Mexico meets Augsburg! Feines Tier veterans Theus Mago and Dominik Marz join forces for the „Timewarp“ EP. And to everybody whose stream of consciousness associates this title to terms like „Feierei“ and „Gude Laune“: Well, you’re not wrong. The message is brought to you through on-point less-is-more drum programming, distorted toms, crystalline synths, chirping 303s and spliced-up vocals. So basically everything you’d ever need for a proper feierei. Mr Smallville Paris aka Jacques Bon and his pal Drux (nomen est omen?) serve their exquisite tastebuds to cook up a bittersweet remix of the tune, which makes for a deep(!) dish with its trippy percussion layers and nebulous pads. Maybe don’t drive a car after consuming this one. The gude vibes continue with „Fredonien“ which is served in two variations: Firstly the „Vox Mix“ which is going all in on honoring its title and is as sweet as candy, with the synth chords adding that dip of melancholy we’re craving from all the best deep house tunes. The regular version is a more streamlined affair, but don’t be fooled: The amount it’s lacking in heart wrenching vocals is more than made up by melodramatic Mellotron-y synths dropping by from time to time to say hello and raise the stakes. All we’ve got left to say after all these timewarps, drux and vox is: More of this collab, please!
Musik
Johannes Klingebiel – Scream! EP
Johannes Klingebiel is back on Feines Tier with his „Scream!“ EP. After releasing two sold out vinyl EP’s and an album on the label we are proud to present new tunes once again – this time with a digital 5-tracker packed with nutritious festival food for all the day- and night-times this summer.
„Show Up“ is probably best served when the sun shows up and you can raise one hand in the air while sipping on your Spritz with other. The title track „Scream!“ goes in a darker and weirder direction, Johannes probably channeling his inner Kosi here with those tipsy cowbells and wonky sample pads flying around.
When the sun’s getting low and you can’t make out „The Forest For The Trees“ through all this fog and dry ice, just play the tune with that title. The warm piano and string chords will guide you through it all.
„Urgent Calls“ might be the most straightforward deep house track Johannes ever made, yet it still got that hazy trippy Klingebiel touch to it. Maybe this should be your new ringtone?
Closing out the EP is „Beyond“ with its mix of chord- and mind-bending synths and… brass instruments? Anyway, it makes us feel like we’re in a Western movie getting ready for a stand-off but accidentally had some edibles in our breakfast cereals and now everything is starting to melt into each other. And now? Hit repeat!
Buy / Stream: http://fanlink.tv/ft061_klingebiel
Release: 07 June 2024
Artwork: Lorenz Klingebiel
Cover pic:
Series of three photos showing a hysterical yawning woman
Lettering: Baillements Hysteriques Phototype Negatif A.Londe Photocollographie Chene & Longuet Lecrosnier & Babe, Editeurs
www.europeana.eu/en/item/9200579/xrr3gc64
Licensed under CC by 4 deed: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.en
Slightly changes werde made by adding some background color.
Roe Deers – Landscape EP
Feines Tier is entering its 60s together with Lithuanian lad Liudas Lazauskas aka Roe Deers and his Landscape EP. We’re not exactly sure if those titular landscapes are to be understood literally, figuratively, metaphorically or all at once, nevertheless they are fascinating and a marvel to take in. Where and how do we start? With an (un)healthy dose of acid of course! „I’m very sorry (Acid)“ takes care of that, with the tune delivering everything the title promises, experience report included. Better make sure set and setting are right for this one! After that we’re taking a thrilling „Helicopter“ ride to „Glory“ and try not to loose our „Shoes“. Ok, that was a little cheap, I’m Very Sorry (Acid)! (Sorry again!) Anyway, to speak in strictly musical terms, „Helicopter“ is a banger. And „Glory“ is just beautiful with its gorgeous addictive swirling arps, while „Shoes“ keeps it cool tempo-wise and also mood-wise, creeping through some dark back-alleys with moody breakbeat drums and brooding synth chords. The penultimate „Silent Stories“ picks up the pace again a little bit, but gets even more grubby, hypnotic and seductive vocals included, before we get another face-melter with the closer „Sash“, which goes hard on the electric bass in your face, pitched-down vocals and some cowbells for good measure. Thank you Roe Deers for guiding us through these Landscapes for our 60th, the fresh air makes us feel like teenagers again.
