Hot on the heels of his debut solo offering on Deeper State Records, Dutch producer Michiel Eskes alias M.R.E. steps up on Fluid Electronics with his second release, ‘Groenendaal’. Responsible for some memorable moments at the club ‘Trouw Amsterdam (RIP)’ where he used to open the infamous 360 nights as Mykaz, Eskes has recently chosen to focus his attention on releasing his own material, and what material. Thoroughly enveloping, his music delves in a sense of mind-expandingness akin to Tangerine Dream’s most epic soundtracks, seeking high-altitude rapture over deep-diving euphoria, and yet it all depends on what angle you’re looking at ‘Groenendaal’ from. Perspective is everything.
Leading the charge, the title-cut takes us on a riveting cruise across melancholia-soaked soundscapes, bristling with color-changing membranes and languid pad motifs to wrap your ears around. A true painting-in-motion, the track articulates around several plateaux, running the gamut dextrously from neo-classical escapology to full-fledged electronica, via hints of deep house and kosmische-informed spaciousness.
The most openly floor-focused track of the bunch, ‘Elbows’ wraps it all up on a further squelchy acid note, laced with Italo-esque arps and aqueous bass tides for good measure. A most fitting tool for steering any crowd from sunrise daze to sun day blaze.
Starting off as a more raucous, thunder-packing number, ‘Key Thirteen’ smoothes down its incisive attack to explore further immersive melodic territories, then alternating as a compelling paradox of dreamy sequences and potent bassy onslaughts Eskes has converging into a mesmeric finale in the home stretch.
A stunning journey through Detroit's Black musical traditions from one of the city's longtime beat music stalwarts. Bandcamp Album of the Day Nov 16, 2022