The young and upcoming Dublin-based DJ/Producer Pagan showcases his knack for infectious synth melodies, spacious sound design, and a touch of lo-fi in four veritable dance tracks from his second Bandcamp release Butterfly EP .
Ireland’s DJ/producer Pagan releases his second EP Butterfly with UK label Cheeky Music Group. AVA Emerging Producer nominee and affiliate of the UK’s Lobster Theremin, Pagan is coming up strong from the Dublin scene. Butterfly features four dance tracks at 126 – 132bpm, showcasing his knack for infectious synth melodies, spacious sound design, and a touch of lo-fi.
The title track “Butterfly” contemplates a wide range of emotions in this melodic breakbeat journey. A forlorn vocal sample harmonizes with a supportive, brass-tinted bass line and a syncopating kick drum. The track dials a filter in and out of the higher frequencies, allowing feelings to retreat before the initial breakbeat rhythm returns stronger than before, letting seething melodies to develop into a breathtaking finale. An awe-inspiring perspective enters the mind through our ears.
“Ways You Went” features a darker sound with trance elements. An ominous sub-bass emission establishes a juicy minor cadence while airy pads add depth on top. Arpeggiated patterning picks up the energy with this dance beat. Soft hi-hat hits and a muted clap add a shade of lo-fi. It flows effortlessly into the EP’s third track, “The Depot” which begins with a jackin’ groove. The heavy rhythmic landscape layers up with a catchy, gated vocal and electric bass tones. This dramatic track comes to a near full stop, almost remixing upon itself as it rebuilds from a phat kick with familiar trace elements from the beginning. It’s a definite call to action. Swinging open hi-hats and blaring synth waves inject dance energies that will have tired feet to continue stomping.
“Dreams of You” draws you in with an incipient drum beat providing a blank slate for your imagination. We are offered up a questioning, ballade-like phrase. High frequency strings spar with deep bass tones, generating tension and cratering the mid frequency space into a sizable room that’s about to be filled.
Pagan’s just getting started, and we’re here for it.
-Lina Xing
Link: Bandcamp release
