Marek Hemmann
Bittersweet
Freude Am Tanzen
Marek Hemmann is a connoisseur of sounds that are pleasing to the ear. His previous work has shown us what to expect: thumping drums, commanding pulses of harmonic bass and crisp, funky rhythms, sprinkled with pleasing melodies, quirky twists and surprising little ear-catching auditory allusions.
His second LP, 'Bittersweet', sticks to the formula with few exceptions. It’s simple. Under big, round hums and electric streams, the heartbeat is a stripped-down, fat, pounding dance-line. There’s a lot of depth, too. It’s nice, minimal tech-house presenting itself as refreshingly non-serious.
An airy and wobbly climb up and down melodic stairs is the opening, ‘Xativa’. The slow start is atmospheric, followed by ‘Mars’ - a spacey introduction, and the theme is set at something of a rocking party, maybe in the future on a warm summer’s evening, outdoors in a lush valley with parrots and flamingoes and other exotic birds, bass and moonlight rolling through the palms, where the DJ stands on a giant aquarium and the cocktails glow. There is a distinctly utopian feel to Marek Hemman’s latest work.
‘Zunder’ is the kind of magic that could make even the grumpiest person smile. Layered onto a slamming kick is a melodic bass line. The harmonic progression is brilliant simplicity. As it drops and rises, it’s like that exhilarating moment of pleasant turbulence when the rollercoaster reaches an apex and begins to drop. At the bottom, the album slows with the intricate and progressive ‘Lindwurm’ and ‘Topper’, before the thrumming ‘Endless’ takes a walk back to the dancefloor in an energised, hazy and easy-going bounce.
‘Hooray’ is worth a second listen, to pick out the all the little happenings behind the warm warbling organs and those delightful drums that sound like coconuts. It’s the last high-powered number before the album gently simmers down to droopy synths and sentimental harmonies, washed away in a closing-time glow of strumming guitars and smiles all ‘round.
German for "the joy of dancing," coming from the label, Freude am Tanzen, it’s no surprise that this is hard to sit still to. But 'Bittersweet' is music for a whole night. Spanning genres and moods, from high to low, like every little sound Hemmann has picked and pruned for this release, the balance of tracks is considered and there are definitely a few here that will stick around.
