Deetron--Twisted

Sam Geiser may not be a familiar name to you now, but he will be. Geiser, also known as Deetron, has been mixing hits since the ‘90s. He’s gained considerable attention for his innovative beats and 3-deck DJ work. Labels have certainly been paying attention (as one may see from his impressive list of compilation album submissions) and Geiser has been dabbling with EP releases for years, yet Twisted is his first album.

"Twisted Memories" kicks off Deetron’s debut. It stumbles with an off-beat click intro, but falls into a deep bass groove from which Geiser adds rim-shot flares to keep things interesting. Quick quiet transitions allow for explosive revisits to the main bass-line, and keep one’s foot bouncing for the full six minutes. "Life Soundtrack" picks up from there, with a darker beat and vocals by DJ Bone which come close to meeting the beat’s despair: "This music was created / Out of poverty / Desperation / Hate." Frankly the vocals are a bit too much, and feel like spice added to an otherwise dry piece.

"Isotope" is much more upbeat right from the get-go, with a bright quick-moving beat. The entire track is filled with much more energy and lightness, and uses more complex rhythms than previously found. Unlike "Twisted Memories," Deetron takes the main beat and expresses it through different tones and pitches, gaining much more variety and interest. "Sol" in comparison is a building piece, starting off with the essential beat and growing slowly upon it. The track has good charisma, shows off Deetron’s bag of tricks. It features an expansive sound that not only could fit in but belongs on the club floor.

Following the experimental stumbling-block that is "Silence," Deetron moves into "My Plan," which again features a characteristic expansive sound. The song gradually climaxes into explosive moments despite having some repetitive patches. Again, vocals are intertwined with music that should be able to stand up on its own in "The Afterlife." Paris The Black Fu provides the voice for this track, and are just as cheery as DJ Bone ("The afterlife / What will be your sacrifice?"), before falling into a pit of reverb with a scream. Unique, the moment catches the ear before moving back into a wonderful traditional beat.

Twisted is a wonderful debut that shows off Geiser’s talent for mixing. He not only shows power through traditional house beats but adds a bit of his own flair, such as the ear-catching moment in "The Afterlife." His inclusion of vocals falls short on "Life Soundtrack," but comes through as interesting in other places. Some songs hit slow patches and should be shortened early then they are however. On the whole though, Geiser has clearly shown his potential as an artist and is guaranteed to keep your foot moving throughout Twisted at the very least.

(Published at 365MAG)