As we enter a new year, we cannot help but reflect on the rising stars of 2016. No other trance DJs have had a better year than Arkham Knights. Fans quickly took a liking to Ben and Stuart’s genre-breaking style that incorporates euphoric melodies with the dark progression of electro and house. Since signing with the Schulz Music Group earlier this year, the two have been bombarding music sites -like SoundCloud- with groovy Afterhours mixes and live sets. The Turner brothers capped off their year with the same fiery momentum that sparked their ascension to fame with a release that pays tribute to their “Odyssey” so far.
Their recent production carries the legacy of the AKs’ sound. A heavy percussion starts off this musical voyage that immediately bangs on the eardrums, leading into the main melody that washes in. Sharp chords establish the rhythm of the track with a continuous loop. A rolling snare kicks-off the drop into an aggressive bassline that pushes the climax to euphoric boundaries, while a reiterating kick drum and tapping hi-hats cycle in the background. There isn’t a lot of bells and whistles to this track, allowing the perfectly orchestrated melody to shine with such sharp precision, leaving a yearning for more.
Although the single was formally released on the 5th of December, fans were first capsized by it’s hypnotizing timbre by Mr. Coldharbour himself at Transmission in Prague. Audiences around the world got an opportunity to hear the track on the Nov. 10th episode of Global DJ Broadcast. Since then, “Odyssey” was heard throughout the Coldharbour families sets. Paul van Dyk also supported AKs’ new hit on his VONYC Session 529, and Armin van Buuren played it on A State Of Trance 793. The fan’s of GDJB showed their love for the track by voting it as the Global Selection (Track of the Week) two consecutive times.
With Ben and Stuart’s freshmen CHRL hit, “Knightfall,” surpassing over 100K plays on Spotify on Dec. 13th, there is no denying that the electronic music world has noticed the two men from the former wool capital of England. Leeds name originally derives from ‘Ladenses,’ an old Brythonic word that translates to “people of the fast-flowing river,” perfectly describing Ben and Stuart’s rise on the trance charts. Insomniac Events, the powerhouse behind the iconic Electric Daisy Carnival, eventually caught wind of the two and featured them in the August episode of Metronome.
Stuart’s visit to the iconic Avalon in Hollywood last April was the start of AKs’ presence in the US. His visit was the start of many world tours in dark nightclubs and on festival stages around the world. The growing list includes the Transmission “The Lost Oracle” Pre-Party in October, sharing the main stage with fellow CHRL DJ Fisherman & Hawkins at the iconic Club Mecca and a gig right in their backyard at Mint Club Leeds. The two showed their hometown some love with a three hour set at the Leeds Trance Family event Trance Awakenings Part 2.
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AKs’ most recent conquest was taking the stage with fellow CHRL mate Dave Neven and Solid Stone this past January. Despite missing Ben on the stage, the lineup was stacked in Montreal as those three warmed up the cold Canadian night for the Boss Man, readying the crowd for some good-ole-fashioned unicorn slaying. Pictures from the January event looked massive as dance music fans covered two floors and over 40,000 square feet of the old coal factory. Lively fans danced the night away inside an old industrial building that contrasted the modern technology of pulsing speakers and futuristic strobe lights.
Odyssey is an epic word that describes a long wandering but fulfilling journey. For many, the word odyssey is synonymous with Homer’s epic poem. The word loses no value here as Ben and Stuart chose it to title their latest hymn. The timing of this release could not have been more perfect as we prepare for new music in 2017. “Odyssey” firmly makes a statement for everyone in the EDM community and TranceFamilies across the world: Arkham Knights are here and are a force to watch out for as they continue their quest to stardom.
You can stream “Odyssey” on Spotify or SoundCloud or download it at Beatport.