Voices have always been another block to play around with for electronic artist DÉ DÉ MOUSE. The Tokyo-based creator has always sliced-up vocal samples nice and thin, using them as an airy lift-off rather than something anyone needs to spend much time seeking out meaning from. New song “Heartbeat” takes this approach to a logical and welcome place. This jittery cut, from the just-released Nulife, stands out as a highlight of how effective this particular style of sonic tinkering can be. Watch the video — a simple affair featuring two dancers doing their thing and having some fun against a pretty spacious Tokyo backdrop — below.
The cut-tight singing sprinkled all over “Heartbeat” seemingly aims to recreate the feeling of the titular body activity, or at least touch on the nervous energy associated with it. What really pushes it to a new place for DÉ DÉ MOUSE is how he interacts with musical communities outside of his normal view. In particular, “Heartbeat” draws inspiration from the world of Jersey Club, a dance music community built around hiccuping beats and vocal samples. Several passages from “Heartbeat” nod towards this sound, and it proves to work wonders for the syllable skipping he has long preferred. Helping matters is how he’s open to exploring all kinds of passages over the course of this track, finding just the right pacing throughout.
“Heartbeat” comes from an equally energetic album, which arrived in stores and on streaming sites this past Wednesday. Nulife finds DÉ DÉ MOUSE embracing the beat-centered side of his mind, whether he’s crafting joyful releases such as “Heartbeat” or getting a bit more melancholic (and, uh, summoning the Bloghouse days of the late Aughts) on something like “Regret.” It’s a late-year highlight and a reminder that even the most well-worn tricks can find new use over time.