V.I.V.E.K Offers More Low-Pressure Dubstep With 'The Escape To Nowhere', The 50th Release On His Label

As V.I.V.E.K, Vivek Sharda has been one of the most consistent purveyors of unadulterated dubstep, presenting it in the low-pressure form which audibly develops from the Jamaican sound system, dub and reggae culture. The London-based artist has been championed for it over 2 decades by some of the genre's pioneering labels, like his contemporary Mala's imprint Deep Medi Musik, and has flown similar flags through his own party and imprint under the SYSTEM Music umbrella.

Marking the 50th release for his label, Sharda has just released the album 'The Escape To Nowhere', returning to the deep weight and minimal layers of early dubstep after a move towards ambient and IDM influences on his 2024 EP 'Reflections'.

The 8-track release carries its dominating basslines, sometimes over highly syncopated broken beats like on 'The Pattern', other times over more familiar 2-step grooves like on 'Minimal ', and even more organic roots and reggae drumming like on the closer 'Devils Tunnel at 3am'. Over the varied rhythms, Sharda builds his sonic world through echoes of barely-there hooks and vocal samples that dissipate like vapour into the empty ethers he leaves between the layers.

Dandelion, a recurring vocal artist on the label, introduces this dream-like world through his chant-like songwriting on the opener 'Grown'. Later on, airy horns provide similar hypnotising moves on 'Kiss The Sky', a track that V.I.V.E.K also reinterpreted with Rajasthan's Manganiyar musicians during the residency, Fieldlines, at Magnetic Fields Festival 2024.

Check out 'The Escape To Nowhere' below and follow V.I.V.E.K's artist profile for more information.

Image by Shrey Arora for Magnetic Fields Festival 2024