[metadata_records] is an imprint for Dark Arps. In this debut EP, Jon returns to his formative nuskool breaks influences with three groove-laden chin-strokers: 'Broken Promise', 'Grow Op' and 'Plead’. Expect rubbery bass, percussive boom-bap, and cheeky melodic interjections as we romp through these three electro-charged funkhausers. The title track ‘Broken Promise’ hits you with the one- two chord stabs right off the bat and just doesn’t stop. ‘Grow Op’ is low-rolling with that Seinfeld slap, and ‘Plead’ takes us on a perilous journey through pretentious bassline progressions... buckle up! For more, visit www.metadatarecords.com

[MDR001] Dark Arps - Broken Promise EP

Elba is a collaboration between producer/engineer Dark Arps (Jon Bierman) and singer/songwriter amsii (Amber Sawicki). They met in Vancouver in 2018 through a mutual friend who acted as a go-between, sending rough demos recorded with a cheap cell phone. A graduate of Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Amber was already performing with bands and forging her own solo identity. He instantly recognized her immense talent as a vocalist and composer, and encouraged her to create more intricate arrangements as she delved into sequencing and production. Working together as Elba, eight dynamic tracks emerged for their eponymous debut album around the grounding force of her powerful vocals. 

Sawicki's orations elate the body and soul, while her lyrics tap into the zeitgeist of urban decay presently unfolding amidst late-stage capitalism. She possesses the introspective prowess of Erykah Badu as much as the sugary hook of Jessie Reyez. Her vision imbues Bierman's technically sophisticated techno-tinged breakbeats with an elevated pop sensibility that would sound perfect on any genre-spanning contemporary R&B/electro/new wave playlist alongside the likes of Joe Goddard (Hot Chip) and Amy Douglas’ project HARD FEELINGS, or Ninja Tune producer Anz.

Buy on Bandcamp

[MDR003] Elba - Elba

Release date: December 17, 2021

[metadata_records] is an imprint for Dark Arps. In this follow-up EP, Jon delivers four dancefloor dreamscapes, dripping with melodic motifs and irresistible grooves. The title track ‘Phantasy’ kicks off our psychedelic journey through repeating, evolving acid lines, underlaid with thick, alternating basstones. Crispy snares and percussive breakbeat patterns carry the groove, leading us to crescendos and soaring piano-and-string melodies. ‘Jumbo Rafiki’ takes a left turn, bopping down into shuffled, broken-house territory with chord-stacked riffs and funky bassline interjections, augmented by mysteriously detuned bells which lift us up to triumphant heights. Then, with another left turn we crash back down to the depths with ‘Python State’, a deeper exploration of minimal house, oozing with atmospheric appeal, the main riff invoking a latin flavour with synthetic, other-worldly modular synthesis in support. ‘Phantasy (Reprize)’ brings our journey full-circle with a final acid-rip along driving shorelines of progressive breaks, re-introducing melodic players we encountered at the beginning of the expedition, evolved into something darker, as the EP comes to its conclusion.

Artwork by Candise Wild <3

For more, visit www.metadatarecords.com

[MDR002] Dark Arps - Phantasy EP

[metadata_records] is an imprint for Dark Arps. In this debut EP, Jon returns to his formative nuskool breaks influences with three groove-laden chin-strokers: 'Broken Promise', 'Grow Op' and 'Plead’. Expect rubbery bass, percussive boom-bap, and cheeky melodic interjections as we romp through these three electro-charged funkhausers. The title track ‘Broken Promise’ hits you with the one- two chord stabs right off the bat and just doesn’t stop. ‘Grow Op’ is low-rolling with that Seinfeld slap, and ‘Plead’ takes us on a perilous journey through pretentious bassline progressions... buckle up! For more, visit www.metadatarecords.com

Original release date: 18-08-2021

Broken Promise EP

Dark Arps - Plead

Dark Arps - Grow Op

[metadata_records] is an imprint for Dark Arps. In this debut EP, Jon returns to his formative nuskool breaks influences with three groove-laden chin-strokers: 'Broken Promise', 'Grow Op' and 'Plead’. Expect rubbery bass, percussive boom-bap, and cheeky melodic interjections as we romp through these three electro-charged funkhausers. The title track ‘Broken Promise’ hits you with the one- two chord stabs right off the bat and just doesn’t stop. ‘Grow Op’ is low-rolling with that Seinfeld slap, and ‘Plead’ takes us on a perilous journey through pretentious bassline progressions... buckle up! For more, visit www.metadatarecords.com

Original release date: 20-08-2021

Dark Arps - Broken Promise

"Busy Bodies" is a powerful statement that could easily pass for early Lamb or later Massive Attack. It paints a rather grim lyrical portrayal of society searching for an oasis as it drowns in unhealthy desire while a bassline triples all over itself amidst pensive strings and haunting bird calls. This fosters a lunging, surging trip-hop momentum that evokes the raw power and grace of African dancers doing a perfect waltz.

