Unsettle and entertain, be original but engaging and effective – provide unrivalled electronic escapism – boxes all finely ticked by the eclectic and bold repertoire of Ad al Maar.
Redrag U2 Hell is an essential introduction, a haunting set of visuals depicting puppets immersed in a horror scene, a backdrop of retro house and dance synths and distortion, eerie vocal fragments – all united in a powerful and nostalgic rise and fall pattern. It’s far from the only release of its calibre in the collection though.
2024 saw producer Ad al Maar release his brand new album Rise of The Dancers, a high-octane presentation of an artist with an unshakable passion for nineties rave tones and modern tech. From this project, the single Rise of The Dancers brought a certain volume and intensity that was quickly infectious – an unignorable tempo, and the same level of depth and vocal playfulness to hold true to a distinct style.
That’s the key with contemporary production, find a balance between styles past and present, whilst maintaining an essential thread of identity that helps fans distinguish between your own music and that of the masses. Ad al Maar has authentically stumbled upon a winning approach, in that regard.
In light of the current scene, there’s a piercing level of weight and presence to each layer utilised by Ad al Maar throughout the likes of Rise of the Dancers. The rhythms are fierce, the synths and distorted effects are equally powerful, and we’re in a kind of Prodigy meets underground House and alternative rave realm. It’s his own sound, by all accounts, particularly in the midst of all things EDM lately, and it resounds with addictive appeal and personality across each new release.
Consider also the track Super Model, feature Queen Iya. We shift gears, the beat presents a characterful stomp and quirky bassline, the vocal is new and the video reinforces this welcomed change of lead. As the track peaks though, we still get those undeniable traits of distorted synth patterns, and the rise and fall progression that loops and envelops its audience. Ad al Maar balances the gritty and the fun, with this old school array of sound-play that naturally draws attention.
For the full Ad al Maar experience, Rise of the Dancers is a must hear. The album promises sixteen original tracks, from the title-piece through the likes of an immense sense of rising anticipation that is Let it Flow, and even offering lashings of unprecedented playfulness in the form of samples, titles, fragments and moments that recapture any wandering minds. Trump and Beat with its retro gamer tones, Alice Doesn’t want to sllep with its conceptual intrigue and unignorable tribal rhythm and riff, Who Shoot Sheriff Mike? with its relentless tempo and wholly immersive fullness at the drop.
Ad al Maar’s devotion to the style, to all things old school techno and rave in both lifestyle and design, is unquestionable as you dive into the limitless creative scope of his catalogue. The music is unmistakable in many ways, but also entirely immersive for the fans, as you let it ring out at volume and take full command of the space.
Find Ad al Maar on Instagram.
