The Month in Music, September
Four new releases that have piqued our interest this month.
Ronan
Leaves of Life
X-Kalay’s relatively new-born offshoot ‘Another Place’ has, until now, provided one EP. Delivered through the adept hands of Tim Reaper and Ocean Stirs, the debut release is very much centred around the sounds of breakbeat/jungle/rave. Whilst its latest release somewhat fits that initial mould, a more stripped back and melodic approach gives Ronan’s Leaves of Life EP a luscious mix of energy and euphoria.
A recent resurgence of trance inspired productions has made for a flurry of delightfully compelling music. The aptly named Song of Surrender, pays homage to this distinctly euphoric sound that, for decades, has given us so many serotonin-saddling classics. Ronan harnesses everything beautiful and life affirming with the genre that we know and love, whilst facilitating a modern twist to very much stamp his own identity on it. Twinkling arps, sweeping verby pads, sporadic asmr whispers and a subtle dusting of intermittent breaks. All components which have been fastidiously combined and accompanied by simple but purposeful drums to fashion an elation-inducing weapon.
Cure for Toxicity utilises robust breaks with ambient waves that invoke a range of emotions, topped off with a final sassy switch up. Leaves of Life brings a similar approach to breakbeat programming but instead with a more warm, melancholy and almost nostalgic feel by way of floaty Rhodes style keys and drawn out subby hits.
Sacral Dub finished off the EP with a slightly less club orientated approach. Elements of dub or even sleazy hip-hop beats could be perceived as influences here. A lazy chug of broken drum work directs you through an ethereal and melodic haze via the rise and fall of ambient drones.
Leon
Fantasy (Sublee remix)
As with many of his Romanian contemporaries, Sublee is a producer with many strings to his bow, capable of delivering both heads-down club music and moments of dancefloor introspection. Providing remix duties on the latest release from Barcelona’s Dreams On Wax, Sublee presents a track that ticks both of his stylistic boxes. The original (from Italian producer Leon) never really gets going, but the flip side presents a different proposition.
Blissed out yet packing a punch thanks to a dynamic tom loop and a crunchy, distorted bassline, it’s a tune that carries plenty of dancefloor weight. A mid-track breakdown built around layers of echoing vocals and the arrival of some crisp hi-hats provides a useful moment for any DJs with one eye on pleasing an audience, but it’s not all club functionality. As the track fades out with some gorgeous pads (we’re talking real hugging-your-mates music here), it’s clearly a Sublee production, contemplative and emotional: the only qualm is perhaps that those pads didn’t arrive sooner or stick around for longer.
K-LONE
Balloons / Bubble Trouble
Off the back of releasing his eclectic/genre-hopping summer sophomore album Swells, September has seen K-LONE unveil a “companion two-tracker” born from the same studio sessions. Whilst maintaining much of the same cosy warmth this pair of productions are however palpably more upbeat and lend themselves to a more club-oriented listening experience.
Balloons has a distinct jacking feel with a neatly arranged percussive loop laying solid foundations in preparation for the arrival of a compact bassline which sets a hi-pace precedent. Bubbling away beneath lies an elating marimba riff (reminiscent of Y U QT’s U Belong to Me) that rises & falls throughout the tune resulting in a jubilant effect that will rouse smiles across many a dancefloor.
Bubble Trouble is slower and somewhat more seductive in its style. Starting out with breathy whispers & a polished set of chords it quickly evolves into a bouncy nu-wave UKG roller, stamped with K-LONE's unique ability to elevate.
Masupilami
Teled EP
Same Mind returns with a characteristically cool 4 track ep, providing further evidence of a burgeoning scene in Barcelona.
Starting as he means to go on, Masupilami’s Poem from Bucharest is the epitome of low-key but groovy minimal. With soft drum loops, shuffling synths and other pleasant sounds that stretch my music vocabulary, this first track brings everything there is to love about the genre to the fore. A similar description can be applied to Zky’s remix of Teled, a softer rendition of the original, full of dream-like soundscapes.
I’m not ashamed to admit I can’t drive, but if I could, Geneva would be on heavy rotation for night-time rides. With its melodic, rolling bassline, swinging drum progression and bright synths, it brings back memories of Need for Speed on the Nintendo DS or Forza on the Xbox 360 - always soundtracked with deep house and, looking back through rose tinted glasses perhaps, the occasional banger - simpler, purer times.
Teled EP is another solid release on Same Mind, who’s growing discography continues to impress.