Elba LP

Elba - Busy Bodies

Funky and fulfilling, "Elevate" takes things to another level. As deep as this earworm digs, its substance is profound. It's a dedication to staying true to yourself despite a culture designed to distract and tear you down. This track's moody, atmospheric melodies, snappy broken beat percussion, gnarly bassline, and fierce vocal hook pushes the electro-pop of Monarchy and HARD FEELINGS deeper into UK garage territory.

Elba - Elevate

Frustrated with those who would sell the cure while creating the disease, "Sick and Sold" reminds us to live mindfully. Beginning like a New-Age song with birds chirping and harp-like plucking, the instrumental picks up to a head-nodding breakbeat shuffle with a funky hook anchored by processed vocals. It feels like a comparatively subdued yet rebellious response to "Pearl's Girl" by Underworld.

Elba - Sick And Sold

"Rambling Mind" is a beautifully glitchy, cinematic breakbeat that drifts into focus with emotive piano and the kind of swirling ambient sound design you'd expect from Tipper. Sawicki's silky, yearning vocals add an evocative, space-age lounge air to the otherwise Jon Hopkins meets Hybrid vibes of the instrumental. When she starts to hurt at that hook, it hurts so good for all of us. This is catharsis. This is the glimmer of light in the darkness. This is Elba.

Elba - Rambling Mind

You can't care for other people unless you take care of yourself. Thankfully, "Get You Out" is here to feed parts of yourself that you may have been denying. This invigorating post-breakup song is like the dark side of Nelly Furtado's "I'm Like a Bird." The skittering downtempo breakbeat picks up sounds as it progresses, somberly picked guitar ramping up to an exotic, dubby peak that'll make you forget Jack hit the road.

Elba - Get You Out

Helping you to live in the moment and up to your standards, "Keep on Breathing" won't let you quit until your last breath. The instrumental percolates tension with a haunting acoustic guitar progression that gives way to ominous sub base, swirling post-apocalyptic kosmische pads and slithering percussion. It makes one imagine a horror movie theme by Four Tet and Amon Tobin featuring Leila.

Elba - Keep On Breathing

Sometimes you get what you want, only to discover it’s not what you need. It is rarely an easy process to realize that it's best for everyone involved to move on, but it is important for closure to know that you "Gave It A Chance". This hard-stepping house track drips with anxiety care of its moaning bassline, pensive pads, and splorking synth leads, its unsettled feeling hammered home by a droning hook that drops like the raindrops in "Sit Down, Stand Up" from Radiohead's Hail to the Thief.

Elba - Gave It A Chance

Surrender yourself to "I Want It All" for this track will take it anyway. What begins as passionate romance can turn into possessiveness. Dropping into a baritone one minute and soaring the next, Sawicki's fluid vocal range captures these obsessive extremes as it flows throughout an instrumental that simmers like TOKiMONSTA doing Dirtybird dub.

Elba - I Want It All

Dark Arps - Broken Promise (PREVIEW)

[metadata_records] is an imprint for Dark Arps. In this follow-up EP, Jon delivers four dancefloor dreamscapes, dripping with melodic motifs and irresistible grooves. The title track ‘Phantasy’ kicks off our psychedelic journey through repeating, evolving acid lines, underlaid with thick, alternating basstones. Crispy snares and percussive breakbeat patterns carry the groove, leading us to crescendos and soaring piano-and-string melodies. ‘Jumbo Rafiki’ takes a left turn, bopping down into shuffled, broken-house territory with chord-stacked riffs and funky bassline interjections, augmented by mysteriously detuned bells which lift us up to triumphant heights. Then, with another left turn we crash back down to the depths with ‘Python State’, a deeper exploration of minimal house, oozing with atmospheric appeal, the main riff invoking a latin flavour with synthetic, other-worldly modular synthesis in support. ‘Phantasy (Reprize)’ brings our journey full-circle with a final acid-rip along driving shorelines of progressive breaks, re-introducing melodic players we encountered at the beginning of the expedition, evolved into something darker, as the EP comes to its conclusion.

For more, visit www.metadatarecords.com

Phantasy EP

Dark Arps - Python State

Dark Arps - Phantasy (Reprize)

Dark Arps - Jumbo Rafiki

Dark Arps - Phantasy (Original Mix)

[metadata_records] exists to release music made by Dark Arps, who treads a unique path as an electronic music creator and motion designer.

[metadata_records]

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks