Cargo Records

Lilyliver / Out Of Touch

Pegged by many commentators as one of 2007's strongest emerging acts, the underrated-but-not-for-much-longer Darkstar wraps up the year with the second single on their own 2010 imprint.

Darkstar have been steadily accumulating a rich portfolio of fine leftfield dance music, and with 'Lilyliver' they're making a bold statement of intent for what the future holds. Often affiliated with the burgeoning dubstep milieu thanks to their use of open atmospherics and passion for dense low-end sonics, their vision expands to far musical horizons and this single is a glimpse into their distance. 'Lilyliver' wrong-foots any doubters and aims straight for the nerve-centre with a descending bass scale and Neleswa's poignant vocal setting the mood for one deep drop that comes thick and fast. Huge kick and snare percussion lights the fuse, followed by detonation thanks to a bass line that swoops from infectious hook to knock out blow. Neleswa's raw and stripped back style lends the track an edge uncommon in this field and shows a reflective quality that has already been picked out as Darkstar's signature style. 'Out Of touch' on the flip is a song that shimmers with 90's pop vocoder layered in harmony as Darkstar pair a classic 808 kit with a striking synth melody, pushing this sparkling track in unexpected directions, defying the norm and refusing to fall back on accepted templates, making them stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons.