Shawn Russell Johnson
There are very few releases that I have been more excited about than Brooklyn-based producer iX’s Transient Den EP. I’ve been repeatedly blown away by this man’s ability to produce wholly unique and forward-thinking bass music and, with his newest installment of tracks, that sentiment continues. Blending world bass, exotic samples, and rhythms that transcend the monotony of today’s popular beats, Transient Den is a dive into the mind of one of bass music’s most innovative producers.
Booming out of nothing, the EP begins with “Shami – Sin.” Taiko-like drum beats pierce through the silence bringing the collection roaring to life. Within the first 20 seconds, the song twitches and twists into existence like someone seeking through radio stations in a foreign land. Glitched hums and static ticks whirl around a metallic pattern before everything cuts out allowing the beat to take hold. “Shami – Sin” broods like this for most of the beginning before reaching full force in the second half, bringing all of its layers together in a rhythmic breakdown of bass and modulation.
The EP’s titular track “Transient Den” flows with a more traditional sense of world bass. Whirling swells of chimes and textures meld together in exotic bliss. Its atmosphere is accompanied by a vocal sample of someone discussing lucid dreams and, just like that, you feel as though you’re within one. iX’s trademarked brand of chopped instrumentals, staggering strings, and hand-drums bubble together throughout, shifting your brain in ways that were once only attainable through psychedelics.
If we weren’t getting weird enough with the first two tracks, the third track “The New Quorder” is like getting trampled by a rhinoceros made out of DMT. Ominous strings entice the listener before signature synths wobble through and bring in the ethereal swirling of textures. Staggering beats and gated chants breathe life into this complete mind-fuck of a track. iX’s mastery of panning and experimentation really shine through here, showing that he truly is the furthest thing from the status quo.
The EP continues on like this with each track bursting with psychedelia and forward-thinking production. Brilliantly modulated vocal samples encompass the composition on “HypnotiX,” and things slow down to a more moody and melodic tone by the time “Endless Yearning” comes around. Each song on the EP takes you in a completely unique and unexplored direction, but still carries enough of iX’s telltale substance to root it in his own distinct world.
Transient Den was the culmination of years spent bouncing around from place to place and iX’s refusal to let his own constant movement interrupt his journey toward producing innovative and exceptional music. I’ll be keeping this one on repeat for a while now.
Which track from Transient Den is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!