Zygos had a stellar 2018. Through releases on Cue Line, Rarefied and Overdue, the Belgian producer asserted himself as one of the most consistent producers in our scene, each track offering another insight on his own take on dubstep. At the core of each of his tracks lies a perfect balance between heavy sub bass and intense atmospherics, subtle melodic elements and percussions that are directly aimed at sound systems, which made tracks such as ‘Sudd’, ‘SFG’ or ‘Venery’ such killers.
If ‘Tomos’ is anything to go by, this isn’t set to change in 2019. Here Zygos kick starts his year with a self-released two-tracker giving us glimpses of what’s to come from him. Title-track ‘Tomos’ is an intense but subtle, loaded yet sparse production, with contrasting elements. Steady hats and pulsating kick drums pave the way for recurrent bursting rustles and swishes, combining into weird atmospherics dredged over the track. A weighty affair throughout, ‘Tomos’ is exactly what you’d expect from a Zygos tune, but still retains its own character.
‘SFG’ was definitely one of the best tracks coming from the dubstep scene in 2018, swinging trap-infused drums and a memorable melody making it a sure standout in any set. It hasn’t lost any of its appeal since seeing release, yet the VIP version, which complements the release, renews the track’s attraction. ‘SFG VIP’ brings back the esoteric ambiance of the original track, and couples it with a stop-and-go approach, opposing fire percussion with quieter moments. A perfect variation on ‘SFG’, managing to bring back to mind what made the first track so good with a fresh new frame for it to keep its impact in the dance.
‘Tomos’ is another worthy EP from the Zygos camp. Effective in a mix, but just as rewarding for home listening, it sums up perfectly why previous Zygos releases have been so striking, and opens up for new directions to head to in 2019.
