Yesterday I eased you into the week with some funky tracks by a couple Sydney natives. Today I’m here to crank things up with NYC’s Designer Drugs (Theodore Paul Nelson and Michael Vincent Patrick). Back at the end of my college days, around 2009-2010, I had realized my newfound passion for Electronic music but I still had no idea what I was doing with it. I didn’t know many of the artists in the game and I was unaware of just how deep the rabbit hole went. One thing I did know, however, was that I loved the Designer Drugs’ DATAMIXes which were new at the time (I couldn’t tell you where I originally discovered them but they now boast 20 editions) – a great source of new music for all you dance freaks out there. I’ve seen Designer Drugs tear crowds up at festivals like Ultra and Spring Awakening and today I was pleased to find out they had just released a FREE nine-song LP through their label Sex Cult Records – called The Drugs Are In Control.
If you know anything about the Designer Drugs it’s that they go hard – they aren’t your typical “EDM” package. The Designer Drugs have been referred to as the “punishing electro-punk DJ/production duo who have made their name pushing the boundaries and tearing up venues around the world with their heady, mind-melting sounds”. One listen to this album and you’ll understand how they push the boundaries and melt minds. Throughout the album you might hear bits and pieces that remind you of other artists but the essence of the album is 100% original. “Zombies (Part 2)”, for example, is a Trap-Step song that reminds me of something Skrillex, Alvin Risk, or 12th Planet might produce, but it has Designer Drugs’ fingerprints all over it. The Drugs Are In Control is an example of an album that I would refer to when I say TRUE Electro and Electro-House – none of that triplet-infused, go-to-war bullshit and certainly no big breaks between drops. There’s an air of darkness found across the nine tracks, like the title track “The Drugs Are in Control”, but there are refreshing melodic pieces like “In Your Eyes” featuring the vocals of Catiana Van Dinh and “Poison” which is a collaboration with Audrey Napoleon. “Poison” was an interesting track to me because I don’t associate Audrey Napoleon with such an aggressive sound, but this track is great with female vocals and chopped and pitched cuts. “Poison” is definitely a more accessible track given the melodic nature of its composition.
All in all, the Designer Drugs’ new sound, compared to their first album Hardcore/Softcore (2011), “delivers a hard-hitting blur of heady, tripped-out tunes on this lurching beast of an album.” If you want to learn more about The Drugs Are in Control, you can read Theodore and Michael’s exclusive interview with Billboard Code HERE. Personally speaking, I recommend this album as something to really get amped up with, but don’t overlook the intricate writing and high production value. Designer Drugs have been doing their thing for close to a decade and there’s certainly no signs of slowing down.
*To download the album you need to click on each track and download individually*
Check out the video for “Crystal” below (NSFW)