Dalu, Universe of Dreams

Dalu’s new two-tracker on Purified Records, ‘Universe of Dreams’, is exactly the kind of release you can set your watch by. The title track is a safe, expected Purified-sounding build: rolling drums, a warm pad sweep, a big room breakdown, and a drop that does exactly what it should. Nothing wrong with it, but it’s the kind of track that feels designed to slot into a mix rather than stop you in your tracks.

But then there’s the second track, ‘Hope’. It’s slower, BPM wise, sitting around 125, and it’s doing something the title track never attempts. The main idea is a vocal chop that recurs three times, and each time it’s cut differently. The first time it’s a clean, almost hesitant phrase. The second time, it’s fragmented, broken into stutters that pull the groove off balance. The third time, it’s stretched and pitched, dissolving into the pads before the final drop. It’s a small detail, but it gives the track a sense of narrative, a reason to keep listening. The breakdown also goes deeper, with a longer, more patient build that rewards the listener with a bigger payoff.

So yes, ‘Universe of Dreams’ is a solid release. But if you want the track that actually has an idea, skip to track two.