Tag: Octo Octa Between Two Selves

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Montreal’s Tommy Lunaire Releases a Brooding and Cinematic Single

Tommy Lunaire is a a Montreal-based electronic music producer and artist, who has a lifelong obsession nd love of analog synthesizers. His debut EP, the five-song Until I Melt EP is heavily inspired by the likes of Jamie xx, Flume and Rival Consoles — while featuring highly personal compositions.

The EP’s latest single “Hailstorm” is brooding and cinematic track centered around dense layers of shimmering synth arpeggios, fluttering flute, skittering beats and a driving groove. Sonically, the track — to my ears, at least — reminds me a bit of Octo Octa’s oft-mentioned Between Both Selves while evoking the bracing chill of a summer rainstorm.

Featuring art direction and motion design by Louis Robert and 3D art by William Thibault (Loodious) is a trippy mix of modernist painting-like animation and computerized art.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Wojmann is a mysterious and emerging French electronic music producer and electronic music artist with a rather unique and interesting back story: Born somewhere in Southern France during the late 20th century, the emerging French artist suffered from a severe case case of amnesia, a case that has essentially erased his past. Found in front of a small Provence town’s public pool last April, the only memories that Wojmann seems to have is a haunting rhythm in his head that he tries to transcribe to music.

His debut EP will be released through acclaimed French label Sinners. The EP’s first single “Vars” is an expansive deep house track centered around skittering, tweeter and woofer rattling beats and glistening synth arpeggios within an expansive, mind-bending song structure, complete with an atmospheric break. Sonically to my ears, the song reminds me a bit of Octo Octa‘s Between Two Selves as it possesses a similar sensual quality.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: End of Code Releases a Brooding Visual for Soulful and Introspective “On To You”

Split between Malibu and Monaco, the emerging electronic music production and artist duo End of Code features the following:

Nicolas Saad, a Monaco-based DJ and electronic music producer, whose career can be traced back to the 1990s. Saad has developed a reputation for crafting tracks for French radio and TV.
Shawn Pereira, a Malibu-based model. who taught himself music while traveling the world modeling in campaigns for Ralph Lauren Polo Sport, Diet Coke and Tag Heuer.

Pereira met Saad while vacationing in St. Barth’s, a small French West Indies territory, that was once a Swedish colony for about 100 years. Bonding over an abiding love of deep house, the duo wound up writing, recording and producing their full-length debut, last year’s The Beginning — and since then, their music has become the official sound of BMW Monaco, playing in every new car sold.

The duo have had a busy start to 2021, as they’ve released two singles:

“Deep Into Your Soul.”a slickly produced yet soulful club banger.
“The Fall,” a brooding yet euphoric banger that reminded me quite a bit of Octo Octa’s Between Two Selves.

End of Code are working on their highly-anticipated follow-up to The Beginning, which they hope will be released later this year. Building up buzz for that album, the duo have released their third single of the year, “On To You.” Proudly nodding to Larry Levan-era house, as it features twinkling keys, skittering beats and Pereira’s achingly soulful vocals, the new single is centered around some of the most introspective lyrics of their growing catalog: the song tells the story of a character, who has cheated, lied, stole and lived a dishonest live to get over. And while initially, that character has achieved success and felt like a winner, eventually they and their ugly deeds will be exposed. Consider the song a warning. Be careful about how you do things.

Directed by Thomas Concordia and Rainer Hosch, the recently released video for
“On To You” is a brooding, cinematically shot black and white visual filmed in pre-pandemic New York. And throughout our protagonist’s lengthy walk, the viewer gets the emotional and psychological weight behind the song.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: JOVM Mainstay LutchamaK Releases a Sultry and Shimmering Bit of Deep House

There are few artists I’ve written about as much over the past 18 months than the frenetically prolific French electronic music producer, artist and JOVM mainstay LutchamaK. During that same period, LutchamaK has released an increasingly eclectic array of material — whether as EPs, stand-alone singles and albums — that find him bouncing back and forth between different electronic music styles, genres and sub-genres with effortless aplomb.

