The Race to Zero EP is only the second release since Concord Dawn’s two became one in 2008. But within the first few seconds of the opening track 1925, it’s pretty apparent that The Enemy Within was no fluke. Matt Harvey is undoubtedly strong enough of a producer to carry the Concord Dawn legacy proudly on his shoulders for as long as he damn well pleases.
1925 is satisfyingly upbeat and by a happy coincidence, that’s exactly how I like my Concord Dawn. You get the strong sense that the track was produced with a huge smile on Harvey’s face, and that excited glee is contagious. With what sounds like tweaked Mario Brothers beeps and boops sampled throughout, the beat bestows the listener with the audio equivalent of jumping up and down on a magic mushroom until money falls out.
With such an exciting opening track, the EP then makes a heart-altering turn for the ethereal. The second track, Hindsight featuring the vocal talent of Nina McSweeney, is arguably the highlight of the EP. The combination of McSweeney’s seductive voice and the perfect rollercoaster of bass and breaks travelling alongside her give the track a multi-faceted quality; the perfect song to lax or max to.
Samba Impossibleoffers that varying edge that can often be overlooked when it comes to drum and bass. It’s inconsistent and jarring but in the very best way, and although there are some sounds in there which I distinctly recognise (see: Mission Impossible) the song still manages to maintain an electrifying freshness.
Although the EP is only five tracks longs, each song is so rich and so perfectly placed, that the album feels distinctly complete. The Race to Zero is a journey in all aspects of the genre, from drum to bass and everything in between, and Harvey has proven once again why he is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated producers.
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About the author sidvicious
One of my favourite quotes ever was by a character I hated in a movie I will never understand. “I will be dying and so will you, and so will everyone here. We’re all hurtling towards death, yet here we are for the moment, alive. Each of us knowing we’re going to die, each of us secretly believing we won’t.” If you know who said it, and if you wished it was someone more inspiring, then we might be soulmates. I love music, although that defines nothing about me, because who doesn’t? Favourite artists include Architecture in Helsinki, The Maccabees, The Beatles, The Smiths, Born Ruffians, Joy Division, The Drums, The Rifles, Say Anything, The Libertines, Eminem, Shout Out Louds, Darwin Deez, The Knife, Vampire Weekend, The Cure, The xx, Hellogoodbye, Crystal Castles, MGMT, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Naked and Famous,
