dark passenger_ – ‘i see your mask’ stays ahead of the curve
The single ‘i see your mask’ seems like a natural step forward from ‘designed for objection’, for producer Lewis Mander aka dark passenger_. Everything feels darker, more dynamic, more abrasive, more bombastic, and more majestic than ever. Here the electronic creative takes you on the ride of your lifetime through fire and brimstone, then back. Built on relentless percussion, this is not for the fainthearted; it’s extremely dark, heavy and freakishly disturbing. A lot of music in the electronic genre and subgenres sound very alike but I can truly say that dark passenger_’s music stands out as being something new and utterly genuine. Of course, everybody tries to be something unique but with this track, we have the confirmation that no one else does what dark passenger_does. He simply does what his best at, and coincidentally, that happens to be the best in the scene.
On each release, dark passenger_ strives to stay ahead of the curve. Lewis Mander has a workman-like approach to creating music. He is amazingly prolific and the quality of his output is unmatched by many of his peers. The effect of listening to ‘i see your mask’ could be disorienting for most mainstreamers. If you’re looking for something to provide a polite distraction from what’s going on in the world outside of your home, this track is definitely not it. ‘i see your mask’ is blunt, visceral and confrontational.
Like the best art, ‘i see your mask’ forces consideration and conversation. So, if you’re looking to engage with the emotional and psychological connotations of an instrumental composition, this is an excellent place to start.
Producer Lewis Mander aka dark passenger_ is a bona fide electronic music creator, in every sense of the term. He writes and records killer avant-garde electronic music that deliberately provokes the listener. All of which is rather surprising, considering he has spent the majority of his music career, playing the guitar.
The endless cascade of driving percussion overflows the mix. The drama of such dominance simultaneously unfolding within the track and within our own thoughts and feelings. Showing more than ever that dark passenger_ can stir up powerful feelings and grip your attention.
‘i see your mask’ reaches volcanic levels of intensity, filling our collective psyche. dark passenger_ is a musical beast with an incredible ear for both musical commotion and emotion, who never falls prey to the realms of predictability. There’s immediacy to the project, a unique sense of urgency that places it firmly in the present.
Each listen to ‘i see your mask’ gets the blood pumping, and the adrenaline running. This is a punchy, gritty project, full of tension and bombast. Amidst the crumbling walls that stand to sustain creative-minded musicians, you will only find a few innovators like Lewis Mander, who are fighting to keep the pieces together.
If there is anything to be learned from ‘i see your mask’, it is that dark passenger_ still has doors to kick in and sounds to explore, in the relentless pursuit for creative integrity, in a seriously flawed musical world.