The French JOVM mainstay started the year with Pi, a full-length album written and recorded in a three month burst. Interestingly, Pi‘s material may arguably be among the darkest and heaviest he has written and recorded. LutchamaK has quickly followed the release of Pi with Quest EP, a six-song EP, which finds the French electronic music producer and artist crafting more melodic material — but with a more experimental direction. The EP’s second and latest single “Quest” is a melodic bit of deep house, centered around shimmering synth arpeggios, stuttering beats and tweeter and woofer rocking thump. While citing the likes of Underground Resistance, Laurent Garnier, and G-Prod, the song reminds me — to my ears, at least — of Octo Octa’s Between Two Selves.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Split between Malibu and Monaco, the emerging electronic music production and artist duo End of Code features the following:

  • Nicolas Saad, a Monaco-based DJ and electronic music producer, whose career can be traced back to the 1990s. Saad has developed a reputation for crafting tracks for French radio and TV. 
  • Shawn Pereira, a Malibu-based model. who taught himself music while traveling the world modeling in campaigns for Ralph Lauren Polo Sport, Diet Coke and Tag Heuer. 

Pereira met Saad while vacationing in St. Barth’s, a small French West Indies territory, that was once a Swedish colony for about 100 years. Bonding over an abiding love of deep house, the duo wound up writing, recording and producing their full-length debut, last year’s The Beginning — and since then, their music has become the official sound of BMW Monaco, playing in every new car sold.

Now, as you may recall, Pereira and Saad began 2020 with the slickly produced yet soulful club banger “Deep Into Your Soul.” Coming hot on the heels of “Deep Into Your Soul,” the duo’s latest single “The Fall” continues the duo’s growing reputation for crafting slickly produced bangers. Featuring wobbling synth arpeggios, skittering beats, crooned male vocals, atmospheric electronics and an enormous hook, “The Fall” manages to simultaneously be brooding yet euphoric in a way that reminds me quite a bit of Octo Octa’s Between Two Selves.

End of Code are working on their highly-anticipated follow-up to The Beginning, which they hope will be released later this year.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Pieter Herweijer is an emerging, 28 year-old, The Hague-based electronic music DJ and producer, who specializes in EDM, tech house and neo-disco. His latest single “But I Like It” is self-assured club friendly, deep house banger centered around layers of arpeggiated synths, skittering beats and a soulful vocal sample — and sonically, the song manages to bring Octo Octa‘s Between Two Selves to mind but with a subtly Middle Eastern vibe.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Cambodian-French Producer Sandap Releases a Slow-Burning New Single

Sandap is an emerging Cambodian-born, Paris-based composer, producer and electronic music artist. He was adopted at a very young age and wound up living in Paris. By the time he turned five, the Cambodian-born, Paris-based composer, producer and electronic music artist leaned violin before switching to piano, which would become his primary instrument.

Around the time, Sandap turned 11, he was introduced to composition and songwriting. And after working on material under a number of pseudonyms, he decided to release material under his own name. Sandap’s work draws from his own travels and personal experiences, as well as from the two vastly different cultures he has grown up in.

He released his first single “Rina” in 2018 and began to develop a fanbase. His latest single, “When I see us” is a slow-burning and atmospheric track centered around skittering beats, shimmering synth arpeggios, twinkling keys and layers of distorted yet plaintive vocals. While bearing a subtle resemblance to Octo Octa’s Between Both Sides, the song evokes an aching longing for a romantic relationship and for home.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

KARLITA is a rising French DJ and producer, who fell in love with the trip-hop, ambient electronica and lounge compilations in her parents record collection. Her desire to share her thoughts and emotions through music — her earliest love — had influenced her to start writing her own original music,, inspired by her surroundings.

The French DJ and producer’s full-length debut, last year’s Lazydayz found her quickly establishing a unique sound and approach in which melancholy and hope meshed in a groove-driven fashion. Lazydayz‘s follow-up, the five track EP Amor Fabola finds KARLITA exploring a sinuous, deep house sound. Interestingly, the EP’s title derives its names from two disparate sources — the Latin phrase for love story and from the French word fabuler, which can translate into “invent,” “make up” or “fantasize,” as well as implying infatuation, attachment and adoration. And the listener is invited to make up their own story with the material. “This album tends to retrace the process of a romance, good or bad, to each his own interpretation,” the French DJ and producer explains in press notes.

