Navigating familiar Progressive House waters with confidence and purpose, GMJ and Matter's Meanwhile imprint showcases six tracks from outstanding talents within the underground dance scene as they come together to explore "Meanwhile Excursions, Vol. 1"
First up, label head-honcho, GMJ, joins forces with fellow countryman and newly crowned Meanwhile resident, amháin. Through "Flux" the duo charts a familiar course through the progressive landscape with heavy beat and glorious rolling rhythm. Easing elegantly into its stride, a heavy bass groove plays its part as flowing pads and myriad spot effects tumble over each other to create a rich sonic blend. Subtle motifs add a textured layer post-breakdown in an impressive collaborative debut. Having already showcased his talent via the "Horizonz / Push Thru" EP, Imran Khan returns with the beautiful "Patterns of Loss". Full of emotion and production flair, a familiar heavy kick and driving percussive cadence lay the foundations for an array of melodic strata to sit atop before a mesmerising arpeggio sparkles across the breakdown. Returning to its heavy rhythmic character in the second half, Imran Khan has created another 24-carat jewel.
A regular on Mango Alley in recent months, Forty Cats makes her Meanwhile debut with the hypnotic "Therapy". Through a glittering array of white-noise effects and stereo-panned arpeggiated phrasing, the Russian artist combines a shimmering sonic palette that filters its way across 7-minutes. Waxing and waning with ease, a standout motif also appears at intermittent intervals to create a familiar aural echo on which to pin Forty Cats' production prowess. Remixing GMJ's "Mood Medicine" in June 2021, Paul Kardos returns with the dynamic and elegant "The Producella". Immediately striking with its aural melange, a hefty kick transforms proceedings as an acetylene-edged lead cuts through shuffling percussive hats. Evolving powerfully, a counterpoint glissando melody provides a subtle shift in emphasis in the second half as Kardos creates a real head-turning track full of meticulous detail and technique.
Fresh from the success of "Deeper Dye", another returning artist sees Paul Deep hit the heights with "Milo". Full of trademark production credentials, a beautiful flowing melody ripples across the track, filtering in and out with ease while a metronomic kick and off-beat snare create rhythmic precision. Through a heady combination of rhythm and melody, Paul Deep has provided another seismic creation. The Indian continent is represented through the growing force of Weird Sounding Dude. Making his Meanwhile debut, "Wonderlife" is a charismatic offering that revels in layers of counterpoint arpeggio sequences that propels the track forward. Immaculately syncopated to the dynamic rhythmic foundation, the breakdown is a pause for new, dramatic melodies to come to the fore in inspiring fashion, before the rhythm and arpeggiated foundations drop back in.
"Meanwhile Excursions, Vol. 1" provides an opportunity for a new voyage of discovery as artists from across the continents come together uniting in common musical purpose.
Directed by GMJ and Matter
Managed by James Warren
Mastered by Cid Inc.
Design by Matter
Text by James Warren
