There’s a pretty stunning sense of development throughout deyah steel ’s latest release “I.G”, not least of all due to the journey implied by the title. This feeling of moving and progressing is strong, but structurally, in terms of the song writing – the crafting of the composition itself – this is quite unlike any of his previous releases.

The intensity of the music is as striking as ever. “deyah steel” takes the most alternative synths and sounds available and seems to express certain emotional depths by means of specific production techniques, even so much so as which type of distortion to use and when exactly to use it. Throughout the almost three minutes that “I.G” is playing, there are distorted walls of sound followed by gentle and dreamlike puddles of minimalism, all of which adds to the emotional realness and the journey, and all of which showcases the true scope of his ability as a an artist and a producer.

What adds to how impressive this is, is the artist’s awareness and utilization of structure – something that is unfortunately not always appreciated in modern rap music. This particular sub-genre belongs to a reflective and thoughtful group of lyricists, but even so, many artists simply build or take a beat and then work their flow over the top of it. In this case, the music has been rightfully considered as an inherent part of the artistry, and you can hear this in the pauses, the changes, the way the music and the tone of his voice work in unison to portray the various evolving moments. It’s captivating to listen to, and adding the effect is the artist’s creative and ever changing flow; again always feeding into that tripped up beat and the ups and downs within the instrumentation. When things are calm, the flow is calm, and vice versa.

There’s a particular riff that comes into play and makes up the signature sound of this release, but it doesn’t grab you in the way that a hook melody or chorus would. It simply fits there, making perfect sense, and yet unsettling you – drawing from you all at once excitement, calmness, and an inescapable feeling of being very far from home.

Never one to fall victim to an audience’s expectations – deyah steel is an artist, first and foremost, and a uniquely skilled producer at the very same time. What you get from his music is a complete and captivating experience, as well as an eclectic range of ideas and sounds and samples.