstatic electronics displaying it’s makers love for techno and house music, all ramped up with big sounds and stripped back arrangements. ‘Tear The Box Apart’ opens the EP with marching snares rolling under a massive lead synth. Toms, snares and claps… the classic palette of the 808 drum machine is well covered but it’s the unique poly-rhythmic synth work and angular arrangements that set the track apart from those of retro-fetishists. Cheeky and fun, ‘The Jerk’ shows that simple elements do a big roller make. So addictive, it’s the bouncing bass and buzzing lead that drag you along. A UK Garage groove takes control whilst the hollowed out barrel toms go for the gut. ‘Venice Beach’ crafts bright chords that swirl and build. The infectious melody makes way for pitched bleeps and a towering ‘Reese’ bassline. Tested extensively in DoD’s frenzied live shows, ‘Venice Beach’ is the glowing, melodic heart at the centre of the adrenalinefuelled ‘Red Waves’ collection. In ‘Bang The Drum’ Drums Of Death talks to us through a vocoder… “Just bang the drum and kill the noise, mute the synth and then the voice”. Hardly a ballad, this missive represents the newer Drums of Death sound… taught, electronic machine funk. Holding reverence for techno’s godfathers but also for it’s wayward children like Cristian Vogel, an elastic bassline lurches around rattling 909 hi-hats. ‘Bang The Drum’ rounds off a highly energetic EP that continues the ‘Waves’ odyssey of it’s composer.