Over the last few years, Dutch producer Waeys has built a reputation for rolling, technically precise drum & bass, issuing records on Dispatch and turning heads right across the scene. Snoar is his breakout release for Critical Music—drum & bass’s flagship underground imprint—and across four tracks it pairs his trademark dancefloor precision with a vocal feature from Duskee and heavyweight collaborations with Levela and Particle.
Title track Snoar sets the tone immediately: a crisp, rolling break set against warm, moody pads and a sub bass that rumbles rather than roars. Waeys’ drum programming is the star here—every snare and hat is placed with real intent—and the track glides forward with an effortless liquid energy that marks him out from the tech-heavy pack. Bold Courage brings Duskee’s soulful vocal to the fore, the singer floating above shimmering pads and a gently pulsing bassline in a proper vocal roller, and it anchors the EP’s emotional heart.
The Devil, made with Levela, is the record’s darkest turn, trading liquid warmth for a gritty, tech-edged two-step and a bassline that lands with genuine weight. It’s the sound of two producers locked into the same nasty frequency, and it gives the EP a welcome jolt of menace. Rave Tool, with Particle, closes things by stripping right back—stabbing synth, relentless beat, nothing else to hide behind—a utilitarian dancefloor weapon that does exactly what its name promises.
Snoar is a confident, cohesive statement of intent. Waeys moves effortlessly between vocal-led rollers, heavyweight collabs and stripped-back club tools without ever losing his identity, and the record hangs together as one clear vision rather than a scattergun showcase. If this is the standard of his breakout, the rest of 2021 looks very promising indeed.
