New Music

X5IGHT – 5:00 Shadow EP Stream

Published

Aug 11, 2014

After 6 months, Chicago duo X5IGHT have just made their first label release “5:00 Shadow” available for streaming and purchase.

X5IGHT consists of Brandon & Jerry, two artists who each bring a unique sound and style together in their music. Since their formation, they have always been breaking out of their comfort zone for the sake of a challenge and bettering their sound. This is arguably the most exciting point in a producer's career; being unpredictable and experimenting is what this entire genre was founded upon. Going to small venues with local acts or downloading mixtapes of smalltime artists all just to hear something fresh was the spark that lit the wildfire that is the EDM industry today, and X5IGHT carries on this model.

The EP consists of three tracks. Following months of remixes that experimented with sounds from deep house, electro and even trap, the duo honed in on a minimal sound for this release. We got an early look at “The Luckiest Man”, which precedes “Hawkeye” and “Mayday” The lead track is a cheery, inspiring song thanks to the sample of the famous Lou Gehrig speech of the same name. The latter two seem to be grittier and darker than The Luckiest Man. Both employ eerie samples and spacious, suspenseful bridges. Hawkeye enjoys interesting synths and an uplifting bassline melody with moody breakdowns. Mayday continues this vibe with it's dark bridges and spacious samples. Mayday's bassline is hard driving without having to be obnoxious, thanks to the intense buildups and suspense to contrast.

This is a high energy listen, in classic minimal form. Rather than throwing a bunch of sounds at your ears at once to get you listening, it draws you in and provides tension to make the basslines stand out, which is exciting in ways that less-subtle approaches simply aren't. EAll around, the EP is another example of X5IGHT making it look easy to jump genres, while still holding on to their core style. The EP is available for streaming and purchase down below. “The Luckiest Man” is a free track, and the other two tracks are available for purchase on Beatport. Have a listen and let us know what you think!