Let's discuss MISSIN’s Optechnika EP

The mighty Methlab Recordings unleash the tenth chapter in their BNKR series and this one is no joke. This time around, Serbian heavyweight MISSIN is here to take us on a journey with Optechnika.

This 5 track EP is filled with some of the most impressive drum and bass I have heard in awhile. Hard hitting drum grooves, monstrous bass lines, and crisp top end all come together to make this one release you don't want to miss.

The first track Fever is a classic Drum & Bass roller that sets the tone for this EP and pulls you in from the beginning. Big synth swells move through an open and spacious environment in the intro. Once the drop kicks in, MISSIN”s impressive drum and percussion work shines. Keeping the bass design more minimal to let the drums do their work was an excellent choice. I really enjoyed the subtle breath that comes in throughout the first and second drop as well.

Next up is Surging and this one is a stomper. Again the intro on this one is very ambient and spacious but once the drop kicks in, things start getting serious. This track features much heavier and more aggressive sound design that continues to build throughout the track. The second drop really picks up speed and sets this EP in motion. One thing I love about MISSIN is his choice of snares and hats which really stand out on this one.

Optikal, the third track and one of my favorites, gets right to the point and continues the theme of crisp drum work and aggressive and heavy sound design. The second drop in particular on this track really stood out to me. We get a little break from the madness before he really cranks the intensity up. Introducing new basses, a gnarly drum groove and more impressive percussion, MISSIN really take this track to the next level.

The fourth track Dread opens up with a more minimalistic and melody driven intro that sets the stage for what's to come. Once the drop hits, the tune ramps it up to 100 with a rising bassline, huge reese bass fills and very stereo intensive drums with great attention to detail. At about 1:07 in the tune, a drum change up kicks in with more technical percussion and a repetitious but good vocal melody on top. MISSIN cuts back on some of the intensity for a bit to give us time to breath before going back into the same drop from before and then finishing the tune out with a nice rising reese bass and the main melody playing.

Finishing off the EP we have This or That. An 86 bpm halftime stomper that doesn't hold back one bit. The intro follows the same pattern as the other tunes on the EP with the open and atmospheric theme. The drop features a call and return action between a deep guttural neuro bass and a very snarly synth lead. The drum groove on this track is one of my personal favorites on this EP. Once the breakdown hits, you can tell he isn't finished. Huge neuro stabs, a broken drum groove and eerie synths take on the second drop and give this section a much darker tone.