Toasty – Metal
Label and release date: Circadian Rhythms (2017)
Metal arrived following an almost ten-year hiatus from the near iconic dubstep producer. Despite such a long time below the surface, the EP is a brief but near perfect return and shows us that Toasty has continued to think about music throughout his time away. The three outings here are mutated, refined offerings of the sound he possesses.
The intricate approach Toasty takes with each track can be appreciated whether a listener is familiar with music production or not. Synths and vocal samples are used in a manner that are unmistakably Toasty, melodically rough and characterising, but, with this project, Toasty Boy has updated his sound while remaining timeless.
Metal’s title track contains the futuristic and industrial sound choices that permeates dubstep, grime and bass-driven music: it’s alien, metallic and dark yet also warming. It has a mark that Toasty’s earlier tracks don’t, but it is difficult to pinpoint what this is, which is an indication of the beatmaker’s growing experience in the writing of music; being able to add new qualities that aren’t easily realised but effective. The vocal sample in the track carries its breakdown and completes a song that at any moment feels like it might crumble under its own pressure. Bump, the final song on Metal, is a calm finish to the EP’s 15-minute journey. It is meditative, a stark contrast to Rebar, and is one of the most distinctive songs in the producer’s catalogue. A slow-burning track, Bump feels as if the musician’s hiatus never occurred and is the kind of music he may have went on to make even if he had been present in those years. Similar to Metal in length and detail, it is a fascinating listen, although it feels easier and lighter, but it still possesses the thick, bass-heavy weight that many of dubstep’s finest tracks are known for having. You could compare its effects to songs by other artists known for more ambient or trip-hop orientated music, but Toasty gives it the kind of layers and an almost safe yet claustrophobic atmosphere that you won’t find in the aforementioned genres.
Rebar, the middle of the project, is the most energetic feature and is a continuation of the several head-nodding instrumentals Toasty has created in his career. It is rich in breaks and synths, but the atmospheric waves, grainy touches and delicate sound selection give it the maturity that graces the rest of Metal and allows it to slot in perfectly.
Toasty has a reputation for quality over quantity and for consistently making excellent music. With roughly twenty years in music production and a discography that is only a little more than just as many releases, Metal sounds as if the producer has finally given listeners an honest look into his mind. Its three songs are enough to get a message across, and the message is that making music of this kind and at this level takes time and requires care. Although, Metal’s biggest success is that through sound it may show us the weight of expectations on the musician’s shoulders is heavy – back-to-back quality releases create demands in fans at the expense of the artist – but that it doesn’t mean he cannot meet them, only that to do so takes patience and confidence. In turn, this requires us to revisit his latest offering over time in order to appreciate the actions he has taken to please and impress listeners who he has already wowed so many times before.
Toasty: Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Twitter
You can buy Metal here
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