Gunslinger
Early Volumes 1
Los Angeles, CA
“High energy electronic trance flirts with dub without force feeding bass.”
With a name like Gunslinger one might think more along the lines of Clint Eastwood-style, rough around the edges music. Gunslinger is anything but boots and chaps. They blend an electronic mix mash that marries sounds like the baroque cacophony of Gold Panda over the classic thumping house beats, reminiscent of recent tour mate Tiesto.
On Early Volumes, Gunslinger (Chris Anthem and Blare Vidal) starts off with “Run For Your Life,” a classic electro trance song with a thick ’80s vocal loop resulting in nostalgic, pulsating, beat-driven night music. Continuing the heavy beats, Gunslinger pounds in sounds of piano over fuzzed vocals for “Who Have You Been,” and then turn up the heat with the classically synthed “Words.” The duo is like Pendulum meets 3Oh!3, and by “Unbreakable” (the breakout track) they toss in the bait and switch bass that has been perfected by Deadmau5. The song runs the gamut of electronic sounds past to present, finally flirting with a shout out to Millennial’s dub step without beating the listener over the head with bass. Early Volumes finishes strong with “Nothing’s Good Enough,” following suit with the bass lines that border on dub, heavy but somehow managing to be both classic and modern at the same time. (Self-released)