RESIDENT ADVISOR | March 30,2018 | EN
What makes so-called weightless music feel so weightless? Sonics, space and silence, was the answer that Mumdance, one of its architects, once gave. These elements are at the heart of Chevel’s Always Yours, released on Mumdance and Logos’ label, Different Circles. Where most of the label’s catalogue has roots in UK bass or jungle, the Italian producer cut his teeth in techno with releases for heady labels like Stroboscopic Artefacts. As a result, he has a refreshing take on the weightless sound, one that reinvigorates the style while dodging its worn-out tropes.
Always Yours defies genre in provocative ways, borrowing from techno’s granular approach while taking risks with rhythm and arrangement. Take “Bullet”—not only do the synths have a sculptural quality, but the drums slam and the samples have real depth. Most producers aren’t well-rounded enough to keep these different aspects in focus at the same time.