Audiophiles will be gifted some new sounds within the fresh remix LP of IMANU’s acclaimed Unfold project, out now on Deadbeats.
Considered one of the most rapidly rising stars in the industry, IMANU has had all eyes on him these past couple of years. In fast order, IMANU has risen to acclaim in the drum and bass realm, bringing a different flair and flavor to the subgenre. His dives into style blending, exceptional sound design, as well as a keen ear for creating a story through music have delivered him much attention from industry greats. With tracks like “Empress,” “Its Our Destiny,” and “Shoyu” really putting his sound on the map, his work has been featured on labels such as UKF and Sable Valley, and is a resident of the renowned Deadbeats.
Following the release of his debut album Unfold last year, it’s been a whirlwind for IMANU, between traveling the world and promoting his new tunes, all the while garnering millions of streams. The album features hits like “Pillow Talk” with Wingtip and What So Not, and the gorgeous “Somehow We Lost It All” with Pham and josh pan. Unfold has impressive elements of musicality and emotion, while still keeping the heat with charismatic rhythms, hard-hitting breaks, and a range of sub-genre blends. It’s only fair the heat gets stronger while calling in other creatives to flip the music upside down,”‘unfolding” the Remixes LP of the debut creation.
Unfold (Remixes) keeps up with and elevates its predecessor, showing off the magic that comes from the collaborative collision of similar creative minds. The 15-track collection features work from Chee, Subtronics, Machinedrum, Zeds Dead, and many more. From drum and bass to techno, to some mellow groovy tunes, the range and variety are extremely prevalent and push an excessive amount of creative boundaries. All in all, this LP offers new stories for listeners to melt into and get lost in. Read below for the low down, and make sure to catch IMANU on his upcoming tour dates!
Stream the UNFOLD Remixes LP on your favorite platform and head over to our Twitter to let us know the track you’re vibing with!
Stream IMANU – UNFOLD (Remixes) on Spotify:
To kick things off, one of IMANU’s hits with Kučka, “It’s Our Destiny,” gets beautifully remixed by some creative talent.
Starting the LP off on a strong note, Nitepunk takes “It’s Our Destiny” into a synthy soundscape, a creative take with rhythmic patterning while keeping the vocal integrity alive from the songstress. Subtronics takes his version of the track and flips it on its head in his classic riddim style, jumping off the vocal echoes and dropping listeners headfirst into a cataclysm of bass-face-worthy womps.
Moving into the next flavor pallet, the drum and bass vibes are prevalent, with Phace and IMANU’s VIP of “Empress,” developing a smooth, yet heavy-hitting narrative that gives the track a shot into outer space. Label heads Zeds Dead gives the track a new story, with their classic, eclectic, and groovy timbre, mellowing out the intensity of the original tune. Bringing in some mystical tones, Deadcrow translates IMANU’s collab with DROELOE “Shoyu” into synth heaven. Glittery notes, arpeggiating drops, and gorgeous blends tell a unique story. Greycode takes “Shoyu” into a multi-genre journey with some drum and bass heat and hits some trap and future bass along the way for a melodic joyride.
For some mellowed-out bliss, YAANO and VISLA’s remix of “Syrah” link the ethereal vocals from Maria-Lea in with the bassline, putting them into the driver’s seat and creatively complimenting the sample effects throughout the tune. This is a personal standout in the collection, highlighting lots of emotion and futuristic flair. Chee comes in hot with his take on “Temper“, creeping in mystically, but keeping the groove heavy, while adding some experimental synths and samples throughout – another standout in the collection. For a complete mood switch-up, Former delivers an iconic techno pulse and experiments with the original vibe of “Temper,” adding a whole new vibe to the Unfold collection. In contrast, yunis‘ remix of the hit “Pillow Talk” creates a deep, expressive bassline while highlighting the range of the Cloud 9-style melody.
From the beginning, X&G’s remix of the Louis Futon collab “Can’t Find The Words” carries some high-energy rhythmic expressions, that catapult listeners into a vocal build-up.
This track has lots of clever mixing and sampling, much like a glitch-hop universe, and some groovy technical elements that make jaws drop. The remix from Darby also includes some genius glitch-type vibes, while complementing the beauty of the vocals with an array of carefully-curated synths. Without a doubt, a latesleeper and Age of Espion collab is bound to really push the limits of the musical mind. Their remix of “Lonely Mess” features vocal manipulation, ebbs and flows of electronic sound design elements, and hills and valleys of mood and tone – reaching soaring heights right into deep, grimy basslines.
Following is no other than the drum and bass don Machinedrum, with their flip of “Haunt My Mind” giving way to the vocal story with matching eerie tones, drawing out a map of some mind-melting breaks and smooth elements. Finalizing the LP is Lazer Buck’s remix of the track, with heart-pounding beats and video game-like samples, accompanied by some bold, orchestral-style accompaniments that crescendo the tune into new stratospheres.
For those looking for an elevated experience from the original Unfold journey, the Remixes LP gives new stories to the tracks. I was impressed by the variety in the collection, whereas anyone getting into the scene can find their own personal heaven in any of the choices presented. Each one has a different element, vibe, and space it could thrive in. We’re stoked to hear these tracks live, whether in their original state or remixed, flipped, and reversed!
IMANU – UNFOLD (Remixes) – Tracklist:
- It’s Our Destiny feat. Kücka (Nitepunk Remix)
- It’s Our Destiny feat. Kücka (Subtronics Remix)
- Empress (Phace x IMANU VIP)
- Empress (Zeds Dead Remix)
- Shoyu feat. DROELOE (Deadcrow Remix)
- Shoyu feat. DROELOE (Grey Code Remix)
- Syrah feat. Maria-Lea & The Caracal Project (YAANO x VISLA Remix)
- Temper feat. LIA (Chee Remix)
- Temper feat. LIA (Former Remix)
- Pillow Talk feat. What So Not & Wingtip (yunis Remix)
- Can’t Find the Words feat. Cherry Lean & Louis Fution (X&G Remix)
- Can’t Find the Words feat. Cherry Lean & Louis Fution (Darby Remix)
- Lonely Mess feat. Hezen (Age Of Espion x latesleeper Remix)
- Haunt My Mind feat. Tudor (Machinedrum Remix)
- Haunt My Mind feat. Tudor (LAZER BUCK Remix)
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