Decoding Dark Harmony: A Journey Through Wraz.’s ‘Foul’ EP

Decoding Dark Harmony: A Journey Through Wraz.’s ‘Foul’ EP

In the last decade, electronic music, more specifically dubstep, has seen a wild amount of development within its inevitable and never-ending evolution. A lot of trends come and go, sub-genres sink or swim, and things become saturated. Sometimes staying true to the roots is the secret, and Wraz. figured that out a long time ago.

In Southern Quebec lies Sherbrooke, a quiet city that Canadian music producer Chris Pilon calls home. Pilon is the man behind the Wraz. project. First dawning the moniker in 2013, Pilon kept his sound authentic to what dubstep truly is and kept it running full speed from there. Far from being a one-trick pony, Pilon also dabbles heavily in the realms of halftime, drum and bass, and even orchestral compositions.

Over the 10+ years of his full-time musical journey, Wraz. has developed a signature sound all his own that’s immediately recognizable and has been an absolute force as of late. Playing major festivals and sound systems at the likes of Sound Haven, Lightning in a Bottle, and Shambhala has further cemented the Canadian musician at the forefront of the 140 scene along with releases on highly regarded labels like Deep, Dark, and Dangerous, 4NCY/Darkmode, and DUPLOC. Post-COVID lockdown we saw a huge spike in the amount of listeners looking for low-sub friendly bass music in the 140 space and that’s precisely what artists like Wraz. specialize in.

2024 has been extremely release friendly. Before even getting halfway through the year, Wraz. has already blessed bass goblins with two massive EPs, Out of The Woods with Abstrakt Sonance and Dreadbox. This is on top of a non-stop touring schedule and other big releases such as the much anticipated “Wriggle” VIP. Today, right before June, and just in time for peak festival season, Wraz. releases his third project of the year – the Foul EP.

The first tune on the two-track EP is “Realm.” Originally released as a single off of the EP, “Realm” showcases that signature sound that every Wraz. fan can relate to. Gradually approaching through the distance is a light synth melody building tension and getting the listener incredibly amped. As soon as it cuts, you’re met with super wobbly bass and crispy clear drum work followed by some of that signature gritty distortion that continues to build even more tension toward your gun finger release. This one is going to tear apart the dance this summer.

Closing out the EP is the self-titled tune “Foul.” Sitting in the 128 BPM range sets this one apart, but certainly doesn’t mean that its bass weighs any less than a 140 tune. Quite the opposite, this one slows things down a bit but hits even harder because of that. With an intro fit for a horror movie soundtrack, the vibe of this one is made clear from the get. As soon as the drop hits, your chest feels it. This one had me fiending for a sound system with just how heavyweight the bass is.

The potential in this man is unlimited. With such a grasp and understanding of his sound and what he’s passionate about, we only see big things in Pilon’s future. If you’re looking to catch the Quebec-based music producer, you’re in luck.

Wraz. is continuing to stay busy for the foreseeable future with plenty of performances at events like Infrasound, Eyes Down 360, Wicked Woods Festival, Dancefestopia, DDD Mission Ballroom, and Doomtown along with a handful of dates in California and his UK debut. In addition, you can catch him every Thursday on Twitch for Gunfingaz Thursday.

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