Sincopat is on fire this year. Returning star DeMarzo’s Joy EP continues to raise the bar with a four-pack of tech-house hotness that’s ready to rock. “Joy” is a masterfully crafted piece of electronica-infused house music with dynamic layers and an addictive rhythm that’s guaranteed to warm up any icy feet on the dance floor. The original mix of “Momentus” is an epic underground disco cut with deep acid swoops and progressive leads that twist together and let loose with a blinding climax. Simon Baker shows off his techno side with a pounding remix of “Momentus.” Once he gets started there’s no turning back! “Fated” rounds out the project with its glitchy electronic riffs, lush bassline and gritty synths. After all is said and done it’s hard to pick a favorite; each cut is that good. If you want an infectious bopper, look no further than the Joy EP.
It’s been said that success is not the key to happiness, rather happiness is the key to success. But how does one measure success? Some in the music biz quantify sold-out shows, album sales, chart placement or ranking in the top slots of Internet DJ lists as winning. Some measure it in terms of money earned or product quality. Maybe even personal contentment or the level of happiness brought to others. Success can be achieving goals or simply doing what you love. But normally success requires work. Hard work. Darin Epsilon’s rise has been anything but overnight; he’s paid his dues as both a producer and touring DJ, a label boss, a musician and a marketer. In the meantime he’s built a musical brand; hosts a popular podcast; and has worked hard to earn each and every fan he’s won over the years. Yet despite that success, he remains accessible.
Big Shot decided it was time to catch up with the Perspectives Digital don for a few words of wisdom about his brand of progressive/tech-house, the scene and the direction he thinks dance music is heading. Continue Reading →
Every once in a while even the most jaded of us are allowed to smile at new music, and even the most curmudgeonous of critics can admit that maybe they haven’t in fact heard it all before. With so much disposable music it’s sometimes hard to know who’s worth the time. But I try. And after wrapping myself around the latest Balance Presents, it’s safe to say Patrice Bäumel is definitely somebody worth hearing.
I’ve seen the Bäumel name around but never took the time to give him a proper listen. He’s an internationally renowned DJ based out of Amsterdam and a critically acclaimed producer and remixer featured on labels like Kompakt, !K7, Get Physical, My Favorite Robot and Systematic. So why did it take me so long to tune in? Maybe it’s because he hasn’t really broken on the stateside scene. Or maybe I’m just lazy. But whatever. I’m a fan now; better late than never, right?
His Balance debut is a hybrid of sorts between house, techno and electronica; the genres seem to constantly redefine themselves. Maybe it’s better to just say the sound is “melodic” or “progressive” or even “intelligent.” But enough with the buzzwords. Honestly, this mix transcends labels and doesn’t easily get weighed down by traditional genre stereotypes.
In fact, calling this just another DJ mix wouldn’t be doing it justice. It’s a production project. “Rather than blending one record into the next, I wanted to blur the lines between DJ set and production and turn it into a composition in its own right,” Bäumel says. And he succeeds. It’s not another four-to-the-floor slammer and it’s definitely not just another phoned-in compilation of chart hits. Bäumel’s mix really takes the time to build itself up. It’s not an hour of earhole abuse and constantly-building energy; it’s just as much about the spaces in between the songs and the sounds. The highs and the lows. The ambience. The anticipation. It’s about setting a mood, building an attachment, then subtlety shifting it and rebuilding anew. As clichéd as the phrase “taking the listener on a journey” has become, that’s exactly what this mix does.
But Balance Presents: Patrice Bäumel is anything but cliché. Simply put, it’s great. Not just for the music, which is unique, fresh and emotive. And not just for the creative structure or imaginative studio magic of Bäumel. (On the technical end the project utilized everything from “harmonic matching, automation, transposing looping, editing” before being “passed through an analogue mixer to engender a crisp, tight aesthetic”). It’s not meant to be a peak-hour banger; instead it’s best enjoyed as an after-hours soundtrack, the perfect accompaniment for that introspective period when our minds and bodies are winding down and the last dregs of adrenaline from the dance floor are slowly fading away. So turn on, tune in and drop out.
Finding a song that breaks the 10-minute mark nowadays is almost as rare as seeing a professional club DJ that spins exclusively vinyl sets. Not unheard of, but certainly not as common as it used to be. That was the first thing I noticed when I listened to the new 12-minute opus from &ME on Saved Records.
“Shadows” starts with slow, brooding beats, delicate piano work and an almost seedy noir vibe. Not bad so far, but with a running time double that of most releases today, could this work? I wasn’t sure. Then I closed my eyes. Dwayzo Lawrence’s vocals kick in; imperfect, haunting, human. Then the ride. The percussion. The sweeps solidified and slowly everything in the melancholy world of “Shadows” seemed to swirl into place, and I found myself getting caught up in the rhythm. Bottom line: If your crowd is flooded with fist-pumping punters at a festival with more sponsors than NASCAR, this cut probably won’t work. But drop this track into a set built around mood instead of energy, show it to an intelligent crowd looking for slow-burning substance and not just superficial thrills, then “Shadows” just might be the perfect fit.
