Article
Brady / Driscoll / Gregorius

Albums
3/4 Peace
36
Atrium Carceri
Marvin Ayres
Peter Baumann
Beledo
Tim Brady
Christoph Bruhn
Calder
Csillagköd
Dal Niente / Deerhoof
Rebekah Driscoll
Eighth Blackbird
frostlake
Friedrich Goldmann
John Gregorius
Hammock
Chihei Hatakeyama
Masayuki Imanishi
ICE
Ionophore
braeyden jae
KAI
Kevin Kastning
Martin Kay
Kireyev & Javors
Millimetrik
Jon Mueller
Christine Ott
Piano Interrupted
Noah Preminger
Gavin Prior
Rapoon
Lasse-Marc Riek
Roach & Logan
Bruno Sanfilippo
Cyril Secq / Orla Wren
Sgt. Fuzzy
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
Stick Men+ David Cross
Stratosphere
Syncopix
Tetherdown
Charlie Ulyatt
Wieman

Compilation
Facticity

EPs / Cassettes / Mini-Albums / Singles
Glacis
Dibson T. Hoffweiler
Akira Kosemura
Daniel Lippel
Christine Tavolacci

Syncopix: Benevolence
Syncopix Records

Over the past three years, Roland Bogdahn spent a lot of time exploring styles other than drum'n'bass; he also decided during that time not to issue anything under the Syncopix name, wanting instead to establish a neutral base from which to proceed. Now, with the release of his third studio solo Syncopix album, Bogdahn emphasizes drum'n'bass's more soulful and sometimes jazzier side with a thirteen-track collection rich in rolling grooves and lush, sun-dappled design. Consistent with its Benevolence title, the eighty-five-minute collection is specifically intended to “spread some love and smoothly lighten up the dark sides of this crazy world.”

Benevolence doesn't rewrite the drum'n'bass rule book, but there's certainly much on it to appeal to those who prefer it soulful and sultry. The title track's a good example of what's on offer: heavily atmospheric and rich in synthetic colour, the material's powered by a rapid BPM typical of the genre, yet the producer's treatment ultimately more soothes than frazzles. Vocal samples are woven into the arrangements of a number of tracks, and Bogdahn threads generous helpings of instrumental detail into the productions.

A few unexpected moves keep the interest level up. That's Liam Neeson growling through “Who You Are,” Bogdahn having worked the actor's well-known phone threat from Taken into the track's jungle-inflected and Fender Rhodes-sweetened jump. And, yes, that's also Jim Morrison crooning through “I Love Her,” the vocal in this case coming from The Doors' “Orange County Suite.” Certainly one of the more memorable cuts is “I Missed You Too,” thanks to the many vocal riffs, “Guess who's back in town” and “It's hard to resist the attack” among them, Bogdahn strikingly works into the track's light-speed charge.

May 2016