The EP’s latest single, EP opening track “i Can’t Wait” features glistening synth arpeggios stuttering hit hats, reverb-drenched thumps and KARLITA’s plaintive cooing paired with a sultry and insistent groove. But underneath the dance floor friendliness of the material, the song is imbued with the sort of longing and introspective nature that reminds quite a bit of Octo Octa‘s Between Two Selves.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: JOVM Mainstay LutchamaK releases a Mesmerizing Take on Deep House

Throughout the past year, I’ve spilled copious amounts of virtual ink covering French electronic music artist and producer LutchamaK. The French JOVM mainstay’s work is deeply influenced by — and generally draws rom — techno but while reflecting a lifelong devotion to and love of eclecticism, with his work often possessing elements of deep house and EDM among other electronic music genres, styles and subgenres.

During that same period, LutchamaK has been frenetically prolific, releasing new material through an increasing number of EPs, standalone singles and albums, including his latest EP, the six track effort Omen. Omen EP finds the French producer and JOVM mainstay crafting material that’s decidedly deep house. Centered around stuttering hi-hats and wobbling synth arpeggios, “Hope/Peace” is mesmerizing yet meant to be soothing — all while bringing Octo Octa’s Between Two Selves to mind.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Generik Teams Up with Forcès on a Euphoric Club Banger

Tyson O’Brien is a rising Aussie electronic music producer and DJ, best known in electronic circles as Generik. Since relocating to Los Angeles, O’Brien has been rather prolific: 2018 saw him craft a piano house driven remix of Halsey’s “Bad at Love,” and a vibey remix of Dillion Francis’ “Hello There.” O’Brien has also landed a couple of ARIA Club Chart #1’s with “The Weekend” feat. Nicky Van She, “Late at Night,” “So High,” and “Be There” feat. A*M*E. Each of those singles have done well on the Shazam, Spotify Australia and Spotify US viral charts.

Last year, the Aussie producer released the “You Do You” series, which further showcased his classic house inspired sound and approach. And keeping with a busy schedule and growing profile, Generik had ongoing residencies at Ibiza’s Pacha, Las Vegas’ Omnia Nightlcub and Bali’s Omnia Dayclub and others.

“Need U,” Generik’s latest single finds him teaming up with British upstart Fourcès on a sun-kissed and euphoric bit of classic house centered around twinkling piano arpeggios, thumping beats, a soulful vocal sample and an enormous hook. Sonically, the track reminds me of Octo Octa’s Between Both Sides, as it possesses a sinuous and sultry quality — while being incredibly crowd pleasing.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Slow Magic · Closer 2 U (feat. Manila Killa)

Slow Magic is a mysterious and masked electronic producer and electronics music artist, whose work, which includes 2012’s Triangle, 2014’s How to Run Away and 2017’s Float has amassed over 200 million streams globally. Adding to a rapidly rising profile, the mysterious producer and electronic music artist has toured with the likes of ODESZA, Giraffage and XXYYXX — and has released critically applauded remixes of the work of ODESZA, Gold Panda and Delorean. 2018 saw Slow Magic play a set at Coachella, which he followed up with a North American tour with shallou and a headlining European tour.

The masked electronic music artist and producer’s latest effort Closer 2 U EP, which features the critically applauded single “Somewhere,” a collaboration with shallou and Woven in Hiatus is slated for release later this month. The EP’s latest single, EP title track “Closer 2 U” is a euphoric collaboration with Manilla Killa that’s centered around shimmering synth arpeggios, stuttering tweeter and woofer rocking beats, twinkling keys and chopped up yet otherworldly vocals. Sonically bearing a resemblance to Octo Octa‘s Between Two Selves, “Closer 2 U” is a slick and seamless synthesis of each producer’s sound that manages to evoke a familiar aching yearning for connection that we all have felt during COVID-19 pandemic-related quarantines and lockdowns.

“’Closer 2 U’ represents the difficulties of distance and the importance of connection,” Slow Magic explains in press notes. “I want this EP to encourage and inspire people to reach out to the ones they care about in a time where we are all feeling distant.”

“I have been following and admiring Manila Killa’s music for a long time,” the masked producer and electronic producer continues. “Last year, we met up in LA and clicked collaboratively. I think it is always great to be in the same room and bounce ideas off of each other when collaborating but ‘Closer 2 U’ ended up being the opposite of that. We just sent versions back and forth on email and made it happen. More than ever, it’s important to remember the power of connecting that we have at our fingertips online.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Mariatti · Patches

 

Andrea Mariatti is a 26 year old,Turin, Italy-born and-based electronic music producer, electronic music artist and DJ, who can trace the origins of his music career to when he turned 12. Around that time, he had started creating and making music from his laptop. Mariatti’s music career started in earnest when he was 15: he started releasing albums under the name Andrea Dub. Some of the young producer and DJ’s work was played by a number of DJs across the European Union.

After completing high school, Mariatti studied at SAE Institute, Milan, eventually earning a degree in Audio Production and Creative Music Industry, which helped him pushed the boundaries of his sound and technical limits. Over the past few yers, Mariatti has been rather busy: three years ago, he returned to his hometown, where he built a studio, so he could work on music every day.

Two years ago, the up-and-coming Italian produced signed with NBM Music Agency, who helped him sign with Deadmau5′s mau5trap Records, who released music from his latest musical projects Thin King and his latest solo project Mariatti. Additionally, he founded Recall, a live events brand whose mission is to create and foster a community of passionate people about electronic music with his friend and colleague HolyU.

Now, as you may recall, Mariatti has also released a batch of new material that included the trance house meets New Jack Swing-like “Other Vibes” and the lush, Between Two Selves-era Octo Octa-like “Variable Speed of Life.” Mariatti’s latest single “Patches” is a lushly melodic yet brash banger centered around layers of shimmering and wobbling synth arpeggios, stuttering beats placed with an expansive, seemingly free-flowing song structure. Subtly recalling Tour de France-era Kraftwerk, Factory Floor and others, the track may arguably be the most mesmerizing of the Italian producer’s growing catalog.

“‘Patches’ is the most melodic and evolving arrangement I went through,” Mariatti says. “The process of this song came from only one synthesizer: Korg MS-20; every single sound you hear is made by that astonishing machine.” 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: French Electronic Project VAPA teams up with VoxAxoV’s Charlotte Cegerra on a Sultry Club Banger

Formed in 2017, VAPA (an acronym for the French phrase Vous n’Avez Pas d’Avis, which translates into English as “You Have No Opinion”) is an emerging French electronic music collective that’s inspired by what the French journalist Jean-Yves Leloup has dubbed “conscious dance floor,” the project aims to bring people together through music but while addressing larger social issues, linking the hedonism and freedom of the party to the seriousness of our age — with a hint of optimism.  

The project’s sound draws influences from Thylacine, Jon Hopkins, Agoria, and Essaie Pas but paired with the voices of personalities, fellow musicians and journalists as a way to  to take an honest look at the world, to raise questions and our fears as a way to push the listener into action. “An introspective quest put into words and melodies!” VAPA’s mysterious creative mastermind says in press notes. 

VAPA’s latest single “Nuages Oranges” is an eerily atmospheric track and sensual track centered around shimmering and squiggling synth arpeggios, rapid-fire beats, a dance floor rocking hook and the dreamily sultry French vocals of VoxAxoV’s Charlotte Cegarra. And while sonically bearing a resemblance to Octo Octa’s Between Two Selves and From Here to Eternity and From Here to Eternity . . . And Back-era Giorgio Moroder, the track focuses on the climate crisis, exile, existential anguish in the face of the world that’s adrift — and then hope. 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Clément Leduc is a Montreal-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, songwriter and electronic music artist, who initially made a name for himself by collaborating with fellow Canadian artists Geoffroy, La Bronze and Dead Obies. Stepping out from behind the dials and into the spotlight as a solo artist, Leduc is also the creative mastermind behind the solo recording project Hologramme. In 2015, Leduc’s self-produced, Hologramme debut was released to critical applause, including landing on ICI Musique‘s Best Albums list that year and being named GAMIQ’s Best Electronic Album of the Year.

