Every so often, musicians take a leap. Not an actual leap, like a career one. It’s that moment when an influenced artist becomes an influential pioneer.

It takes a little patience, a lot of talent, and the balls to do something different. With the release of his new LP, Sub Focus did just that. Taurus is a powerful mixture of drum-and-bass in its most creative, contemporary form.

To put it extravagantly, it’s one small step for man, and one giant leap for Nick Douwma.

From start to finish, Taurus seems like a genre-less compilation. With straight-up D&B at its very core, the inability to classify this album should seem anything but negative. After issuing his full-length debut album in 2009 (a fusion of futuristic house, dubstep, and electro-rock), it became clear that Sub Focus is a man of many tastes. With a diverse palate in electronic music, knack for heart-pounding vocals, and aptitude in everything bass, how could you expect anything less from Nick Douwma?

Like all pioneers in EDM, Douwma is blurring the lines of the genre he knows best. And if you’ve been reading Rager Onions for some time, you know we hate genres. Because the best musicians are the ones that can produce an original expression of themselves through their music. In turn, creating an original style that can only be classified as one thing – their music.

From our ears, this British bass-head is brutally underrated by the growingly congested, competitive industry of electronic dance music. Hopefully, this album will turn that page – and give Nick Douwma the attention he rightfully deserves.

For those already friendly to Sub Focus, you might notice Taurus features some of his biggest hits from the last year or so (hits like ‘Falling Down’, ‘Out The Blue’, and ‘Endorphins’). Hell, even complete newcomers might recognize the LP’s irresistible benchmark, the ever-enchanting ‘Tidal Wave’. 

But we’re here to cut the crap, and tell you that Taurus has one absolutely undeniable gem. Featuring Kele Okereke (lead singer of Bloc Party), ‘Turn It Around’ is a heart-wrenching melody at an emotional crossroads, with lyrics that are desperately confident and bitterly optimistic.

Anywho, here’s our top-five favorite tracks from the album. But do yourself a solid, and take Taurus for a nice long joy-ride. 

Rager Onions Top-Five Tracks From Taurus

1. Turn It Around (ft. Kele) 
The kind’ve song you’d see a 30-year-old dude belting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, or see a dramatic teenager post lyrics from on Facebook.

2. Tidal Wave (ft. Alpines)
Might as well just bookmark it.

3. Torus
So good it seems like two different songs.

4. Falling Down (ft. Kenzie May)
Evil and awesome.

5. Until The End (ft. Foxes)
We love the 80’s, seemingly so does Sub Focus.