Royal Impresses With 5-Track EP “Cycles” [Review]

Royal caught my eye when future bass was on the rise, his mixture of hip-hop effects and original music set him apart from most in the scene. Today Royal reaffirms his longevity with “Cycles” EP, a 5-track experience offering more Royal in never-before-heard ways.

Passenger

We got to hear Royal’s first single off the EP, “Passengers” in last week’s Powerful Picks, yet revisiting the single just now had me loving the track even more. The soft 808 & bass plus colorful melody is flat-out fun.

Mixed Feelings (feat. Desktop.)

Desktop and Royal team up for chill electro-pop tune that’s easy to sink into. The catchy, well-panned drums matches the lead melody and Desktop’s semi-vocoder voice beautifully.

Devil Pt. I (feat. Axel Mansoor)

Beginning with a tropical-tribal feel to it, Royal builds a beat around the soothing vocals of Axel Mansoor in “Devil Pt. 1.” The combination is unlike any type of sound I’ve heard in 2015, but there’s enough hooks and melodies within to ensure the track is a blast.

Devil Pt. II (feat. Axel Mansoor)

“Devil Pt. II” actually feels evil and scary in the beginning, then it explodes into a almost-genreless, completely unique breakdown not for the faint of heart.

Round Two (feat. Desktop.)

Royal finishes “Cycles” EP with “Round Two,” a much lighter, friendlier track featuring chill, easy-to-follow Desktop lyrics.

“Cycles” EP contains huge variation in the sounds featured on the EP, but still threads the experience through common hooks, drum kits, and catchy rhythms – a perfect blend of originality while still maintaining relevance.

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