::K.E.E.N.E. – Missing Point::
Berlin/Panama-based brothers K.E.E.N.E. have been making a name for themselves with their brooding, slow-building afro house / tech chuggers, but on this release for Exploited they show their love for strong vocals and sorrowful melody.
A dizzying flurry of synth arpeggio teases as throbbing monotone bass carves its way between the shuffling shaker patterns. A minor piano chord progression builds an introspective vibe as the atmospheric male vocal paints a picture of a man pining for his departed lover. Cleverly-deployed FX blurs the edges, delayed hits and stuttering white noise adding energy. A rolling conga rhythm laces the heady breakdown as the fizzing synths tingle their way up your spine. You begin to notice other subtle touches like the slightly warped detune effect on the piano chords and hazy synth washes that tease the background of the track. It’s a testament to their skills as producers and arrangers, cutting away the fat to produce slick, impactful dancefloor monsters time and time again.
With its relentless beat, impassioned-yet-restrained vocal and gorgeous atmospheric touches, ‘Missing Point’ could just be K.E.E.N.E.’s most impressive work to date, and one that shows they have a very exciting future ahead.
