Design/artwork by Snorre Seim/Johannes W. Berg | Fenomenon: Format: single press info |
01 | Tropic of Capricorn |
Having gone radio silence since the drop of their third and latest album ten years ago, Norwegian production unit and former Nuphonic affiliates Fenomenon - alias Kjetil Ingebretsen and Håvard Rosenberg - return to Beatservice Records with a new EP due for release May 2021. Lifted from the upcoming release, first single 'Tropic Of Capricorn' eases us in a lush and minutely designed sonic tableau of sorts, bristling with brittle wind chimes, ample synth tapestries and soul-stirring piano chords. Suffused in Nordic and Easternmost melodic orchestrations, the tune slowly but surely trades its slo-scudding, ethereal poignancy for a more dynamic, nevertheless melancholy-drenched chug that shall please both the dreamer and dancer in you. Cast off to a land of intricately-woven beauty and let your mind wander astride Fenomenon's austral-boreal musikal interzone. |
Design/artwork by Snorre Seim | Fenomenon: Format: EP press info |
01 | Tropic of Capricorn |
02 | Therapy 101 |
03 | The Stormy Sea |
04 | Épos |
Back after a ten-year hiatus, label mainstays Kjetil Ingebretsen and Håvard Rosenberg aka Fenomenon resurface on Beatservice with 'Tropic Of Capricorn' - an all-new four-track audio journey that'll take you from vast high-perched plateaux to richly hued subaquatic scapes. Moving across genres and rhythmic chokepoints with ease - defying hasty classification as a result, the EP spans a wider-than-wide palette of feelings and tempi, constantly balancing out their wistful melodies with a strong sense of dancefloor-friendly resilience. Suffused in Nordic and Easternmost melodic orchestrations, 'Tropic Of Capricorn' slowly but surely trades its slo-scudding, ethereal poignancy for a more dynamic, nevertheless melancholy-drenched chug that shall please both the dreamer and dancer in you. Shifting the focus onto broken patterns and ektachrome harmonics west-coast style, 'Therapy 101' ignites a flame of retro-infused synthesis and pumped-up Cali-funk, laced with robotic suavity a la Chromeo. As its title suggests, 'The Stormy Sea' takes us on a choppy ride across moody, heartbroken territories. Starting off as a downtempo love ballad on a calm sea, the tune switches off to a fevered mind without further ado, as sudden swells of a chimey, strings-strewn bazaar come wake the dragon from its painful slumber. Final number and ode to impermanence 'Épos' goes another route, enticing us in a subtly arranged puzzle of hybrid neo-classical and jazz-indebted tropes, durably tattooing its Sino-flavoured chords in your mind as it transports you to some exquisitely quixotic hideaway. |
Design/artwork by Snorre Seim | Fenomenon: Format: Digital single press info |
1 | Tropic Of Capricorn (Third Attempt Remix) |
Fenomenon made a welcome return to release action in 2021 following an extended hiatus, treating admirers of their work to four delectable cuts of immaculately constructed and powerfully moving music. The most up-tempo of a roundly horizontal crop was the EP's 'Tropic Of Capricorn' title track, whose spellbinding melodies, vibrant rhythms and pristine production made an instant impression on Balearic-minded collectors. With such a seductive set of ingredients, the track was an obvious candidate for rework treatment. Third Attempt's rise into the cosmic subconscious has been as swift as it is richly deserved, with the young artist consistently serving a steady stream of beautifully-formed sounds since first arriving on the label in 2018. True to the form he's displayed throughout his outstanding release inventory, his delicate remix of 'Tropic Of Capricorn' is the latest in a long line of sparkling compositions. Making use of the memorable melodic signature of the original, Third Attempt pulls the track's dreamy refrains sharply into focus, re-framing the emotive top-line over snappy beats and sub-heavy bass for a stirring club workout. The music effortlessly unfolds, building to a blissfully introspective breakdown before bursting back into floor-filling life, with delicate textures subtly supporting the track's iconic synth lead. Providing a gentle yet startling rendition of this gorgeous track, Third Attempt breathes renewed vitality into an already magnificent composition - and the results are unmissable. |
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