Here is a release that once again introduces me to an artist that I have never heard of before, so I was not exactly sure what to expect here. This is perhaps due to Mystic State not being part of the YUKU roster, being a guest appearance instead. The initial description of the release led me to believe that this was going to feature the more mellow side of drum and bass, something which I am fond of yet does not always do the trick for me. The release also features a remix of one of the tracks by War, whose style I am somewhat familiar with due to his earlier MethLab releases. I'm diving mostly into the unknown here, but YUKU's last two releases have been splendid and as such, I expected to be pleasantly surprised.

Close Thirteen

Close Thirteen starts off with a soft, reverbing choir which led me to instantly believe that I was onto something good here. The intro of the track immediately sets a lovely vacant yet warm atmosphere, one which I feel connects very well to the release's artwork. The track continues on into a very subtle beat layered with lovely melodic pads and choirs. The drums are very tender but that is really all they need to be, they only ever so often incorporate a faster pattern to add the needed diversity to the beautiful pads that are the driving force behind this track. The bassline reinforces the earlier set atmosphere by gently humming along in the background, it really does not need to do much more than that. The beat picks up the pace ever so slightly after the second drop with the addition of a few extra shakers, yet it stays true to the theme of the track by still being very subtle. Close Thirteen as a whole is a lovely smooth piece of mellow drum and bass. It's angelic reverb-driven melodies and drum patterns set a very powerful atmosphere, one that I can easily get lost in and listen to for ages. I believe this is without exaggeration one of the best mellow drum and bass tracks I have heard to date.

Evermore

Evermore starts off with the same subtle vibe as Close Thirteen, where instead its intro sets a slightly darker and melodramatic tone. The bass, when it kicks in, is noticeably more aggressive than in its sister track, however, it does feature that very distinct filtered growl which is one of my favourite musical sounds out there. Whereas Close Thirteen is driven more by its pads and choirs, Evermore is driven by its use of samples which is described by the artists themselves as well. The way the sounds slices are used throughout the track strongly reminds me of tracks from the Avalanches, whose mostly sample-based tracks I am very familiar with. A lot of drum and bass tracks use samples of course, but generally, these are not used to create melodies and atmosphere, which is what this track does very well. After the second drop, the track speeds up a tad and introduces some more intricate drum patterns whilst temporarily dropping the samples. Evermore is a lovely piece which is slightly heavier than Close Thirteen, however, I also feel it is slightly emptier than it and does not set as strong an atmosphere. Nevertheless, it is a good track that I enjoy listening to.

Evermore (War remix)

War steps in where Mystic State ends in my play order of this release. The pads of Evermore continue but the underlying beat is now a lot punchier. War's style is noticeably harder than Mystic State's which is immediately evident when the track drops. This track is in my eyes a textbook example of a remix. The reason I think that is because this track pretty much takes everything of the original and spins it in its own way. The atmosphere set by the samples is still present, yet they are arranged differently, in particular one vocal which is repeatedly used to enhance it halfway past the first drop. The bassline is noticeably more aggressive yet not overly so, and still fits the original sound of the track well. The same applies to the drums, which now follow a different beat pattern but still fit the track very well. Every individual element of this remix could be interchanged with the original track and it would still sound great, in essence making this track Evermore but with the weight slider a bit higher. Whilst this track is still not my favourite of the EP, I believe War has done an incredible job with this remix.

With Evermore & Close Thirteen, Mystic state shows up out of nowhere and deliver a lovely pair of very smooth tracks, with an excellent remix by War for variety. The EP delivers a very strong atmosphere and its tracks are well tied together. I am a big fan of drum and bass that sets atmospheric melodies which is exactly what is done here. I am hoping to see Mystic State returning to release more material on YUKU as I like their style very much, especially considering it strongly reminds me of Allied who is sadly not on the YUKU roster. I believe this is also the first time I have written a review without any form of criticism whatsoever... Anything that I don't like about the tracks is purely down to personal tastes, all three of these tracks deliver their own ideas and style and execute them perfectly.

Final rating: 8/10

Favourite track: Close Thirteen

Mystic State’s Evermore & Close Thirteen EP is out now and available digitally through the YUKU Bandcamp store. If you are interested in obtaining this release, check it out here! This review was written well before the official release as I have been able to obtain it myself by being a Yukru member, which for me is very exciting and something I would like to share with you.

YUKU is a new and exciting label concept featuring a diverse roster of artists focusing on more than just music. It is a movement, a vision, a community. The most dedicated of its supporters are the Yukru. YUKU's concept for me is exciting and I feel has great potential. I trust that the people behind the label will go out of its way to produce masterfully crafted releases, each one being an experience on its own. This is why I have provided them with my support. In exchange for this level of trust, as a Yukru member I am entrusted with every single release on the label half a year in advance of its release date. In addition, I am provided with the actual vinyl releases, artwork prints and unique apparel. If you are an open-minded listener that likes being surprised by diverse sonic material and you are keen on being a driving force to make this happen, then perhaps being a Yukru member is something for you! For more information on joining, check out the following link for more information: https://www.yuku.io/blog/view/7/the-yukru