1788-L - Nu-Type Vol.1

Our favorite human automaton is back and sounding more ferocious than ever. 1788-L is one of those artists we all should be paying very close attention to – known to some for being a Space Mom collaborator on the fan favorite “H E X,” he’s long existed as an anomaly in the electronic music realm. Is he midtempo? Drum n bass? Cyberpunk? The answer is yes to all of the above. He places a strong emphasis on out of this world sound design all while managing to make his distinct sound as danceable as possible. Often in the bass music world, we hear music that sounds good but maybe isn’t the easiest to move your body too. Enter 1788-L via his NU-TYPE vol 1 release to show us how crisp, otherworldly sounds can easily translate to total dance floor annihilation.

NU-TYPE vol 1 sees 1788-L flipping his sonic palette on its head. Diving even deeper into the motherboard of his sound, he successfully applies his approach and aesthetic to drum ‘n bass as he introduces us to undiscovered potential within the legendary genre. “NANOBLADE,” for instance, is unlike anything you’ve ever heard before: a glitchy exploration of the darkest passageways of drum n bass that will propel your ears right into the year 2199. “NANOBLADE” might be known to some as a lethal Overwatch move, but it’s the linchpin of NU-TYPE vol 1 and a scrupulous gut-punching display of what it could sound like to have your psyche strategically split apart.

Equally as cutting edge is the EP’s closing track, “PRISMTECH,” an intense and gorgeously cinematic affair that forgoes traditional song structure in the interest of offering the listener a taste of something truly new and unheard of. If ever there was a conscious effort to push DnB into video games or movie scores, this tune would be the perfect launchpad. Some might think it’s wild to consider a track that clocks in at just over two minutes to be grandiose, but 1788-L pulls it off flawlessly with this one. There’s enough atmosphere and aural environment packed into those two minutes that you’ll be clawing for the replay button for another listen. Its impact cannot be understated: “PRISMTECH” is a major standout in 1788-L’s discography.

“WARTYPE” is a collaboration that longtime members of the Cult of Rezz community might have seen coming for eons: Quackson has been a member of the group since the early days. Watching his ascension over the years has been a pleasure for many of us so a collaboration with the almighty 1788-L tracks as a logical progression in his story. Having found a perfect intersection between their unique sounds, the track is a fitting opener for NU-TYPE vol 1 and is sure to be a focal point in both of their catalogs for years to come.

The centerpiece of NU-TYPE vol 1 is quintessentially the hybrid masterwork that is “WASP.EXE” – it’s extremely likely that you’ve never heard anything like this one before. Half banger and half meditation in DnB deconstruction, ”WASP.EXE” is one of those entries in the 1788-L story that serves to remind his eldest of fans why we’ve been listening all this time: he really is a human automaton. It’s the only explanation as to how someone could make music that sounds this cracked. The guy just released his own Serum skin after all.

NU-TYPE vol 1 is an unmistakably striking glimpse of where 1788-L is as an artist in this moment. These aren’t songs that have been festering in some dark dank corner of his hard drive for the last few years.

Per 1788-L himself, the basis of these tracks, save for “WARTYPE,” were “quickly” fleshed out “in a weekend.” He’s always been your favorite producer’s favorite producer and as has been the case with every one of his releases thus far, 1788-L has ascended light years beyond his previous work. NU-TYPE vol 1 is a consistent and precisely executed amalgamation of genres and sounds that is sure to appeal to even the most discerning of listeners. Don’t sleep on this one or you’ll be missing out on the sound of the future.