House Music Circles: March 2010

House Music Circles: March 2010

29 March, 2010 | 4.59AM

• Written by: Mazi Namvar
• Filed under: Music News: audio soul project, house music circles, mazi namvar

Some people get things done their own way. Regarding house music and the producers who make it, this can imply radical stylistic efforts towards change, a subtle evolution over what has come before, or lately it could be the marker of an intensely personal point of view.

I’m obsessed with this third group of individuals. The ones who aren’t reinventing the wheel, rather making it their own. Some of these creators are new to the game, others have been around for years - their common bond is a fervent personal approach to writing music.

My good friend, the French electronic musician Ludovic Llorca exemplifies this intimate approach to production. He originally gained notoriety for his late ‘90s releases on the Parisian based powerhouse F Communications.

His successful ‘Newcomer’ LP fused the many styles of rhythm based music he personally loves.

Jazz, funk, house, techno and soul were all mixed up on ‘Newcomer’ resulting in a nine chapter story that only Llorca could tell. Recently most of Ludo’s efforts go into his Art Of Tones pseudonym.

He started the AOT concept in 2005, at first exclusively for 20:20 Vision. His third release for the UK based imprint entitled ‘Praise’ became an instant underground classic with multiple compilation licensings.

The track became the blueprint for the AOT sound. The large disco breakbeat, anchored by thundering snare and hand claps, the squelching analog arpeggios, the early 80s influenced slap bass and the dramatic cosmic breakdowns set the standard for many beautiful tracks that followed.

Art Of Tones’ latest release ‘The World As I Live It’ EP on Room With A View is further testament to Llorca’s private intuitions ruling his studio work.

My favorite song on the project ‘Breaking Bad’ is a journey through inner space peppered with piano, organ, wah-wah guitar, hot-blooded female vocals and that AOT indicative live bass.

Strahil Velchev, also know as Kink, is another house jack that always puts it down from his own vantage point. In his own words, the Bulgarian native tries to, “take the soul and groove of house, the futurism and detail of experimental electronica, and the raw energy of acid.”

Right at the start of his career with the release of ‘Same Old Thing’ on Chris Duckenfield’s Odori Music it was apparent that Kink would handle the business of music production in his own special way.

His tracks are short compared to most house songs today, usually between five and six minutes. A listener, or more aptly a dancer, would instantly know a Kink track by its sheer economy. His music is by no means minimal, but there are never any inessential sounds on his tracks.

If even the smallest element is removed from a Kink track, its whole essence is lost. Other memorable cuts like his Rub-Down of Eviljack’s ‘Getaway’ and his collaboration with Neville Watson ‘Inside Out’ on Rush Hour have steadily gained admiration and plays from DJs like Josh Wink, Francois K, DJ Sneak, Funk D’Void, Paul Woolford and Jimpster.

An artist who has carved out a personal perspective through a series of stellar releases is Chicago based Nathan Drew Larsen. His 2000 debut on Gourmet Recordings ‘Standing Still’ was a minimalist soulful house vocal featuring the mysterious Black Pearl.

It’s not often one reads the words ‘minimal’ and ‘soul’ next to each other. This rare weaving of diverse traditions is Larsen’s trademark. ‘Standing Still’ was licensed by industry leaders, first picked up by Hooj Choons in 2001 then signed to Global Underground in 2003.

Larsen’s later work on Gourmet Recordings, such as the found sound recording ‘Are You Sensitive?’ was used by Dave Taylor aka Switch for his Straight Jackin’ mix on Slip ‘n’ Slide.

Larsen’s recent recordings are more melodic and lush. Remixes for Florian Kruse’s ‘Shake It Off’ and Phonogenic’s ‘Woah!’ or originals like ‘Lambdalette’ and ‘Left There’ are rich in layers of analog and FM synthesis.

Impressions of the Windy City are still strong in his music, but now they’ve been joined by influences as far reaching as krautrock pioneers Faust, and 1970s disco maestro Arthur Russell.

Playing Larsen’s music, I get the feeling he visualizes the notes he writes. Each chord has a color, the drums resonate like forces of nature, the keys are textured like an oil painting, the effects are like shooting stars. 

