Dark Sky | Myriam EP

Last we heard of Dark Sky was following their triumphant four track return to British label Black Acre Records . Black Rainbows marked a distinct turn for the three boys from South London, as they chose to follow their more tribal, junglist tendencies, forgoing the glossy euphoria present on their debut effort for Modeselektor ‘s 50 Weapons imprint,  2011′s Radius , and specifically its lead single, Neon , for something distinctly darker – in the words of our own sam.i.am., it was “playfully moody.”

Though the Myriam EP brings Dark Sky back to 50 Weapons, the mood here continues along the darker trend established by Black Rainbows.

Opener Shutter Speed sets the tone early, with a stuttering bass line, and one of the most unconventional melodies they have released to date, yet this track still has the potential to pack dancefloors around the globe, a quality that has become unsurprising with the inherent talent in this group.

Hequon follows, filling a head bobbing rhythm with deep industrial tones, and a sharp focus on the fullness of the production, lending gravitas to the relatively bare-bones song.

Up next is the centrepiece of the release, the eight minute epic – Shades. This grandiose piece manages to combine some of the harshest, mechanized sounds on the EP with its most human moment, the velvety synths that bring this track to a close.

Dark Sky wrap up the EP with easily its most in your face choon – Gaddagive. While there is an inherent quality to this song that will grab hold of your skull and toss it around, like a cat with a ball of yarn, there is nothing obvious about it, from the jacked up tabla rhythms to the chiming melody that kicks this song off. In the context of the album this piece feels primal, prehistoric even, yet even with these ancient qualities, it fits firmly in the groundbreaking, genre defying new wave of UK bass that Dark Sky has found themselves at the forefront of.

-St.Patty