Reviews

★★★★☆

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.

★★★★☆

Silicon Tare, the latest chapter of the ongoing sci-fi inspired Com Truise saga that began with the Galactic Melt album, sees the producer setting the tone with this EP for an epic conclusion on one final LP as Com Truise. And what a set up it is. Things start off optimistically with the the dreamy synths and hard 808 stabs that dominate in “Sunspot.” But by the time closing track “Du Zirconia” commences, there is a markedly different vibe to the proceedings. With tense synths the main focus of the track has a quite distant feel to it — not mournful as such but introspective definitely and it’s the perfect way for it to end. An air of uncertainty abounds that you will not be able to wait to get resolved, and you can’t help but feel there is a feeling of loss in there.

What goes on in the middle holds everything together. Sandwiched between these tracks is the continuation of the tale taken to even greater heights. If “Sunspot” starts where “Wave” left off and “Du Zirconia” sets the final chapter up, then the middle lets this part of the tale blossom. With the glorious cinematic synths that have become synonymous with Com Truise at the forefront once again, great swathes of sound cascade creating a mesmerising atmosphere. The hazy “Forgive,” the focussed and punchy “Diffraction” and the moody, reflective title track all sound as close to the future as we can imagine. The penultimate nature of Silicon Tare sets things perfectly for this odyssey to end. Until then you can bask in the glory of Silicon Tare, an EP that is honestly as good as a separate musical identity as it is as part of the Com Truise story.

★★★☆☆

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.

★★★★☆

Since their inception in the early 2000s when Sascha Ring (Apparat) and Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary (of Modeselektor) united to create something new, Moderat have never disappointed. Their third album, the aptly titled III, doesn’t change that one iota.

III commences with the shimmering “Eating Hooks,” a melancholy opening that sets things off nicely. It is somber for sure but this feeling is combined with a soulful vibe and passionate vocals that take the track higher than the initial sorrowful feel would have you believe. In fact, the song transcends into something ultimately more positive. This positivity continues with the euphoric “Running” in which an energetic beat floats over a bed of glorious soul that explodes at the end of the song with a burst of power. The song has a lot of common with its title and it is this soulful energy and the conflicting mournful nature previous that defines III.

The gorgeous minimalism of “Finder” is a standout that defines the euphoric nature of the album. It makes you feel like summer has arrived thanks to its warm beat that has a Calypso vibe. Elsewhere on this eclectic album “Ghostmother” sounds in turn remorseful and hopeful in a conflicting nature, ending on a funereal and heartbreaking note. “The Fool” sounds like a melancholy version of Kraftwerk while the anthemic “Reminder” soars high with its joyous and free spirited. All of these tracks show the differing sides of Moderat.

The moody “Intruder” and “Animal Trails,” a track that is packed full of off-kilter glitchy beats, showcase an edgier side. Yet it’s one that fits in with the overall feel of things. The fact that III ends with a track called “Ethereal” is entirely fitting. This song is a perfect way to round things off — it’s the epitome of everything that has preceded it.

With so many different emotions coursing through III, it feels like a very human album. The mixture of upbeat and downbeat songs, and the fact that songs can go from down to up and vice versa in a matter of moments, is the mark of something very real. Moderat have proved themselves to be masters of their craft again with an album that will break your heart but lift your spirits too.