With the year coming to a close all we can say is… Zeds Dead baby. Zeds Dead. The boyz tapped into the giving season and are gifting us with The Lost Tapes Vol. 1 mixtape. It’s the way these songs will keep us fed through the holiday season, for me. Buckle up bitches, we’re going bassmentality.
The boyz have really blessed us this year. From dropping Catching Z’s Mix Vol. 3, to dropping their collaborative album We Are Deadbeats. Vol. 4, and a deluxe version that includes remixes by artists such as Sippy, G-Rex, and Eprom to name a few; as well as new tracks with artists such as Floret Loret, Rezz, Yultron, and Yookie.
Now, as if all the drops this year weren’t enough, the boyz drop something the entire ZDF has been yearning for; that old school, Zeds Dead dimension of sound.
Our favorite duo since PB and J, DC and Hooks, have dug deep into the vaults, and are releasing IDs from the 2009 era of the Zeds Dead project. whew. Been a whole lotta hootin’ and hollerin’ over here at HQ, it’s everything we could’ve imagined and more. Now let’s get into this mixtape:
Voltage
We waste no time getting right to it. Opening the mix straight away with a warehouse destroyer. Picture yourself: dancing in the middle of the crowd, nobody knows your name but everyone knows your moves. This is a throwback to the era of speaker knocking IDM that burns through a dance floor. A momentary escape from our current reality. Reminiscent of songs by artists like Nero, or Justice, but completely fresh.
Lost In Space
Gravity is defined as the force attracting a body towards any physical object having mass. This one opens like being pulled into space and floating between the groove and the unknown. A chonky boi balancing a stern unyielding snare and a deep guttural synth that just taps you right on the @$$. Binaural beats to play while the oxygen depletes in your spacesuit.
Ice Crack
Arpeggiated synth lines have never once not gone brazy. “Ice Crack” is on some X-Games mode, deeply meditative shit. It’s the movie scene where you’re walking through a terminal into a new life. It’s the exit soundscape of this hellish year. When, not if, you see me crying to this when we’re back to seeing music live and together, come vibe or leave me be. I can’t believe the boyz have been holding onto this warm hug of a song for over a decade.
Gorilla
This track plays no games. Goes full sicko mode. Acts all the way up. This is that classic Zeds Dead ‘ish. Trap arms at full extendo and knees stretched and ready to put in that work. This a track to play in the dark. A banger to summon your best Britney Spears choreography and challenge a stranger to.
Zeer
In the words of poet laureate duo Rae Sremmurd, “somebody come get her… she’s dancin like a stripper.” Like 5 seconds in, pants are just gone. The broken drum pattern, serene vocal sample, and hypnotizing synth…. ZD saw the calendar and knew not to drop this one in NNNovember.
Goon
Okay now. This track will go dummy on a proper sound rig. That really hard deep bassline gives us more of that signature Zeds Dead growl, you know the one. Then all of a sudden, that up switch in tempo got me goin’, like whoa, what was that?
Thinkin
I had to replay this track at least 3 times before moving on. One word, mesmerizing. A sonic sound bath of generative synth glittering a deep and truly seductive dance between the bassline and kick. Somebody tell the Jonas Brothers that they’re not the only ones who’ve been to the year 3000. You gotta wear all chrome to really appreciate the harmonic pas de deux in this one, SB-129.
Scientist
Oh baby. Zeds Dead House is the best Zeds Dead. The boyz tackle house music in a way that would make you think they grew up in Detroit instead of Canada. The low-pitched synth paired with the female vocals takes you on a ride. 10 out of 10 scientists agree, you’re gonna be up and moving by the first kick.
Trouble In Paradise
A song that’ll make them speakers go brrrrrr. A wholly unique adventure, this is one track that many have been trying to ID for years. Well, we finally got it! This song triggers that special part of me that I like to call, “Wine auntie doing tai chi.” Little known insider tea: that’s actually Mozart playing the sleigh bells.
Nostalgia
A perfect end to a perfect mixtape from DC and Hooks. A deep reminder of the love that first got me into Zeds Dead in the first place. Their versatility in the craft, combining genres and taking you on a true journey through sound. This song, the brisk scratch of the tables, the classic kick snare beat, a song that helps you decompress. It’s been a long year, but this mixtape has made it that much better.
From your fans and ZDF community, we thank you
This old school masterpiece will be on repeat until Vol. 2. Oh yeah, there’s a Vol. 2 coming in the near future and even beyond. Wonder what else they have cookin’ for us. You just never know with Zeds Dead, baby.
Keep up with Zeds Dead
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And if you’re looking for new music, keep up with our weekly Spotify Playlist, Fresh Hunts or follow us on Twitch. Whether it’s the newest drops from Zeds Dead, all your other favorite artists, some old school, or underground—we just want you to hear it.
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