After his promising debut-single, »Could It Be/Shimmer«, and the comparably remarkable EP »What’s There« from 2011, it became quiet around Dauwd al-Hilali when it came to releases. Not counting the 2012-remix for Jack Dixon, the half-Iraqi musician raised in Wales, whose first name is identical to his alias as an artist, has been holding back his new material for quite a while. Now, Dauwd’s long-awaited comeback-EP by the name of »Heat Division« has been released. The collection of four tracks pays its tribute to the latest changes in British bass-music. Wherever UK-garage used to coin Dauwd’s atmospheric, warm and melodic sound, driving rhythms of techno and house are now dominating the London-based musician’s style. The title track, »Heat Division«, makes this alteration as clear as no other. What makes it compelling, however, is the contrast of 4/4-straightness and heavy bass-lines facing distorted synth-triplets. A similar arrangement is to be found in »Aqueous«, in which especially the triplet-percussions seem to be working against the straight-forward beat. »Silverse«, on the other hand, takes the listener on a short odyssey to the stars, only in order to pull him back on his feet with the help of a hammering house-beat. Right before the end, the smoldering track »And« allows the organic aesthetics from previous productions to glow for a second, before the EP finishes altogether. In Dauwd’s discography, this EP could actually become the predecessor of his master-stroke.
Heat Division
