SubDocta Seamlessly Blends Classic EDM with Modern Trends on ‘Left for Dead EP’

Reno, NV native SubDocta (now based in Nashville, TN) has blessed us with yet another masterpiece of an EP. The Left for Dead EP effortlessly mixes sounds from EDM’s heyday in the 2000’s through the 2010’s and more modern iterations of the genre. No two songs sounds exactly the same, showing off the dynamic range of SubDocta and the various collaborators that we encounter along the way. The album artwork depicts a decked-out SubDocta in Cowboy Gear and brandishing a bottle of whiskey, complete with a bar backdrop, bullet holes, and a sheriff pup. YEEHAW!

The six-track EP begins with the title track, “Left for Dead,” featuring vocals by David Vance. LFD is heavily influenced by classic EDM, which can be seen in the song’s nostalgic introduction. The introduction combines the classic reggae-like dub riffs with digital, video game adjacent noises. What a throwback! David Vance’s vocals then come into the picture as the beat grows more and more danceable.

“Tell me that you love me. That you need me, lookin’ straight into my eyes. Been there, done that felt the heartbreak. I’m not falling for your lies. Tear me down until I’m nothin, leaving poison in my head. Never trust a word you said you leave me left for dead.”

The verses repeat as the song increases in tempo and makes subtle, gradual instrumental changes. The vocals become more impassioned as the song starts to build to a drop. “NEVER TRUST A WORD YOU SAID, YOU LEAVE ME LEFT FOR DEAD!”, screams David Vance as SubDocta’s famous brand of “West Coast Wobble” is put on full display in the first drop. Wobblelicious! The beat bobs from side to side, as operatic strings, dub rhythms, a subtle ringtone-like effect, and a perfectly timed record scratch lead us back into Vance’s powerful verses, accompanied by classic reggae-influenced dub patterns. These verses turn into a bridge that gives us a small break from the action. At this point, Vance’s pleading screams and the beat become increasingly louder and more pronounced as the song reaches its highest crescendo. “NASTY!” The second wobbling drop is accompanied by high-pitched laser alarms, and is much longer than the first, going on for almost a minute before we are treated to one last verse. Well Done!

“Glitch, Please,” a collaboration with Xotix, is up next. Much like the first song on this EP, the intro is largely inspired by a more classic EDM sound. With “Glitch, Please” the wobbling starts almost immediately and steadily continues throughout the runtime. This introduction is akin to the call of an interdimensional ice cream truck and builds to a super glitchy drop, as the name suggests. Effortlessly bringing the “West Coast Wobble” sound into the mix. “Glitch, Please” especially lives up to its name at around the 1:38 mark as a BLARING, wonky alarm bridges the two drops. What a work of genius! The second drop pushes the sonic envelope by rapidly changing time signatures, including a potent one-two-three punch around the 2:37 mark. Unlike “LFD” there are no extended verses, only occasional vocal samples to help tell the song’s story, as well as shout out the creators. These samples add some humor to the mix and do a great job of bringing the song together. Glitchtastic!

“Yung Slurk” stands out as the most intergalactic and alienesque of the bunch. The intro features a sound akin to a cell phone ringing, implying that SubDocta is making his best attempt to make contact with our green (or gray) outer space brethren from beyond the stars. Far out. This sound is met with wobbly “feedback” from the contacted alien, as the song continues to introduce elements. The song is bumpy, glitchy, and dark in all the right ways. Heavy bass, wobbly low-ends, a “coin” video game sound effect, and occasional hip-hop adjacent vocal samples abound as the song continues to slither and writhe. “Yung Slurk” really changes its tune around the 1:30 mark, as SubDocta attempts second contact with aliens. The wonky low ends briefly become more high-pitched as the “coin” sound makes its second appearance. “Yung Slurk” is definitely the most wobble-heavy track that we have encountered so far.

If SubDocta was searching for aliens in “Yung Slurk,” I am convinced that he is ghost hunting in the song “Trikhos.” This collaboration with Hairitage would fit right at home in “Luigi’s Mansion” or perhaps help to solve a paranormal “Scooby Doo” mystery. The introduction features a haunting digital soundscape, with eerie chant-like hums in the background to add to the tension. SubDocta’s signature wobbles lead us into an ectoplasmic drop that appears to drip and flow like an otherworldly spirit floating through the atmosphere.

“Nightcrawler” is perhaps the most unique sounding song on the EP, as it largely abandons the classic EDM influence found on nearly every other track. This is not a bad thing by any means, but it still worth mentioning in a review. The MYTHM collaboration sounds closer to an LSDREAM or Liquid Stranger effort than something from EDM’s classic era, making it stand out even more. “Nightcrawler’s”single cover art depicts a coyote amongst a purple, moonlit desert backdrop, complete with Saguaros and a steer skull. This matches the album’s themes perfectly, as the beat bounces back and forth, like an engaged SubDocta trying to rope cattle on horseback on a rough trail. A perfect fit for an EP of this theme and caliber.

The last song “2012 Was Tight” pays homage to one of SubDocta’s earliest efforts: “2009 Was Tight,” which was released in October 2017. Despite being similarly named, the songs are very different in a sonic sense. They are both wobbly, sure, but that is about where the similarities end. “2012” is perhaps the most classic and nostalgic sounding song on the EP, with an introduction AND drop throwing it back to EDM’s most popular era. The first drop is much more bubbly than anything else on the album and would be perfectly at home in a large coliseum or sporting event. SubDocta layers his patented wobbles on top of this classic beat for maximum aesthetic effect. A “What are those?” sample appears out of nowhere for humorous effect and to bring us back to the Vine era of social media. “2012” is a perfect blend of nostalgia and modernity, showing just how far the genre of EDM has come in the last fifteen to twenty years.

Overall, this is an incredible EP with no bad songs. The guest producers make their presence known and add their own one-of-a-kind touches to the tracks they are featured on. SubDocta is firing on all cylinders here and perfectly meshes what made EDM great in the past, and what is making it great in the modern era. It is important to never forget your roots or where you came from. SubDocta took that message to heart when crafting this masterful EP. Listen to it today on your daily commute or when you get home after a long day. The journey that this EP takes you on is worth every listening moment. Enjoy!

SubDocta will be supporting Barely Alive on his Better off Dead Tour, which heads to The Van Buren in Phoenix, AZ on Saturday, March 2nd. Grab your tickets here!

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