Nite Lyfe

Los Angeles based producer Minion debuts on EVAR Records with the four-track EP 'Nite Lyfe.' Released on Aura T-09 and Trickfinger's revered record label, 'Nite Lyfe' merges hardcore, techno and gabber with soft textures and gossamer sheens, evoking an intense, wavey trip. This one is suited to a churning, post-3 AM dancefloor, or in Minion's own words, "warm summer nights in Los Angeles warehouses."

Opener 'sAD B0i MASSiVe' blends distorted, gabber-flecked drums with crunchy snares, while a hazy, Daft Punk-esque synthline conjures a dreamy vibe. This signature Minion move conveys his knack for serving up harsh yet romantic atmospheres, pairing two opposite moods that melt into one another like acetone and water.

On 'Magnetar', we're caught up in the Thunderdome circa 1990, but just for a moment. While rubbery kick drums and whooshing hoover sounds shape the track, Minion combines these old-skool elements with a more modern quirk, producing a twinkling melody that arouses emotion and euphoria.

The penultimate track 'Grey Goo' is the toughest of the foursome. Built with off-kilter, grainy kickdrums and cinematic pads that slink between rusty beats, it bridges hardcore motifs with delicate shades of grey, Minion-style.

Final track 'Saturday Night in a Parallel Universe' displays Minion's versatility as a producer. Delving into a potent palette of electro, breakbeat, techno and 2-step, he welds rapid-fire claps, fizzing hi-hats and a heartfelt melody, weaving through bleeps and a chunky bassline—a signal to end a long trip, somewhere in a parallel universe.

Although Minion produced the tracks four years ago, 'Nite Lyfe' stands the test of time and doesn't follow any one trend or genre. Instead, it's an alchemy of sonic patterns and contrasting colours, nodding to Minion's punk, hardcore and experimental influences that cultivated oddball electronic music in the 80s. The afterglow of these sounds culminates in an EP that ripples with intriguing hooks, corrosive qualities and strangely blissful melodies. It reflects the expansive ethos of EVAR down to the final bar.