Crackazat - Senses [Heist Recordings]

Format: 180 gram 12" in printed sleeve.
CAT: HEIST073

Crackazat & Heist Recordings present: “Senses.” A stunning mini-album where the artist offers a moving perspective on contemporary electronic music.

In “Senses,” we see Crackazat’s pure talent come to life like never before. We’ve all danced to “Alfa” or his most recent Heist hit, “Demucha,” and we’ve also heard his more pop-oriented side on the Evergreen album (2022) for Freerange Records. However, “Senses” is on another level. Crackazat takes you on a sonic journey exploring his musical personality, with live keyboards, vocals, bass, and production all emerging from his studio in Uppsala, Sweden. The jazz-tinged brass that runs through the album was recorded by Adeev and Ezra Potash, better known as the Potash Twins. The duo took a break from their work with John Legend, Robert Glasper, and even Diplo to join this project and help deliver, arguably, Crackazat's best work to date.

The six-track album opens with the laid-back groove of “I Need To Know.” The atmosphere is warm and dreamy, designed to lift your spirits no matter what stage of life you're in. Plucked strings, arpeggios, and long brass notes provide energy, subtly supported by lo-fi drums and minimalist basslines.

“Do You Think About Me” maintains contained energy with a delightful drum groove and a restrained bassline. From the first note, you can tell that something could change at any moment. Halfway through the track, it does: luminous keyboards and a vibrant lead take over. The string arrangements are subtle enough not to overshadow the rest of the instrumentation but rather to add a beautiful layer to an already emotionally charged track. When the energy is released, it's all smiles.

If “Do You Think About Me” shows Crackazat in pop mode, “Freddie’s Groove” presents him in full jazz mode. The nod to Freddie Hubbard is evident, and the producer takes ideas from both the legendary trumpeter and the iconic French sampler Pepe Bradock. The brass is deep and melancholic, the groove is jazz-house at its finest, and Crackazat’s smooth vocals have the perfect fragility to fit in. The shift to a section of sharp synths midway through the track reminds us that, with all these musical elements, the producer is still able to direct the track with a simple twist of a note.

“Phantom” delves into a Latin vibe with a shuffle rhythm. Here, the track reaches its peak thanks to the brass section, so it's only fitting that this is the Potash Twins' featured track. Lush Latin rhythms, precise keyboard progressions, and an energy that continues to grow through layers of brass, powerful vocal chops, and subtle but effective percussive shifts.

“Endless Life” conveys a sense of building momentum with each repetition. Whether it’s the broken beat groove, the off-beat keys, or the sporadic brass stabs and chords, there’s an energy that pulls you in and doesn’t let go.

The closer, “When We Last Met,” is built on ethereal keyboards and a downtempo hip-hop groove. There’s an old-school vibe reminiscent of D’Angelo, and it’s clear the artist is comfortable with the direction he's guiding the listener. It's the perfect end to an album that reveals the beautiful universe Crackazat has created through his compositions. One thing is certain: it's an album we'll be returning to for a long time.