Excision - X Rated exclusively out on Beatport

Published: September 12, 2011

Canadian DJ and producer Excision is an inimitable talent. Eluding expectations at every turn he continues his rapid ascent to international acclaim with each step, leaving a string of blown speakers and stunned clubbers in his wake. Now, having officially joined the Mau5trap clan with Deviance - a collaborative effort with long-time sparring partner Datsik that was featured on the recent Meowingtons Hax compilation - we are proud to announce the next chapter in his story with the release of his debut album X Rated.

One of the earliest proponents of dubstep in North America, Excision has played an integral part in the international growth of the burgeoning scene and pioneering new interpretations of the sound. Ever since releasing his sell out debut single No Escape on his own Rottun Recordings label in 2007, Excision has defiantly created his own path and has not diverged from it since remaining resolutely singular in everything he does. Dissecting an eclectic array of influences in his tracks that stretches from drum and bass to hip hop, metal to electro, his productions are always both unique and progressive.

Ten tracks strong, X Rated allows Excision the room to spread his creative wings and explore the diversity of his tastes and myriad of facets to his sizeable production talents. He is also joined by a number of like-minded collaborators on the album who help him to bring his vision to life, with appearances from Messinian, Downlink, Datsik, Savvy, SkisM and Mr Hudson.

From the first ominous rumblings of album opener, the eponymous X Rated featuring Messinian, Excision makes his intentions clear. Tribal drums, oppressive atmospheres and the growl of Messinian’s voice build to breaking point before giving way to the maniacal bassline that writhes through the belly of the beast blowing out anything in its path. From there, Excision takes the listener through a wealth of different sounds while always retain the impact and brute force for which he has become known.

The Underground featuring Downlink invigorates a stomping breakbeat with a mechanized bassline and glistening pitch-bent synths before moving on to Ohhh Nooo, a heaving 4x4 machination that sets the bassline glitches against a propulsive drum line. 8 Bit Superhero with Datsik picks up the pace with hyperkinetic synths and rattling drum and bass rhythms before morphing into dubstep after the breakdown, while Sleepless explores a more expansive terrain, giving the ethereal vocals of Savvy room to breathe amidst the bed of warm piano, cavernous drum and rib-rattling bass.

Moving into the second half, Execute ramps the energy back up, re-appropriating the swinging jackhammer rhythms of metal and wielding a heavily distorted bassline before SexisM threatens to blow out even the sturdiest of speakers with its lurching bass and loping drums. Swerve featuring Downlink heads back into more linear rhythm territory, allowing the chugging bassline to jut through the core of the track while Deviance which features on the Meowingtons Hax comp takes things back into dubstep territory with grinding beats and growling basslines meeting extra-terrestrial synth lines to devastating effect. Excision joins up with Datsik again on album closer Jaguar featuring Mr Hudson, which plays out the album in epic fashion with cinematic atmospheres, reverberating drums and searching synth lines.

You can be assured that X Rated packs enough heat to send any club into pandemonium, but Excision has created more than just a collection of tracks with this album. This is a masterfully crafted mission statement that gives the fullest insight into the breadth and depth of his talent yet.

The past year has been nothing short of epic for Excision as a touring artist. After completing a successful American tour in early 2011 that brought amazing production and massive numbers to premiere venues across the country, Excision has kept extremely busy touring across North America. Following a string of sold out dates at some of the biggest and best venues in North America, as well as headlining sets at world renown festivals such as Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival, the Shambhala Music Festival, Starscape Music Festival, and Insomniac’s Electric Forest, Excision is now embarking on a 3 month North American tour as direct support for Deadmau5.