Over the last couple of years I’ve taken notice of German talent Till Von Sein. He seems to focus his compositions through the carefree outlook he has on life.

From early collaborations on Trenton Records to his Morris Audio EPs, Sein has consistently tempered earthy undulating rhythms with sampled harmonic grooves, lazy skipping chords, unassuming vocal bits and arrangements that keep bubbling without ever spilling over.

He uses many standard house elements like the Rhodes electric piano, acoustic percussion, or retro pads, but the subtlety and restraint which he employs place a profound signature on his music.

Tracks like ‘Privat’ on Morris Audio or ‘Nulla’ on Dirt Crew are good examples of his delicate yet dynamic approach.

Brooklyn based Gadi Mizrahi is someone who most recently has taken much of my attention. I’ll admit I wasn’t a big fan of his ‘minimal’ sound but ever since his remix of Voodeux’s ‘The Paranormal’ on mothership I’ve been converted.

The crisp sparse beats, the trumpet, the sweet dry bell-chords and his transformation of the arpeggios from the original, which sounded like nu-trance cliches, into a haunting backing rhythm mimicking an interlude on Steve Miller Band’s ‘Children of the Future’, all endear the remix to me.

His latest outings, ‘I Can Never Get Enough’ on Spectral Sound and his ‘Can’t Stop This Feeling’ EP on Simple Records both borrow heavily from the past.

Recognizable vocal parts, discoesque percussion loops and orthodox drum machine cadences might seem mundane to the uninitiated. But the consciousness-expanding perspectives from which these tracks are written exemplify Mizrahi’s personal experiences and mood.

Brand new to the deeper side of house, New York based Christopher Manik just started on the righteous path in January 2010. His ‘Park To The Slope’ EP released as MANIK on Josh Wink’s Ovum Recordings created the kind of ripple effect that seldom occurs in the underground.

The EP’s title track, with its warm modulating organs and syncopated bass bumps, and the seethingly fathomless acid stormer ‘N Train To Astoria’ were caned from all corners of the club universe.

MANIK’s latest ‘Drink Your Juice’ EP goes even further in exploring traditional 1990’s house techniques through the lens of a 24-year-old living in the 21st century.

Cuts like ‘Soul Glo’ and ‘Juice’ are pure unapologetic deep house, using melodies, rhythms and accents that are staples of the style. But MANIK coats these standard motifs with a modern luster that could only come from someone walking in his shoes.

Personal perspective might just be the next frontier. It seems an obvious statement, maybe even redundant; but in a time when it’s so easy to imitate one another, when so many traditions have been spelled out to the last degree, the creative people who inspire me are the ones who simply tell their own private stories.

About Mazi Namvar aka Audio Soul Project

A prolific producer, remixer and DJ, Chicago resident Mazi Namvar’s name has appeared on over 200 records in the 15 years, under a number of pseudonyms including Audio Soul Project.

A DJ for 18 years, Mazi has played at clubs like Fabric in London, Crystal in Istanbul, Q in Zürich, Avalon in Los Angeles, Masai in Varna, Level in Bahrain, Red Light in Paris and Simoon in Tokyo.

He continually works on remixes, and his recent credits include Marc Romboy and Tyree Cooper’s ‘Lost’ on Josh Wink’s Ovum Recordings, Nick and Danny Chatelain’s ‘Sube Conmigo’ on NRK, AlexKid & Chloe’s ‘Afterblaster’ on Brique Rouge, Alexander Maier’s ‘Sahara Rain’ on Mood Music, Cates & dpL’s ‘Through the Weekend’ on OM Records, Chaim’s ‘C Factor’ on Missive Recordings, Sandrino & Adryan’s ‘Solar Wind’ on Fresh Meat and Nosmo v Kris B & Ben Brown’s ‘La Cocina’ which was licensed to Darren Emerson’s ‘Bogotá GU36’ DJ mix; the latest in the Global Underground series.

Currently most of his original music appears on Fresh Meat Records which he co-owns with partner Nathan Drew Larsen. Other recent productions have appeared on Systematic, Dessous Recordings, Circle Music and SAW Recordings. 

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