Chymera At Juno Download

Review: Irish producer Chymera has always excelled at fixing twinkling melodies to heavy, club friendly grooves, and this EP for Dirt Crew is no exception. Both "Disc" - with its proto-house synths and crystalline arpeggios - and "Isa" follow a similar path. It's the latter, though, that most impresses, working darting synths and beautifully crisp melodies around robotic drums and a bold bassline. While clearly inspired by techno and deep house, it should also appeal to those who enjoy the "scandolearic" sound of Oslo. Mark E remixes the latter, indulging his passion for vintage analogue house while retaining Chymera's tactile melodies.

Review: This second raft of remixes that interpret Brendan Gregoriy's original material as Chymera prove to be just as inventive as the first. Connaisseur have commissioned Jacob Korn and Orlando Voorn to remake "An Island In Space" and deliver equally idiosyncratic takes. Korn's version is based on a surging, rippling bass and a snaking groove. When the track breaks down into a spacey, Moog solo, it seems almost at odds with the prevailing mood, but Korn is a master arranger and it all makes sense. The second version from Orlando Voorn is longer and more epic; over a rolling rhythm the juxtaposition of summery keys and booming bassline sounds strangely compatible.

Review: Brendan Gregoriy has an intuitive knack for melodies, and on "Threads" he brings this skill to the fore. Over brittle percussion and a techy, somewhat metallic rhythm, he unleashes a glorious, full-blooded melodic flourish, all minor keys and no bombast. It's testament to Gregoriy's abilities that he has managed to attract two highly-respected producers to remix his work. Philly veteran King Britt turns "Trapped in Amber" into a dubby groove, its booming bass underpinning an angelic vocal covered in swathes of acid textures. Meanwhile, Steve Moore drops a version of "Swim Away", which focuses on a spacey, spaced out synth line and a lumbering bass.

Review: Irish producer Bren Gregoriy aka Chymera has released a series of melodic techno records, but his latest album sees him enter a new realm. "The Drop", with its rich strings and sensuous woodwind, explores beatless ambient, while "Who Bends First" is like a halfway house between Ian O'Brien and alt rock, with live drums crashing and flailing to the backdrop of warm Rhodes keys. "Strange Things Are Afoot" makes reference to Chymera's deep techno sound, but the greatest achievement of Misadventure is that it gives vent to Gregoriy's pop leanings. It is audible on the dreamy, vocal-led "Drowning", but is expressed most articulately on "The Chase", where dead paced beats and playful, infectious vocals make for a real FM pop tune.