Simula – Cerberus EP Review

Some releases feel like they were designed to walk into the room and start a problem immediately. Cerberus from Simula is one of those. Four tracks on Playaz, all carrying that dark, snarling, high-pressure sound he has become known for, but with enough variation across the EP that it does not just feel like the same punch thrown four times.

That is probably what grabbed me first. Simula has a very recognizable sound at this point, which can be a blessing and a trap. When an artist gets known for a specific kind of bass movement, there is always the risk that new releases start feeling too predictable. Cerberus avoids that by keeping the core identity intact while giving each tune its own little monster to deal with.

The tracklist is:

• Cerberus
• Bogeyman
• Hobgoblin
• Shrike

Even just reading those names gives you a pretty good sense of the world this EP lives in. It is all creatures, shadows, and things you probably do not want to meet in a dark hallway. The music follows through on that pretty well.

Cerberus sets the tone fast

The title track does exactly what a title track should do. It gives the EP its identity right away. “Cerberus” comes in with that heavy, tense energy that makes you feel like the drop is already staring at you before it happens.

When it lands, the bassline has that proper Simula bite to it. It is nasty, but not sloppy. The movement is controlled enough to keep the groove clear, but still weird enough to make the tune feel alive. That is where he tends to be strongest for me. The bass sounds aggressive, but it still dances.

There is also a nice amount of restraint in the arrangement. It does not feel like every bar is trying to outdo the last with another trick. It gives the main idea room to hit, then twists it just enough to keep the tension moving. As an opener, it does the job perfectly.

Bogeyman leans into the shadows

“Bogeyman” is a great follow-up because it feels like it comes from the same dark corner, but it moves a little differently. The title makes you expect something creepy, and the tune definitely has that lurking quality to it. It feels less like something charging straight at you and more like something waiting just out of view.

The bass is still big and rude, obviously, but there is a bit more creep in the way the track moves. It has that kind of pressure where the tune keeps pulling you forward without needing to go completely over the top. I like that because it gives the EP a little more shape. If every track was just full attack from the first second, it would get tiring quickly.

This one feels like the kind of tune that would really come alive in a darker part of a set. Not necessarily the most obvious reload moment, but maybe the one that makes the room suddenly feel a little more dangerous.

Hobgoblin gets weird in the right way

“Hobgoblin” might be the title that made me smile the most, because it sounds exactly like the sort of strange little creature a Simula bassline would turn into if it had legs. The track has a slightly more playful energy to it, but not in a light or goofy way. More like mischievous and ugly at the same time.

This is where the EP gets a bit more animated. The groove feels restless, the bass has that mutant bounce, and the whole tune carries itself like it knows it is being a bit of a menace. It is still very much a serious dancefloor track, but there is a little bit of fun in the ugliness.

That is something I always appreciate in this lane of drum and bass. Heavy tunes do not always need to sound angry in the same exact way. Sometimes they can sound strange, cheeky, or slightly ridiculous and still absolutely work. “Hobgoblin” does that well.

Shrike closes with a sharper edge

Then there is “Shrike,” which feels like a strong closer because it has a slightly different kind of sharpness to it. The title fits too. A shrike is a small bird, but a pretty brutal one if you know anything about it, and the tune has that same feeling of something precise and nasty rather than just huge and obvious.

This one feels a little more refined to me. Still heavy, still built for the dance, but with a cleaner sense of movement. The bass work feels pointed, the drums stay locked in, and the whole thing gives the EP a solid final hit without just repeating the title track’s exact energy.

I can see why some listeners have already called this one out as a favorite. It has that replayable quality where the first listen gives you the impact, then the later listens make you notice how tightly everything is put together.

Why this EP works

The thing I like most about Cerberus is that it feels focused without getting boring. All four tracks clearly belong together, but each one has a slightly different personality:

• “Cerberus” is the main gatekeeper, big and direct.
• “Bogeyman” is the darker lurker.
• “Hobgoblin” is the weird, twitchy troublemaker.
• “Shrike” is the sharp closer with a bit more precision.

That is a good spread for a four-track EP. It does not try to show every side of Simula as an artist, but it does show enough range inside this particular sound to keep the release interesting from front to back.

Playaz also feels like a strong home for this one. There is a long history of heavy, attitude-driven drum and bass connected to that label, and Simula fits into that lineage without sounding like he is trying to copy an older era. It feels modern, but it still has that slightly rude, system-first mentality that makes sense under the Playaz name.

How it lands for me

I always come at this stuff as a fan first. I am not here pretending I can explain every sound design trick or every mixdown decision. What I care about is whether the tunes actually hit, whether they feel memorable, and whether I can picture them doing damage in a room.

Cerberus clears that bar easily. It is dark, heavy, and full of personality without feeling like it is trying too hard to prove anything. Simula sounds very comfortable here, but not lazy. The EP has enough of his familiar bite to satisfy people who already like his sound, and enough variation that it does not feel like another automatic rinse-out.

If you like this newer wave of heavy drum and bass that sits somewhere between jump-up attitude, technical low-end control, and straight-up monster music, Cerberus is a very easy release to get behind. It has teeth, but it also knows how to move.