DAXC – Ephemera is the brand new Chillout opus from this talented UK-based American songwriter, singer and producer. Featuring deep beats, ethereal vocals and a truly melancholic atmosphere, the track is bound to be a hit with those who like their Chillout music with a side of perfectly crafted production.Â
The track gets off to a delicate start, with crystalline layers of evocative synths sweeping over one another like gentle waves on a sandy beach. Next comes a mellow beat, guiding the synths into more of a structured melody but still emphasising the track’s transportive, dream-like qualities. As the song progresses through its five-minute duration, meanwhile, we’re gradually greeted with more and more layers of sparkling synths and production flourishes; a subtle but effective arpeggiator, for instance, swirls back and forth around your ears, whilst a more annunciatory synth hook keeps your attention on Ephemera’s pretty melodies.
Then, just as you’re soaking in the hypnotic vibes, around halfway through DAXC – Ephemera the track suddenly changes, taking listeners’ expectations up a notch in the process. A cutting, bass-driven synth is suddenly introduced, bringing some real life to the piece, before everything is stripped away again just as quickly, leaving behind only some solemn but alluring piano chords. From here Ephemera only grows in potency too, with an even more emphatic, saw-like synth being introduced towards the end, before we return to those blissfully elegant piano chords. The track finishes with a lengthy but effective ten-second fade out, perhaps giving listeners the space to reflect on the music they’ve just heard.Â
There’s not many songs within the Chillout genre that are truly worthy of the description of ‘opus’, but DAXC – Ephemera certainly lives up to the hype. It’s a track that really feels as though it’s taking you on a journey, allowing you to appreciate its smooth, rich melodies and chilled out beats as if you’re floating through a dream before dropping you back down to reality.
