Review Summary: Meditate on the bass weight.
Digital Mystikz is a household name in the underground UK electronic scene due to their prolific catalogue and profound influence on dubstep. On Return II Space, Mala gives us a reminder as to why that name carries so much weight.
DMZ, and Mala, specifically, tend to stick to small bite size releases in the form of 2 sides to keep the music easily digestible. Return II Space preserves this sentiment, but as a more fleshed out and complete project consisting of tracks that revolve around a similar concept. Mala’s subtle, calculated approach to these songs results in a sense of weightlessness cast upon you by dark, spacey soundscapes that seem so minimal but still have so much breadth. The irony in this style of music lies in the fact that it feels so empty at times but somehow has more body and personality than other forms of electronic. It is so light, yet so heavy. Mala's signature drum loops and exquisite bass lines cascade down on the listener, drenching you in a deluge of vibrations you didn’t know could make you feel so complete.
In a way, this album feels like space itself – vast and bare, but infinitely full of small elements that comprise a whole. Most of the songs here start small and become much fuller as you dive into the cosmos. As you fly by the different systems on your journey, you can only admire their vibrant and spirited execution. This album feels deeply personal; a quiet vow to stick to the classic style that Mala knows the community thrives on. It really is a return to the space that DMZ occupied long ago in their formation. The universe may seem hollow and desolate, but if you look closely enough there is a magnificent collection of individual parts that come together to form something beautiful.
4.2/5
