[Immerse Records]

Over the course of three previous singles, two of them in collaboration with Komonazmuk and Appleblim, respectively, Arkist has exhibited a keen awareness of mood and space. Preferring to let the music do the talking, he is a relatively low-key personality, with his handful of interviews focusing almost completely on the music rather than the man himself. The titles of his latest two offerings are certainly loaded with meaning and seem to represent two differing but complementary emotional responses, exploring facets of the darker end of dance music.

The overwhelming wave of bass that pervades “I Couldn’t Possibly” moves over the track like a mournful harbinger while clipped syncopation and a stretched synth provide the melody. Arkist challenges the notion of uplifting dance music by tying this tense atmosphere to a skeletal beat. The skittering drums are processed to the point of minimalism and allow the synths enough space to be emotive. After this darkness, the flip side is a striking counterpoint, both in sound and feeling. “Only If You Mean It” shows the influence of Bristol’s purple scene centered around artists like Joker, Guido, and Gemmy with a shimmering and twisted high-pitched melody. Arkist maintains the heaviness of the A-side with a low-end hum that slinks it’s way in and around the stomping broken beat rhythms. The glossy sheen to this track stands in contrast to “I Couldn’t Possibly” even while it serves to show the dual nature of emotions. This kind of musical contemplation is welcome in an age of superficial ephemera and I look forward to seeing how Arkist continues to grow in the coming years.