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- May 18, 2022
Ivy Lab Releases 3-Track EP, Double Blind, with Signature Leftfield Bass Sounds
Highly sought-after London outfit, Ivy Lab, has just released a 3-track EP filled with their signature leftfield bass sounds and incredulous sound design. Double Blind, released on Deadbeats, comes ahead of a promising summer for the duo as they prepare for Lightning In A Bottle, Bass Coast, Shambhala Music Festival, and tour dates with Flume.
Ivy Lab has marked their territory where leftfield bass and halftime meet hip-hop – a neighborhood characterized by the coalescences of both Los Angeles and London. The now scene staples, “Cake” and “Orange,” with Two Fingers, really launched Ivy Lab’s ever-growing loyal audience in North America. A handful of EP releases – Fidget, Teacup, Blonde, and Everythingmustchange – nailed in that the duo continues to break the mold by doubling down on under-produced minimalistic bass. The past year has proved their impressive trajectory with multiple Red Rocks performances, the legendary Press Play EP on Dirtybird, and an official remix of Flying Lotus‘ “TO FIND LOVE IS TO SEEK THE END.”
Double Blind leads with a hype-inducing title track. The song opens with a groove-inspired loop vocal line backed by a sweltering beat that calls focus to crisp, bouncy percussion and off-kilter lofi moments. It makes for a really interesting listening experience as listeners can try to dissect the different elements within the soundscape, trying to figure out what to best focus on. At times, there’s distant-feeling energy that makes you feel like you’re floating, but the grounding beats remain to keep you planted on solid ground. As the duo explains,
First up we have ‘Double Blind’ which at its core is this smashed, high energy skate-park anthem. It’s brash & playful – muscle car music you could say. Genuinely nothing like anything we’ve ever made before.
“Melrose” further explores the chill side of their sound catalog, again harkening on attention to drums and sensational rhythm – until a beat switch halfway through introduces a trap-related vibe. A continued motif of hypnotic production resonates throughout the track. When the vibe changes, minimalistic vocals also adorn the soundscape, adding a whispy feeling to alleviate the heavier percussive.
The EP is rounded out by “SVCAR,” a bombastic, slow-moving heater that offers a journey through sound and feeling. It teeters into a world of curious darkness, with a magnetic, yet unsettling, beat that sounds like deep breathing. With its more minimalistic embellishments that overlay the main bassline, the track evokes a more experimental approach than the previous two songs but is more aligned with what the duo has more recently been putting out.
You can listen to Double Blind below and catch Ivy Lab on their upcoming tour dates:
5/23 Madison, Wisconsin (Supporting Flume)
5/28 Albuquerque, New Mexico
5/29 Lightning in a Bottle
6/19 Beyond Wonderland Gorge
