Mayday is an album that showcases Boys Noize’s talent for putting together a perfect rave tracklist. At its core this is a techno record, but it has influences from a variety of genres that come together to create a distinct vibe in each song. Influences from deep house, electro, dubstep and even hip hop are interspersed throughout the album. Each track has its own unique influence and sound, but they are all linked by the rave vibe that Boys Noize hammers home. The drums in particular on this album have a heavy feel. They sound like they should be banging in a warehouse rave party somewhere. The title track is a pretty good indicator of the direction this album has taken: it has drums and synths that lend it a feeling of intensity that builds during the track. The entire song, it feels like something is escalating, but by the end elements of the song start to chip away bit by bit until you’re left with just the most essential part: a hard hitting beat.
The first track, “Overthrow” sets the tone for the album with a drop heavily influenced by electro house. It’s nice and punchy includes an energetic sample of a man saying “I can break it down like this” that makes it sounds like Boys Noize is boasting about how good of a track they can make through the sample’s voice. One major standout track is “Euphoria (feat. Remy Banks)”. It has a great slow buildup featuring Remy’s vocals, and then when the beat drops we’re treated to a light and airy glitch hop-influenced synth that keeps the beat moving. It’s a great track that feels very distinct from everything that comes before it. Another great track is “Starchild (feat. POLICA)” which serves as a much needed respite from the hard hitting and fast melodies on most of the songs previous. Strong vocals and instrumentals come together to create a wonderful heavenly, spacey melody.
Although Boys Noize did a great job creating an idealized rave sound with this album, one issue is that it can be a little hard to digest all together at once. The beats and melodies are well-crafted, but this type of techno isn’t necessarily the type of thing someone could listen to on a leisurely stroll. Many of the songs really require the right atmosphere to be properly appreciated. Coupled with a few less memorable songs on the album such as “Revolt,” “Midnight,” or “Hardkotzen” and it can become a tedious listen for listeners not expecting Boys Noize’s brand of techno.
Given its genre, Boys Noize was able to create a perfect techno record with this project and fans of techno or rave music in general will love it.
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