Ashtrax - Bad Red E.P.

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  • Hmm, What do we have here; Global Underground's newest stars perhaps? You have to love GU's press kits when they send them out, hyping their artist as though they were the second coming of Sasha. Nothing wrong with that of course, it's what the label does so well. With every release sees excitement, anticipation of the highest extent and richly deserving at times, however, Ashtrax's (Ashley Casselle, James Christopher and Ben Lost) debut EP for the label falls a bit short of the promise of their diverse and unique sound with the Bad Red EP. Freeload (Freelove) is the key for this EP's success. The track brings in the winning formula of the club-ready track. Juggling drum kicks and a low-fi bassline, the track hijacks its way upfront towards the speakers. Busting with electro references, it becomes Punk Electronic music. With the storming melody flowing in, looping furiously, your attention quickly turns away towards the distant vocals that are cut up. The boys like to let it creep in, making it sound a bit tribal. The track puts you in a swirl of jungle fever, getting you hot, high, and sweaty. Something to Get Through looks to be the one that's itching for some airtime on the radio with Ben Lost on vocals a good song that is searching to break its way towards a mass audience. Is it me, or has the ?0s really not left? That decade simply won't quit as it continues to strike a chord for many of the djs and producers within the past two years. As like any good song, you need a catchy chorus, and Lost provides one with "so tear me up, give me something to get through, a piece of me, takes a piece of you." Unfortunately, Lost's vocals sound too sketchy at times and you can hear the lack of punch his vocal cords offer. The Instrumental of Play it Rosa certainly doesn't bring much attention to the EP in presenting the group. It honestly goes nowherewhatsoever. Breaks with the beat missing, the spacey breaks and touched up melody are laid out so wide that you begin to hear empty gaps. This sonic landscape is bare and lonely, as there is no tide that will bring in the waves. It's simply an ambient breakbeat track that doesn't do enough to grab your attention in a club or in your stereo. Even with its missteps, it'll work in the clubs and Freeload has the sonic stabs that will bring attention to the trio with a radio-ready song backed up for commercial consumption, yet as an EP that will foreshadow the artist album, it falls flat.
RA