Declain & Elle Vee – Universal Language
• Magical, fantasy atmosphere
• Quality lyrics by the talented Elle Vee
• Interesting influences in the drop, mixing Declain’s essence with Future House
I must admit that this release by Declain caught me by surprise. As we heard on his two other 2020 releases (“Bad Idea” and “Stuck To You“), the young producer is wildly experimenting with a sound that I personally classify as “future house“, but with a lot of different influences.
Being a sort of “Eyes Shut” follow-up, I was expecting something festival-friendly. Dark Progressive, to be clear. “Universal Language” is a more mature work that falls slightly out of my target, but is definitively worth a review. Its personality, and, more specifically, Declain’s direction is intriguing.
It seems that the producer is trying to mix future house vibes with his energetic approach. In this case, there is a lot of space given to the magnificent vocal by Elle Vee, enhanced by a delicate breakdown structure. We can notice clear Future House elements such as the piano lead and the percussions. The atmosphere is emotional, slowly building up climax, supporting Elle’s voice. I particularly appreciated the cover’s choice: the vibe was almost magical, like we were in a fantasy world. The creator nailed this concept, also thanks to Elle Vee’s splendid lyrics!
The first drop mixes vocal, future house schematics, and an unexpectedly aggressive bassline altogether. Declain made sure to underline that his influence is still there, and the result is very enjoyable!
Personally, the second section impressed me the most because the vocal was less present and I could clearly appreciate the work on the structure, but it’s a matter of tastes.
With “Universal Language”, we have something a bit radio-friendly, but in a good way. There is passion, there is personality, there is quality and a desire to experiment. I like Declain’s aggressive vibes, but I’m also very intrigued by the way he’s evolving his music, using his brain and his heart. It’s an example of a healthy evolution.
