IcyDavy is an up-and-coming 16-year-old Dutch music producer who’s been on the rise recently, and his work has been making the rounds all over the globe. His current album, “Euphoria,” is also his debut, and it ranks as one of the most fascinating records we’ve heard this year. With a vast cavalcade of noises and no lyrics, it’s surprisingly enjoyable, but how does it stand up in a thorough review? Read on to discover.
The first thing to notice is that Euphoria is a rather hefty CD. It runs for 1 hour and 17 minutes with a 26-song lengthy tracklist, yet IcyDavy makes excellent use of the additional time. Songs span from more calm, serene sounds to abrasive, harsher compositions, giving a surprisingly diversified and entertaining listen. It’s a solid exhibition of IcyDavy’s mastery of the ins and outs of beat production and song construction.
A large assortment of diverse instruments and synthesizers is tossed into the mix on Euphoria, however, it’s all done tastefully and mixed beautifully. Every song builds its own mood, with “Offense,” for example featuring piano for a delicate, clean feel. Generally, tracks seem to trend toward colder tones, but it’s such a varied album that it doesn’t ever remain in one location for too long.
“Inspiration,” is a standout of the record in this way. Genius use of gentle guitar riffs gives the song a dreamy, nostalgic atmosphere that sweeps over the listener. Every rhythm and tone is expertly placed to actually enable the force of the song to hit. It’s amazing while it lasts, and it’s one we find ourselves reliving a lot. Even with Inspiration as a standard though, the majority of the tunes hold up to this high lineage of quality.
Later tracks like “Hypnotize,” also employ this method, but with their own twist. IcyDavy is cautious not to rehash his steps, and we appreciate that. With a tracklist, this large, slipping back onto old cliches might be tempting. It’s the mark of a great musician to purposefully not slip back into this dilemma, and we’re delighted to see it’s not a problem here.
Our fave tune off of Euphoria, “Essential,” is another standout. A tense, almost stifling atmosphere is created by a basic piano synth. Quickly, it builds up, climaxing into a victorious sound that removes a weight off your back as you listen. It’s a tactic that’s done on just this one song, and we’d love to see it developed further on other albums.
Overall, IcyDavy’s “Euphoria,” is an incredible mood of an album, a peak of the musician’s skill as a producer. His expertise with hooks and rhythms is apparent. Every song develops its unique mood and feel, and it’s easy to get lost in the mix as you listen. If you’re at all interested in music production, then “Euphoria,” is an album you just won’t want to miss out on.
