John Lemke - Walizka [Denovali Records 201 Promo]

Acoustic Piano Techno? 4/4-based Loop Jazz? Dubbed Piano on an improvised Ambient level? One might come up with many of these terms to describe the first and original three tracks of John Lemke's "Walizka EP" set for release on May 23rd via Denovali Records. Organic for sure like Pole's legendary early excursions in electronic Dub when it comes to the nicely drifting "Kompass" or epic, funky, dancefloor-functional - at least, on very advanced dancefloors - and well-positive vibe in "Drift", a piece that could be described as chromatic and, if most of its sounds weren't realized by real instruments, even (Neo)Trance referring at a level of musical excellence. Apart from these three originals the title track is reworked in a solo prepared piano way accompanied by some buzzing, droney and partly irritating tones providing a nice contrast to the calming, romantic feel of the real time instrument. Furthermore two reworks of "Kompass" are featured here - the one crafted by Saffronkeira lives up to the original Dub feel but takes it to an even deeper, PostBalearic level for top notch ChillOut floors whilst the so-called "Everyday Dust Remix" handles things totally beatless and relies on crackling surface noise and sparse but cinematic string layers that, in parts that is, do cross the boundaries of what might be filed as pretentious kitsch by some - others might simply file it under the flag of Ambient.  Finally the "Petrels Remix" starts out at a string heavy Ambient level as well but surprisingly falls into dry, minimalistic, 4/4 beat patterns all of a sudden that are later heterodyned by floating strings again before...an on/off game repeated several times before slowly zoning out into bland doldrums. One for all Deep Listening lovers out there.