• New direction for Jay Hardway?
• Delicate atmosphere accompanied by a more aggressive bassline
• Experimental approach, mixing together different elements

Jay Hardway has a knack for thinking outside the standard and often monotonous box, keeping his signature style constantly updated with new ideas and experimentations. From an earlier Big Room oriented approach, we have seen the Dutch producer shifting proficiently towards a delicately tuned progressive style. However, with the beginning of the new decade, he has brought about a different procedure, which brings forth an endeared and exciting style, with unique contemporary reformations!

Hardway kept his identity in “Operation Unicorn”, a release unusual as its own title. I guess we would call it Electro House, probably inspired by the 2014 Afrojack style (lead is vaguely similar to “Lunar“), with the addition of an 8-bit retro mood, a strangely aggressive bassline and some elegant chords in the breakdown. Sharing an uncanny resemblance to David Guetta’s reputed single “The Alphabeat”, the melody is rather complex, but it’s easy to get into the rhythm if one pays the requisite attention.

The ensemble of vintage elements, the elegance in the breakdown and the spirited bassline resembling a ballad; along with the aggressive drop, yet slightly dispersive because of the melodic arrangements, make a complex scheme to manage. This being said, the first listen perhaps would not be convincing enough to some people.

I see what’s going on this artists’ mind and sincerely, I’m really excited. The unique mood he’s creating has a lot of potential. I was particularly into the buildup section, where an unexpectedly robust change of mood took place, only to be substituted with the introduction of a powerful lead and bass.

Concluding, we can declare “Operation Unicorn” is a clear-cut attempt at an experiment. In my humble opinion, there is some haphazard nature in the structure, with a motley of “old” and “new” elements clashing together, but at the same time, I can’t wait to see how Jay Hardway will develop and extrapolate this idea further!

You can listen to “Operation Unicorn” here:

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