::Christian Nielsen – Still The Same::
Danish talent Christian Nielsen’s varied sounds fit into the boxes of a wide range of house and techno DJs, and his latest EP for Exploited treads a similarly eclectic path of bad-assness after a recent outing with KOMPAKT.
‘Still The Same’ takes its cues from brooding ’80s electro pop, fusing it to a deep tech backbone that makes for a perfect compliment. Moody on-beat bass sets the pulse as haunted vocal snippets and gliding synths swoop in sorrowfully. The shuffling, stripped-back pumps into life as delicate arpeggios hypnotise you into submission. Atmospheric swells threaten to envelop the track but are instead restrained in teasing fashion. A nagging rhythmic note adds more urgency, and more flurries of gorgeous synth arpeggiation and wiggling melodics keep the track colourful and invigorating throughout.
‘Now You’re Free’ centres on a more organic groove, with a shuffling jazzy drumset setting the tone. The vibe is still deep and contemplative, with the ghosts of ’90s house vocals and muted jazz trumpet and cymbal rides contrasting against warm pads. Gentle tech percussion bolsters these organic elements and hazy FX make things a little trippy in all the right places.
‘My Love’ makes for a perfect finale for this diverse 3-tracker, with head-nodding shakers and woodblocks creating a tribal flavour under acidic bleeps and hovering bass weight. Pitched down, stuttered vocals, swirling low-slung synths and shimmering synths create a cool, collected feel that makes this a lovely little set builder of a track.
