&ME - In Your Eyes [Pampa]

Format: 12" in label sleeve.
CAT: PAMPA032

Do you know what time it is? It's debut time. Emitting his first material for Pampa it's &ME, artisan of all things deep and solid, at the same time connoisseur of the emotional and virtuoso touch of sure instincts, one of the central characters of the scene for quite some time now and one of the main figures of Berlin's Keinemusik collective. The man hit the spot of public perception several times in the past, gathering all it takes to get the crowd going with a focus on details when it comes to his arrangements and sound. These two new cuts appear to be nothing less than the essence of his skills.

There's "In Your Eyes", the title giving name to the A-side of this EP, showcasing a rather thoughtful mood. It's only a few bars for the combination of kick drum, tuned hi-hat, tambourine and sparkling background noise until the first chords of an improvised piano piece are gently laid over the groove. Add a come-and-go synth motive and you got the main ingredients of this song that gets the dance floor moving in every sense of the word. Accordingly, the arrangement won't go for too obvious sensationalism and opts for a fluent and intertwined call and response of its elements, which ultimately results in a striking impact anyway.

In comparison "As Above So Below" on the B-side adds a proper dose of emphasis. It develops on a dry and dense rhythm architecture that is full of shaker sounds and subtextural field recordings. It is sure-footed ground for this track's centerpiece, an ever ascending and descending synth bass, triggering an almost epic trigger for dancefloor ecstasy. While details like a subtle reverbed tapping and shimmering ambient textures sound as if they were recorded deep inside a stalactite cave, the overall energetic disposition relentlessly pushes towards the heights of grandeur in the peak time. There you have it: "As Above So Below", this tune works on all levels.