I got my first pair of Beats by Dre headphones this past Christmas after months of hinting to my mother that I absolutely needed to have them. The main reason for my urgent desire to get my hands on those headphones was due to the hype around its audio quality, specifically its ability to amplify the bassline of whatever song I choose to listen to.
Now, months later, I couldn’t be happier with my Beats — especially when I’m listening to some mind-numbingly good electronic music. There’s something about the thumping bassline and the intricate complexity of good EDM music that really brings me to another level of musical bliss. I thought I’d heard some very complex beats in my day, until I listened to Flinch’s latest EP, Restless.
Flinch Achieves Layered EDM Bliss
The title of the EP says it all — Flinch’s ability to layer and interweave different sounds and melodies leaves listeners with a feeling of agitation and excitement.
Tracks like “No Matter What” really showcase this skill. There’s just so much going on all at once; from the very beginning of the track to the very second it ends, Flinch’s masterful mix of synths and heavy basslines is evident as the sounds build and decompose and build themselves again within the span of 3 minutes.
However, for those who aren’t necessarily full-on EDM fanatics, Flinch provides his audience with an array of pop-friendly, Calvin Harris-esque songs that complement his intricate sound but also stay true to the rest of the EP’s tracks.
Songs like “Watcha Know About” and “Down” hold much airier and hazy synth sounds in their instrumentals, giving them a more radio-friendly appeal. However, the overwhelming amount of layering is still present within these songs, starting out strong and continuing to build and build until you think your mind might burst.
The EP’s final track, “Bee Stings,” is particularly mesmerizing due to the various ascending and descending triads that seem to flutter in and out of the song’s melody. The high frequencies of the synths mixed in with the thumping bassline meld together as one giant string of composite sounds. It would be very easy for these tracks to sound like a jumbled, frenzied mess of electronic music but Flinch has the skill to find a proper balance.
Flinch’s Restless EP is not for the weary; its multitude of genres, synths, melodies, and overpowering bass lines are definitely meant to be listened to on a high-quality sound system in order to enjoy the tracks to the fullest.
