Only Now will release a new EP, ‘Eyes of Pain’, on Sepehr’s Shaytoon Records later this week. Have an exclusive first listen to 3Phaz’s remix of ‘Time’s Up’ below.
On his first solo release of the year – following a pair of collaborative singles with Esther, and Flore & Prettybwoy – the San Fran producer fastens his trademark paranoid textures and Bhangra-infused rhythms into a mutant sci-fi tapestry. Stretching across four rousing cuts – and a mighty remix from Cairo’s 3Phaz – ‘Eyes of Pain’ finds Only Now trialling a more club-centric formula, having spent the past few months shelling his beats at shows across the West Coast and Europe.
The result is thrilling: from the misty beats and sinewy drum work of the title track, which is steeped in Bay Area swagger, to the adrenaline-fuelled kuduro rhythms of ‘Punduro’ and ‘Perma’. Rounding out the set, Only Now taps 3Phaz for a dark, drum-laden rework of ‘Time’s Up’, following recent releases from the Egyptian producer on Souk Records and TraTraTrax.
‘Eyes of Pain’ is the latest release on the Sepehr-helmed Shaytoon Records, following Kasra V’s ‘Flood The Club’ EP and the energising ‘Sounds from the Iranian Ultraverse’ V/A compilation.
‘Eyes of Pain’ is out 7th June via Shaytoon Records. Pre-order the EP here, and have an exclusive first listen to 3Phaz’s remix of ‘Time’s Up’ below.
Revisit DJ Mag’s 2023 feature on the eight artists taking kuduro and batida to the next level here.