MIZE goes full-throttle on latest Wakaan EP release, ‘Thought Process’

The five-track project is MIZE’s follow-up to his 2018 EP, Imagery.

When MIZE came on the inaugural Wide Awake Radio podcast at the kick-off of COVID-shutdowns, the rising bass star told CE how he was “kind of bummed” that live music gatherings were shutting down in his breakout year. But concerts and festivals shutting down certainly haven’t stopped the MIZE from his 2020 ascendance in the least. In addition to a buku of live streams over the summer, MIZE recently made his Wakaan Records debut with the EP’s title track, “Thought Process.” Now the Dothan, Alabama-raised artist, who runs around town as Ian Evans, returns to the esteemed imprint to deliver his debut Wakaan EP by the same name.

Thought Process is somewhat of a response or follow-up to my very first EP, Imagery. This body of work builds on some of the mysterious and dark soundscapes I had bouncing around in my head before, during, and after the Imagery era in tracks such as ‘Pipeline & Laser Focus.’

MIZE

Thought Process perfectly encapsulates MIZE’s complex sound design and capacity for dynamic creations, showcasing a range from downtempo and glitch to heavy, wonky bass.  “Shake Off” begins with the same ethos of synths as “Thought Process,” before plunging into a softly escalating 808. With echoed vocals as a forewarning, the track snaps into a warping progression for its drop. Here, fans witness the blend of modular synths that speak to Evans’ evolving style.

Coming in as a collaboration with Space Wizard, “Mind Filth” then dips further into his newer sonics with a flabbergasted bass drop, along with a grimey sound that’s further flourished on “Laser Focus.” While both tracks boast the wonky sound that fans come to expect from Wakaan releases, each is backed by the brooding, aerial production style of MIZE. The EP wraps up with “Pipeline,” a futuristic, dark track that flaunts flavors of DnB and heavy dub.

Thought Process takes bass music fans back to the catalogue of Wakaan’s early days; deep, melodic dubstep that shakes the listener physically and spiritually. During a year like 2020, art that moves audiences is held at a high premium. Thought Process is one project that charts itself well into that territory.

Following Imagery, I began to really blossom as an artist and lay the groundwork to pursue a legitimate career and that really helped break me free of the mental health shackles that held me down for years. I finally started living life with a purpose and looking forward to waking up daily and tracks like ‘Thought Process’ and ‘Shake Off’ really reflect that change in mindset.”

MIZE

Ian Evans began producing on FL Studio back in 2012. After switching over to a Mac and Ableton in 2017, he began performing under his current moniker, MIZE. Evans quickly earned a reputation in the dubstep community as a talented producer and expert mixer, displaying a penchant for rinsing a wide range of bass music and a plethora of 2000s hip-hop/trap. His profile has grown significantly via popular bookings at Wakaan Festival, Summer Camp, and Bonnaroo, along with his increasingly viral Twitter following, which has inflated to 12K followers.

MIZE – Thought Process EP

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