We’ve been huge Ekali fans for years now, so you can imagine our excitement in witnessing the producer’s long-awaited return to prominence. This recent ascent has taken many forms: brand new music (‘Angel Fire’ is a banger), his first headlining tour in years, and now perhaps the Vancouver artist’s largest undertaking yet – a newly established label, Awakening Records. What started as a mix series has evolved into a full-fledged label, in which we’re now treated to the outlet’s debut compilation. Spanning an impressive 23-tracks, the double album boasts some of the most captivating, forward-thinking dance music you’ll hear all year from rising acts such as BROKN, Virus Mafia, Oddly Godly, Dabow, and CURE97, just to name a few.
As you’ll hear below, the first half of the project boasts a more bass-forward, club-ready influence while the following B-section is characterized by moody, experimental sounds. This masterfully curated compilation is not only a blast to listen to, but also pays homage to Ekali’s legacy while setting the stage for a new era of sonic exploration and boundary-pushing creativity. During a year where it feels like bass music is primed to reach new heights in the culture, Awakening Records is already contributing heavily to the scene and we’re stoked to see where they take things next. In the meantime, stream the compilation via Spotify and be sure to read what Ekali himself has to say about this massive label release.
Awakening Compilation 1 | Stream
“Moving Awakening from a mix series into a label and providing a platform for younger artists has been a dream of mine for nearly a decade. In 2023 I decided to take a leap of faith and begin curating an album for this purpose, which eventually manifested as ‘Awakening Compilation 01’. The goal was to field records from the most promising young artists in the underground scene, regardless of genre, and present a longform project that plays seamlessly front to back and takes listeners on a journey through numerous musical styles and moods. This diverse representation is a value that sits at the core of Awakening as a whole. It was an incredible experience getting to know the stories of the dozens of artists involved in this project, and learning that in many cases my own music was in the past a catalyst for them to begin producing. It truly feels like a full circle moment for me and I’m honored to present this 23 track album to the world and represent some of the most talented individuals in the electronic music scene.”
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