Track of the Day: Mashk, Soul Button - Pensèes

We all have certain labels that are near-and-dear to our hearts. The ones that span a diverse spectrum of sound, but at the same time occupy their own niche. For me, one of those labels is Steyoyoke. As a collective, Steyoyoke seems to always be releasing well balanced, dynamic, and emotional tracks. Artists like Kris Davis, Animal Picnic, and Soul Button all add to Steyoyoke's melodic and dynamic library. In addition to the main label, Steyoyoke also has a sister label: Steyoyoke Black. On their sister label are hard-hitting artists such as Binaryh, Nick Devon, and Mallone. Label head Soul Button is regularly putting together compilations for the label that highlight many of the releases while also including music from the two sister labels of Steyoyoke. The aforementioned Steyoyoke Black and the home of our track of the day Inner Symphony.The track opens from silence, slowly adding pieces, the first of which is a ghoulish chord in the background. The reverb gives the song a sense of space, a typical playa-tech feature, and the audience feels as though they're at church as an organ builds. Little synths are added for short periods of a few bars as the suspense builds. Finally the song drops. One feels like they're witnessing a symphony play at Robot Heart as the sun rises. The violins in the background make the song feel melancholic and sophisticated.The breakdown feels similar to the beginning of the song. Notes are played with reverb and pan-delays, keeping the listener's ears busy. The spatiality of the song is palpable, giving the song the feeling of a vast open area. After the drop, Soul Button and Mashk bring in a clap and other highs. With percussion absent for most of the song until after the drop, the slow progression of the track makes it perfect for an opener to a set. The synths and strings are very typical of Mashk, and are always a wonderful touch to his songs. Similar sounds can be found in his song Hope. All-in-all the track represents a beautiful soundscape.The rest of the release, which is also exceptional, can be found below.