This week, I’ve taken the initiative to scour the Internet for artists that interest me, research one of their more recent tracks and review them. So, I thought, what better place to start than right here in Toronto. I strolled on over to Saad Ayub’s SoundCloud page and found a track titled Desperado produced by himself and Complex Sound, also known as Nicklas Olsen.
Desperado opens with an vocal echo that leads into the track. Knowing that Saad Ayub and Complex Sound are both
Psy-Trance producers,
the opening took me a little by surprise—it reminded me more of a vocal trance song. This continues to be evident throughout the initial build-up of the track up until the first breakdown, after which the signature Psy-Trance influences take the lead. Punctuated,
short kicks, an almost
Techno-esque bass line combined with
psychedelic sounds characterize the track shortly after the first breakdown. As the track continues to grow and become more complex (see what I did there), crescendos, layers, sounds and vocals are added in and subsequently taken away.
This is one of the main reasons I love Psy Trance so much—it can be immensely hypnotic and soothing, but it can also be a full-on onslaught with powerful, earth shattering bass. It combines a few aspects of Techno and Minimal at times, with the complexity, character and emotion associated with Trance music. The vocals in Desperado do an excellent job at striking a perfect balance between the darkness that so often characterizes Psy-Trance with the softness and emotionality of Trance. Swaying back and forth from dark to light, Desperado fully encompasses the breadth of the Trance spectrum.
The remix, also produced by
Saad Ayub, doesn’t start out as eerie as the original. In fact, I would describe it as much more
Progressive track than the original, although they can both be categorized as Progressive Psy-Trance. The remix taxes on a
more uplifting tone than the original. This is maintained throughout most of the track with the uplifting vocal edits and major chords. The remix contains many more vocal edits than the original which humanize the track a bit.
The track builds on itself, exemplifying the Trance genre perfectly. I would actually consider the remix to be an amazing track that would lead into a Psy-Trance set. As the track winds down, the tone turns melancholy and the punctuated bass line supports the almost sad melody in the final two and a half minutes of the track.
If you like what you heard, then head on over to one of Saad Ayub’s many social media sites to check out more tunes and see when you can see him perform live.
LINKS:
Saad Ayub
Website
Beatport
SoundCloud
YouTube
Last.fm
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Jeet Ghoshal – EDM TOR