Buy limited vinyl / Download / Stream:
Kadosh & The Drifter – Jakarta EP
What a dream combo! Irish powerhouse and Maeve runner The Drifter joins forces with the Israeli super talent of Frau Blau fame, Kadosh. The result is Jakarta, an elegant yet relentlessly effective and forceful tune built to elevate dance floors small and big(!) around the globe. It is one of those productions where all the elements fall into their suitable places so naturally that it’s made looking easy, which one might call an attribute of true craftsmanship.
The delicate mesh of synth stabs and chords, the sporadic vocal insertions, the efficient beat programming, everything is arranged to build a sum greater than its parts. We’re given two different variants of the track, the „Day“ and „Night“ version, which gives a clue about their respective qualities and intended use. But to be quite honest, we could also imagine the „Night“ version on a sunlit festival floor or the „Day“ version in a dark and sweaty warehouse. There have been dark days and bright nights after all, stranger things have happened. Whichever you end up choosing in any given moment, you most likely won’t be wrong.
Download & Stream:
Secret Factory – Neon Jaguar Odyssey EP
The Hungarian tinkerers of Secret Factory make their Feines Tier debut with the forceful Neon Jaguar Odyssey EP.
And indeed the title track straight up sends us into a dizzying but satisfying whirlwind of emotions, with the rock-solid foundation of drums and bass guiding us through this odyssey safe and sound in the end. Similar things can be said about the follow-up „Metal Goblin“ with its simple yet catchy bassline loop building the groundwork for all the detuned percussions, confused vocal snippets and massive synth sounds. The result is a hypnotic snake charmer of a track, made for post-apocalyptic discotheques, all shiny and chrome.
„Visions Of Joy“ doubles down on these vibes, impalpably luring us in with a stripped-down and brutally effective beat and tinges of oriental adjacent synth pads. The record-closing „Life After Birth“ starts out relatively innocent with broken drum machine patterns, but reveals itself to be another dance floor monster in the final minutes, cleverly layering analogue synth sounds on top of each other to lead us to a mesmerizing climax.
Download & Stream:
https://fanlink.tv/ft058_secretfactory
Ikaro Grati – Search Language EP
Brussels-based up-and-coming talent Ikaro Grati marks his Feines Tier debut with the four track SEARCH LANGUAGE EP. As Ikaro himself puts it, it’s „an euphonious exploration of the new generation, weaving together their hopes, dreams, challenges, and contradictions into a sonic tapestry“. And indeed, if this sound represents the new generation, then we’re in good hands! It’s diverse and sprawling, yet laser-focused in its production.
Take the title track with its clear-cutting drum patterns, warm basslines and super-sharp lead sounds, the picture is clear, no smudge on the lense to distort our view. Or „Run Like A Child“ with its bouncing vocal samples and synth arpeggios creating a playful and whimsical vibe, „reflecting the vibe of hope and renewal“ as Ikaro himself puts it. „Social Syndrome“ gets more serious with pulsing 303s and dramatic string pads. Ikaro says „the track is about the pressure of the younger generation to be constantly connected and the social anxiety that can result“, for example by social media tending to create unrealistic expectations and feelings of inadequacy.
The EP closes with the bangin’ „New Leaf Generation“, which alternates urging vocal loops with intense synth explorations. The tune culminates in a break introducing beautiful poly-synth chord progressions before throwing us back into the relentless groove of before. „This track evokes a sense of hope and optimism, as it describes a generation that is standing up for what they believe“ says Ikaro. Let’s celebrate them for that!
Cover art: Yan Bapala