Friday March 29th, 2024
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Album Review: A Well Faded Memory EP by Cosmic Distort

We listen to and review Xndria Records' latest EP by Cosmic Distort, 'A Well Faded Memory' – proof that Egypt's electronic music talent is well up to par with their international counterparts.

Staff Writer

Alexandria’s leading underground label, Xndria Records, is back with a new EP by Cosmic Distort. A Well Faded Memory is a five-track release touching on a very ethereal vibe, utilising the live instruments of Xandria Records’ head honcho Amr El Abiad, alongside the magnificent production techniques of DJ/Producer Marwan Fouad AKA Mavy, who together form Cosmic Distort.

The EP starts out with Pictures of the Past, a sensational piece of breakbeat electronica. El Abiad’s guitar heads off into a very subtle mood leading to the break. The intensity of the piece escalates with the first drop, but quickly regains its finesse and moves into deeper territories as a haunting vocal encapsulates the piece with a soul-stirring sound.

Conquer abides by a four to the floor manifesto and moves quickly to the body of the piece. Electronica at its finest, the guitar lead distinguishes the piece and the vocal gives it a terrifyingly beautiful radiance; it doesn’t last long though, the track is over before you know it. A Well Faded Memory is the name of the third track – a late night, after hours dance floor banger. The bass line and the synth lead are married together beautifully, the rolling hats are accompanied by a clap on reverb that drives the track to break – electronic hypnosis at its best. The drop is held back and progresses slowly, as the artists layer the sounds back on, sustaining all parts, swiftly ending with a masterful cut off.

Cosmic Distort delves deeper into the expanses of electronica, an intricate soundscape design is used throughout the album but is more evident in the last two tracks. The fourth track, Nature Calls, is the pièce de résistance of the EP, an ethereal piece of minimal electronica, using the same elements and sound design of the previous tracks only in a different manner, very subtle. It alternates between breaks, coming back on minimal drops until it ends.

Sadly, the EP comes to an end, though on a very happy note. Real Love is a very suitable track to end an EP with; it touches on some very happy vibes. As the sound of the vocalist pierces through the soundscape announcing that “Love will always win,” a couple of notes are played and the synth keeps winding through the piece that flutters harmoniously, delivering the listener into the comfy confines of sonic bliss.

Follow Cosmic Distort on Facebook here and check them out on Soundcloud here.