Artist: Descent
Title: Round Midnight / Tempura
Label: Fade Records
By: Chad Harnish | 19 February 2004
Tracklist:

• A: Round Midnight
• B: Tempura

Descent "Round Midnight / Tempura"

After many successful releases on Release, Tune Inn and Fade, Los Angelos based producer Eyal, returns under his Descent moniker with this release "Tempura" / "Round Midnight" on Chris Fortier’s Fade Records. From breaks on one side to straights on the other, Descent gives us a bit of both flavors of beat, but the soul that is captured on this 12” is pure. These are songs for reflection.

“Tempura” is a breaks beauty that has struck me with its mesmerizing ethereal message. “Tempura’s” tale begins with a super funky set of breaks. Don’t get too settled on that flavor though as something dramatic happens and the story told here takes a different shape, a more serious shape. Still built on a funky foundation, “Tempura” doesn’t stop there. It is continuously evolving. Once the sorrowful sounds of man are heard later in the track, the songs heart pours out, and this is where I was struck with its beauty. This track is a 10 in my book.

“Round Midnight” is more of a straight shooter than “Tempura”. It is full of spacey ambience and sample mastery and takes control of every contour of the room when played over a loud soundsystem. It seems to be built with the larger room, peak time of night in mind. “Round Midnight” is a great track on its own, and makes a solid addition to “Tempura.”

Keep an eye on Descent as he has recently remixed Mike Hiratzka and Justin Scott Dixon’s “Two Worlds” for Propulsion Records. As for Fade Records, label owner and world renowned DJ Chris Fortier will be mixing a compilation for the label due out in late spring.