Presenting their first release of the year, Belgium’s EDGE welcomes Dowden to the label for his debut EP. Praised for his DJ and production skills in equal measure, Canadian artist Dowden presents a deep, yet charging energy, full of atmosphere and colour, ranging from gritty progressive nuance, to enchanting deep house hymns, all with a subtle tone of darkness and mystery. Long regarded as one of Canada’s finest electronic music exports, the Toronto resident has taken his far-reaching sound to trendsetting imprints such as Clubsonica, Juicebox Music, Mango Alley, Meanwhile and John OO Fleming’s Joof Recordings, while earning continued support from genre tastemakers Cid Inc, Guy J and Hernan Cattaneo. In a year that has seen the Canadian artist operate at a creative peak, Dowden now adds EDGE to his resume with a much anticipated three-track showcase entitled ‘Creating Constellations’.
EP opener and title selection ‘Creating Constellations’ is an apt barometer of where Dowden’s headspace is at, as he lets haunting overlays descend over warm voluptuous grooves, rolling rhythms and layers of flickering percussion. A sweeping sonic experience throughout, the Canadian’s exacting design and colorful creative vision is evidenced by a first act of meandering synth swagger and balmy harmonics, the latter of which provides a smooth bridge into the main break. Melting down slowly across the interlude, indistinct vocal fragments and hopeful pads emerge from a warm atmospheric glow, eventually reaching a gentle apex as bleepy chord stabs and temperate soundscapes provide a haunting finale.
Dowden’s capacity for storytelling resonates across the second selection ‘Capricorn’. Shot in high-definition and full of detail and idiosyncrasies, it’s a cerebral voyage where the Canadian flexes his freethinking muscles and lands comfortably in-between soundscape science and vanguard design. The inevitable zenith of this consciousness-expanding excursion mounts with clustered motifs and hopeful melodies converging, achieving a warm inviting timbre over a bed of pulsating beats and fascinating percussion.
The collection’s closer ‘Agora’ finds Dowden achieving an understated yet confident club energy. Smooth rebounding rhythms and wavy basslines set the course for panoramic synth textures and calming atmospheres to work their magic. A prophetic shade is revealed across the main break, as drone-like textures and celestial sonics eventually give way to a tastefully restrained drop and groove-centric finale.
As Dowden continues to navigate a landmark year, his EDGE debut ‘Creating Constellations’ is sure to unite progressive music fans with his undeniable blend of talent and technique.
You can now listen to the full premiere of the title track exclusively on When We Dip. Enjoy!
Release Date: October 28th, 2022. Buy Here
Dowden: Facebook // SoundCloud
Edge: Facebook // SoundCloud