G-Town artist doesn't hold back on his debut album...
03 · 10 · 2025
After years of energizing club scenes and pushing SoundCloud boundaries, Irish producer and DJ, KETTAMA, releases his eagerly anticipated debut album, ‘Archangel’. This genre-defying, emotionally charged collection establishes his place as one of the most essential new voices in underground music. Known for his electrifying performances, raw tracks, and powerful club anthems, the Galway-born artist has meticulously crafted ‘Archangel’, and it’s evident. A decade in the making, this 15-track album is not just a debut but a significant declaration. It combines hard-house vigor, euphoric trance, breakbeat unpredictability, and a courageous dive into self-reflection, affirming KETTAMA’s ascent in the music scene and establishing him as one of today's top talents.
Beginning with the title track, ‘Archangel’ (feat. SØLV), the album creates an atmospheric introduction as piano melodies linger in the air, building towards something heavenly through strong synths. However, it quickly shifts to a darker tone with ‘Split in Two Minds’, featuring seantommy, a more aggressive piece that explores the complex layers of Galway, referred to as G-Town in KETTAMA's universe. From this point, the journey oscillates between exhilarating dance music and thoughtful innovation. ‘Yosemite’, featuring the rising star Interplanentary Criminal, exemplifies the blend of these two worlds, merging vocals with an ethereal melody to create a breakbeat fantasy.
In ‘Take Me’, layers of synths create an overwhelming sensory experience, which continues with ‘Fade Away (It’s A Feeling)’, an uplifting club anthem perfect for early morning sets and late-night celebrations. Yet, it’s ‘Man With A Second Face’ that emerges as the heart of the album, a track that resonated throughout the festival circuit and catapulted KETTAMA to the forefront of the 2025 Summer scene. With distorted vocals and echoing synths that build to a shattering climax, the intense breakdown showcases the artist at his finest.
The collaborations maintain the album's energy, with ‘If U Want My Heart’ alongside DJ HEARTSTRING as a trance-infused peak-time hit, while ‘Do Not Go Gentle’ explores melodic breakbeats, highlighting KETTAMA’s adaptability without sacrificing his edge. The emotional resonance is further explored in ‘11th of January’, where ambient sounds and subtle percussion reveal a more introspective side, and ‘Airmaxes’ features another notable collaboration with Shady Nasty and Fred again.., which defies expectations yet continues to reflect the breathtakingly sincere production style that builds the world of ‘Archangel’. He also transforms this collaboration into a high-energy, bass-driven remix with ‘Airmaxes (KETTAMA Mix)’, underscoring his ability to reinvent.
As ‘Archangel’ progresses, both ‘Gotta Have It’ and ‘I Believe’ featuring Prospa return to familiar KETTAMA territory, delivering anthemic, high-energy tracks made for warehouse parties and club basements, while ‘It Gets Better’ presents euphoric synth waves and an unrelenting beat, bringing the project full circle. Across the album, KETTAMA demonstrates that his musical and production expertise suit the LP format flawlessly. While he has garnered acclaim for dynamic EPs and electrifying DJ sets, this longer format enables him to weave a more cohesive narrative.
Much like one of his DJ performances, ‘Archangel’ rises, falls, and explodes, paying tribute to club culture, his Irish underground roots, and the emotional release that electronic music can provide when approached with such meticulous care. KETTAMA has reached a creative high point, with ‘Archangel’ marking a crucial milestone that confirms his status as a significant player in the future of electronic music.
8/10
Words: Ben Broyd
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