St. Louis-based DJ and producer Notaker returns to prolific label mau5trap with his second release of 2021. Taking elements from across the progressive house, trance, breakbeat, and underground spectrums, “SMYL” is one of the biggest dancefloor weapons to join the discography of the genre entangler himself. Out now, “SMYL” marks his official return to the mau5trap label since making his debut with his EREBUS I EP in 2018.
At the heels of releasing “Echelon”, his first single of the year, Notaker wastes no time as he unveils one of his most innovative and pivotal works yet, “SMYL”. Although he’s best known for his pristine midtempo and electro sound design, his latest cut sees Notaker experiment with breaks and emotive crescendos while preserving his knack for creating wholly immersive sonic experiences with narrative elements. When the world was placed on hold, Notaker yearned to make music that reminded him of the most euphoric moments on the dancefloor. “I wanted to create something that can only be described as the sound you’d hear at 3 am in a packed sweaty warehouse,” Notaker says, “the booming kicks and panning melodies are complemented by a classic vocal sample that will take you for a modern ride down nostalgia lane.”
In tandem with the original mix, Notaker conjured up two additional edits for the full release: “SMYL (Extended Mix)” and “SMYL (VIP)”. The “SMYL (Extended Mix)” is a nearly six-minute iteration of the original mix, and plays with a longer intro filled with trance stabs and traces of Notaker’s signature synth kit. “SMYL (VIP)” kicks the track into overdrive and flips it into a faster-paced slice of melodic drum and bass. Brimming with elation in every note, each track echoes the feeling of reaching a peak-time climax on the dance floor. With this, Notaker has achieved his goal.
“Glad to be back once again with the mau5trap fam. I knew ‘SMYL’ was a perfect vibe for the label. Happy to make SMYL’s home with mau5trap.” –Notaker
Following a brief hiatus in 2020, Notaker returned to the release radar at the beginning of the year with “Airlock”, his contribution to the coveted yearly mau5trap compilation, We Are Friends Vol. 10. “Airlock” marked his return to mau5trap since his thrilling 5-track EP Erebus I in 2018. The four-minute-long cut solidifies the notion that Notaker is back stronger than ever, with an arsenal of unreleased music that is slated for release later this year.
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