Leduc spent the bulk of 2018 living in Berlin, where he soaked up new influences and new sounds that wound up deeply influencing his sophomore album 2019’s Felicity, an effort that saw him collaborating with Les praises’ and Hubert Lenoir‘s Felix Petit, Gustafson’s Adrien Bletton, Senegalese guitarist Assane Seck, and Laurence-Anne‘s Laurent Saint Pierre to create a dream-like and sensual soundscape that draws from the  music of South Africa and South America — while continued an ongoing run of critically applauded releases.

Building upon a growing profile, the Montreal-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and songwriter has started off 2020 with a bang: he announced the release of a 5 song remix EP of Felicity tracks that will feature remixes by Fakear, Robert Robert, Ouri and others, which is slated for a June 5, 2020 release — and the first bit of new material since the release of Felicity, his latest single “Alaska.”

“Alaska” can trace its origins back some time ago — to sometime before the release of Felicity as a rough sketch of sorts. He took that track with him to Paris and Berlin, where he tried to finish it without much success. Forgotten for over a year, Leduc stumbled upon the then-unfinished track on an hard drive, seemingly asking to be completed. And with the assistance of Laurent Saint Pierre, he completed the song. The end result is a slow burning and atmospheric  track, centered around shimmering synth arpeggios, bubbling electronics, shuffling and clattering beats, and sultry vocal samples that reminds me quite a bit of Octo Octa‘s sensuous and dream-like Between Two Selves and Bonobo — but while possessing a cinematic quality.

 

 

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: DRAMA Releases a Surreal and Otherworldly Visual for “Years”

Tracing their origins back to a chance meeting between its core duo back in 2014, the Chicago-based pop duo DRAMA — producer and DJ Na’el Shehade and vocalist Via Rosa — have managed to bootstrap a subtle yet rapid rise with a proudly DIY ethos, releasing several EPs of material that blurs the lines between R&B, dance pop, heartbreak and bliss, centered around a sound that meshes Shehade’s Chicago house-infused production and Rosa’s soulful delivery, inspired by jazz, hip-hop and Bossa nova. 

Now, as you may recall, the Chicago-based pop act’s highly-anticipated full-length debut Dance Without Me is slated for a February 14, 2020 release through Ghostly International. The album’s material reportedly finds the duo recasting romantic tragedy as moonlit self-acceptance. Instead of wallowing alone in their blues and heartache, the material features characters who sashay and strut, knowing their self-worth while being vulnerable. This album is dedicated to the people watching their friend’s love-lives grow and happen around them, and not having anyone,” Rosa says in press notes.

I’ve written about two of the album’s releases singles so far: “Gimme Gimme,” a sultry synthesis of Between Two Selves-era Octo Octa and classic, Larry Levan-era house — and “Nine One One,” a slow-burning, cinematic bit of Quiet Storm-like soul pop. “Years,” Dance Without Me’s fourth and latest single is a decidedly R&B-tinged affair that nods at What’s the 411-era Mary J. Blige and Robin S.; however, at its core, the song is full of uneasy conflict and bitter uncertainty : the song’s narrator recognizes that they’re deeply devoted to someone, who isn’t right for them. “This track is a bittersweet song about the conflict of wanting to let go but still hold onto someone you love, but you know they’re not right for you,” DRAMA’s Via Rosa says in press notes. “It’s about knowing you should walk away but also wanting to confess your unconditional and eternal love.”

Directed by Adam Chiayat, the recently released video features the members of DRAMA performing through a series of surreal and otherworldly transitioning spaces. “Filmed practically, we set out to create a series of otherworldly, constantly transitioning spaces for DRAMA to perform through,” the video’s director says in press notes. “Emotions can feel like they take us on a ride, floating us forward and bringing us towards things we need to tackle in our lives. The floating and the spaces seek to represent the themes of the song – speaking to your own heart, confronting your past and opening yourself back up to vulnerability.”