The enchanting, Odyssean “Cage of Glass” is the third succulent taste of Maxfield’s upcoming EP The Malleable Mirage releasing on February 27th with VALE. The crisp, cutting mid-tempo tunes “Opaque” and “Chucklebup” each premiered on the Inspector Dubplate Youtube channel recently. But coming in at just under nine minutes, and missing the traditional whizzes, bops, and bright colors that entice bass music listeners, “Cage of Glass” is an enchanting electronic bass ballad that finds Maxfield again out on an artistic limb.

Listeners learned from Maxfield’s prior project Under the Pink Umbrella that the producer is not afraid of taking risks in terms of songwriting. Indeed, one distinguishing aspect of Maxfield’s music is that his songs can be twice as long as your average hit, and non-linear; they never take quite the turn that you’re expecting, opting instead for a series surprises that range from the serious to the wacky and irreverent.

“Cage of Glass” opens as if the listener is inside some sort of translucent prism, probably technicolor and highly reminiscent of a film adaptation of your favorite sci-fi novel. Suddenly, the prism because touring through space-time, passing jungles where flute melodies waft through the air and medieval caverns where a court jester sadly plucks away on acoustic guitar strings. Then, it’s off to the future as an array of synthesized percussive sounds scurry through the mix like a centipede. Before long, all these ages and their textures blend into a sonic collage beautiful for its diversity, not for the strength or severity of any one specific element.

Maxfield has indicated before that his music is suffused with themes of space and space travel. These themes are again at play on “The Glass Cage”. It’s open spaces and its windy and momentous melodies conjure images of a vast emptiness that upon closer examination is not so empty. Look out for The Malleable Mirage on February 27th when the full project in all its quirky glory will be available through VALE.

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