Track of the Day: Ascendants - Timekeeper

Today we have a special Track of the Day select coming from our own PUZL Records imprint featuring recent guest mix artists, Ascendants. We were sent this track a little while back and immediately gravitated towards its unique sound.From the outset the track greats us with an eerie mood as pulsating pads pan across creating a spectral soundscape. Snappy percussive layers and a padded kick set an upbeat tempo as the ethereal chords continue to build. The song begins to build pace as a tight set of closed hats join the drum arrangement and the introduction of the bassline starts to reveal itself. The track jumps into another gear when the lead bass suddenly opens up and delivers a punchy groove that reverberates with the full support of the kick drum. My favorite bit, is when the cowbell starts to ring in every few bars, grain shakers and heavily delayed claps rattle around the upper registers adding a ton depth to the arrangement.Big, aggressive saw wave pads bite into the midtones with some serious ferocity. It sets us up nicely for the lead vocal and the final touch to the composition. In the vein of the track's title an echoing voice reminds the listener that they are in a seemingly fleeting moment of time. Subtle pitch changes and a flowing chord progression run in tandem with a series of arpeggiated FXs and environmental sounds carry the track through the final chorus and outro.Here's what the duo had to say when asked how they got inspired to make 'Timekeeper':“This record started off as an idea that stemmed from going out one night in Osaka, Japan. The dark and grittiness of the streets as well as the views of the 16th-century shogunate castle left me with this feeling of being in another time. The writing process began later that morning after we had explored what this historically merchant city had to offer. It came together after a triple layer of the bassline gave it this deep but warbly sound leading to the initial version of Timekeeper.” - AscendantsI first started listening to Ascendants when they dropped 'Drifting' late last year. The xylophone in that track is awesome!Ascendants have taken their namesake seriously over the past year and are carefully building up their reputation with a string of powerful remixes and originals. From their early days running the renowned event series known as Neon Liger, the two have spent time dedicating their craft in the studio. They certainly have much more in store for the rest of this year and I'm eagerly waiting to hear what's next.If you missed out here's the latest guest mix they dropped with us last week! Enjoy,MR PUZL