Omina – Habitat / Chaser

“Habitat”, from Omina (great artist name, btw), starts off slowly and quietly, tricking you into turning the volume up too much. It’s a neat trick because you’ll find yourself keeping it louder than you might’ve been listening to already. A half-step dancehall kick keeps you grounded while middle eastern tones and drums echo in the distance. Shakers and just a hint of a drum break double the tempo of the track without falling off the edge into DNB proper. The distance rumble of bass only confirms this is a dark cavern we’ve stepped into and we might not make it out, and the brief track is over all too soon.

The second track, “Chaser”, is a bit more straightforward DNB, with sticky bass and tight-as-fuck kick and snare. Aptly named, I could see this tune kicking off on a dancefloor with energy levels rising and heartbeats increasing. Beautifully arranged, the sweeping build in the middle forces you to lean forward, anticipating the next bone-jiggling section. My only complaint is that once again the track ends all too soon.

This dark-yet-colorful EP leaves me wanting more atmosphere, more mayhem, more colors from Omina.

Posted on April 11, 2022