SoDown is a Denver-based producer whose unique sound toes the line between the organic and the electronic; the music is both exhilarating and meditative all at once. And while each of his releases stands on its own as an actual work of art, the one staple is that they all push the boundaries of what is possible with modern dance music.
And his latest LP, World Beyond, continues the streak of excellent, genre-bending releases he has built his career.
“That’s what Worlds Beyond is all about… It’s a reminder that our mortality is precisely what makes our lives so special, that there’s beauty in the fleeting nature of everything if we’re willing to embrace it.”- SoDown
That sense of catharsis is obvious in Worlds Beyond, which opens with a mesmerizing instrumental introduction featuring a spoken word passage from the late writer Alan Watts, who reminds us that life isn’t about completing a goal or reaching a destination, but rather finding the joy and beauty along the way.
The explosive “Take It Back” does just that, celebrating SoDown’s growth and evolution by merging old-school funk and new-school glitch hop into an immersive, multi-sensory wonderland.
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The bittersweet “All Go Wrong” (which features vocals from frequent collaborator Bailey Flores) searches for solace in the chaos as it lets go of regret. In contrast, the blistering “Gas Down” (which features bass wizard Ahee and Ghanaian-American rapper Born I) cuts loose with utter abandon.
The soaring “Running Out” reaches for the freedom and release that comes with letting go of our daily struggles in favor of a bigger-picture view of life (and death).
From here, the momentum is only getting started as the sonic palette of the LP continues to grow in diversity.
Ultimately, the desire to live in the moment drives Worlds Beyond at every turn, from the reggae dubstep banger “Makin’ Dem” to the Latin-tinged “Dinero,” from the dreamy EDM anthem “Phantom” to the hip-hop/electronic R&B hybrid “Deep End.”
The songs are celebrations of our shared humanity, of the improbable fact that any of us even exist. Our time here is a brief blip in the greater scheme of the universe, and what comes next remains a mystery far beyond our comprehension. So accept what you can’t see and embrace your other senses.
There is no future, no past, only now. Let the present wash over you. Momento mori, momento vivere.
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