Arcwielder - Hydrate

Each month we shine the spotlight on one SoundGym member by reviewing one of their releases for our Music Spot feature. This month we focus on 'Hydrate' by Ashton Myers, aka Arcwielder.

The Arcwielder project is one that finds Myers 'searching for [his] sound', and this track certainly shows that he is not afraid to experiment with different timbres and textures. This is a richly melodic track whose primary influence seems to be future bass – but it is certainly not constrained by that genre. The trap high hats, warm bass and glistening melodies are all there, but the intriguing production draws on other forms of electronica too.

The arrangement is interesting, progressing the song through various mood shifts and differing energy levels. The synth parts grab hold of your attention through ear-catching automation, and there are frequent shifts of direction brought on by changes in the percussion. All of this means that the track easily holds your attention for the entirety of its four and a half minute runtime. 

The mix here is very solid, Myers deals deftly with the multiple melodic elements, ensuring that they don't crowd one another out. The bottom end is warm but defined – packing a nice punch when it needs to. 

If you enjoy 'Hydrate', you can hear plenty more from Arcwielder on Soundcloud and Spotify. You can also follow him over on Facebook.