Dro Carey Takes Huge Steps On ‘Vital Trails’ EP

It’s been a little while since we’ve heard solo material from Eugene Hector’s Dro Carey moniker, but today we received the Vital Trails EP from the precocious Australian producer. Unlike his work under Tuff Sherm or Fad TMB, Hector’s work as Dro Carey doesn’t fall under any single genre label and truly exists outside of the realm of existing sound and structure. Borrowing heavily from grime and Southern hip hop, the Vital Trails EP sees Hector’s deft touch with industrial sounds and his ability to manipulate seemingly boring grayscale sounds into highly effective dancefloor sounds. “Second Missive” is somewhat in line with the rollicking warehouse sounds of a Blawan or Surgeon, but falls within a grime blueprint. “Libera Me” could lazily be called house, but only in the most maleable sense of the word, utilizing a sparse arrangement of kicks and physically assaulting synth bleeps. Like most of Hector’s work, Vital Trails is not a breezy listen and offers nothing in the way of pop sensibility, but after a few listens, you’ll realize it’s one of the most fulfilling, brilliantly textured releases of the year.