Review: Dutch party brand Dekmantel celebrates a good innings for 2021, continuing its label operations despite the setbacks of the pandemic and looking forward to a more optimistic 2022 where they can return with their flagship festival in Amsterdam, as well as the Dekmantel Selectors series in Croatia. Best Of 2021 features several catalogue highlights such as Louise Freeman's old school Italo disco goodie "Mirage", the evocative broken beats of Alberta Balsam's "Cascade", in addition to local artist Upsammy's hypnotic polyrhythms heard on "Spat", Phillip Jondo delivering a typically oddball groove on 'Whowhuwho' (feat DJ Plead) and deep house favourite Frits Wentink serving up something a bit different than usual (with Erik Madigan Heck) on the classical ambient journey "What Joy To Breathe".
Review: With leaps and bounds the meteoric rise of Dutch producer Upsammy sees no end. Following the release of her Zoom LP that Dekmantel put out last year, she follows it up with a fresh selection of clicks and cuts teeming with her now trademark modular glockenspiel sound, bringing back memories of Schiller's classic trance anthem (and Tiesto's remix!). From the outset "Worm" takes charge as this EP's most direct number with its reinforced kick drum, whereas something like "Spat" revels in the syncopation of its groove, glitchy percussion and atonal musicality - next to some sweet minimal piano. Find something softer and more dreamlike in "Metallic" while "Flutter" takes the scenic route through a heavy field of harpsichord expressionism and broken beat rhythms.
Review: While 2020 has not been plain sailing for much-loved Dutch label Dekmantel, the imprint has continued to release some superb music - as this sampler style round-up of their best moments of the last 12 months proves. It begins with a rare (and inspired) outing from Jan Schulte's more dancefloor-focused Bufiman project ('Sara Sara') and ends with the gently unfurling ambient brilliance of Laura Agnusdei's 'Fuga'; in between, you'll find such sumptuous treats as Upsammy's sparkling, warm and dizzyingly up-tempo 'Extra Warm', the toasty, quietly colourful brilliance of Space Dimension Controller's 'Planete contraire', the thrillingly-percussive heaviness of Mauskovich Dance Band's 'Extra Ventura' and the clandestine creepiness of Max Abysmal's 'Quod Libet'.
Review: Since Upsammy emerged in mysterious fashion for Die Orakel in 2018 the producer has established herself as a fresh entity breaking new ground in abstract and experimental dance music. With a split release on Whities and a debut album for Nous'klaer Audio adding to the hype surrounding Upsammy's music too, this Zoom LP adds yet another shade of sound to her growing discography, in this case for Dekmantel something metallic, bit-graded, and tropicana. With bleep culture, jungle and future sub-pop influences meeting higher tempo percussion and Afro-centric rhythms, these inspirations are woven together furthermore by dub, some nerdy synthesis, broken beats and syncopation. Zoom in, Sammyup!
Review: Its festival operation may have enjoyed its most successful year so far, but Dekmantel remains true to its underground roots on this look back at 2019. There's the off beat disco of Freedom Engine, Mathew Jonson's new project, as well as left of centre curveballs from Lamellen and Epsilove. That said, the Dutch collective also understand what's needed to rock a dance floor. Fittingly, 2019 includes the electronic disco of Jex Opolis "Earth Boy" and Betonkust & Palmbomen II's acrid acid workout "Underground Dance Floor", which both appeared on the label earlier this year- as well as the timeless icy techno classic of Terrace's "Bewitched".
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