Earlier today Disciple Recordings unveiled yet another phenom on their immensely talented roster in the form of 20-year-old producer Diamond Eyes whose debut EP, “Nightlife”, sets an extremely high standard for his budding career right out of the gate.
The title track comes in jaunty and upbeat with an unmistakeable Skrillex, “Make It Bun Dem” vibe. But among the similarities to one of dubstep’s most iconic songs, the producer lends his own voice to carry the song into an ear-catching drop. And from track one, we know exactly what will set Diamond Eyes apart: his tranquil singing ability! The lyrics throughout Nightlife EP add both a personal touch to beats that are good enough to circulate on their own already, as well as a distinctive sound that solidifies his place in the crowded electronic music sphere.
“Rivers” begins as a poignant piano ballad, also composed by the multi-talented producer. His melodic voice heard over the atmospheric intro is the designated Bic lighter moment for the crowd at any of his upcoming shows. But the track dynamically builds on emotion into yet another big, dubby bass boom. “Please tell me this is a dream / aaahhh!” registers as the most touching cliff’s edge to a drop we’ve heard yet.
The production value in “A Thousand Years” cannot even be charted. A beautiful segue of strings, percussion and crowd cheers gives way to – you guessed it – another huge drop! Diamond Eyes ties each opposite segment together with his passionate songwriting, and the result is a hybrid mix of masterful orchestrating with the visceral bass we all crave.
To cap off a debut EP like we’ve never heard before, 501 lends his “Nightlife” remix to the tape. The track is naturally more focused on its variant drop than DE’s vocals, but it serves as a more danceable take on the intro, which might already feel like a classic by the time you reach the end.
We can’t say enough kind things about this EP. The steps Diamond Eyes took off the deep end were risky but brilliantly executed. Dubstep suffers from copycat “up and comers” far too often to give everyone the spotlight, but the musical integrity here cannot be ignored. Lend your ears to one of the true greats of the class of 2014. Diamond Eyes – artist to watch, and then some.
Listen to the whole EP below and download here!
FOLLOW DIAMOND EYES: Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud