• Emotional breakdown that suddenly gets “tainted”
• Darker twist on the drop
• Complex, experimental melody
It has been a while since I discussed about Steven Vegas; a couple of years ago, he was soaring as one of shining stars signed on Revealed Recordings. Soon afterwards came his hiatus, which he broke in the last year with couple of releases such as “Bubble” with Thyse, presenting a robust spin on his style which was turning predictable till then. “Tainted Love” marks the next step for his career, as a collaboration with Basstian. The German youngster has a characteristic Bass House approach and further entertaining catelogue of releases published on labels like Revealed Radar and Nik Cooper.
The pair has returned on Intensity Recordings with an aggressive Electro House signature containing heavy Bass House influences. Merging Vegas’ dirty lead and Basstian’s heavy percussion, the outcome is a refreshing hybrid. Candidly, I preferred its melody: intricately crafted, clearly set free to boast its schematics unhinged without boundaries. There is even an abrupt trap section at the end of the sequence, a pleasant gift for a picky listener like me. In a few words, it courageously proposes an experimental structure that didn’t emphasize a lot on groove, yet interesting for the duration it lasts.
Transitioning into the breakdown, the section alone is fascinating to pick apart, with a sweet vocal and complex drum ensemble. Here, it leaves with more of a bittersweet feeling to the extent I found the two parts clashing against each other in a harsh way; maybe too much for my tastes. From one side we have a mellow and emotional vocal colliding with a sudden distortion that hosts a darker mood. Perhaps this was an artistic contradiction the duo wanted to achieve, thus the title “Tainted Love”. Nonetheless, kudos to their efforts, although I am left with that unsatisfying sensation after its conclusion.
What do you think?
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