Maxime Dangles // Hold Up EP [Bedrock]
‘I just want to see people dancing and shouting’ Maxime Dangles was once quoted as saying. A star of the French avant-garde electronic scene he certainly is true to his word with this power-house, five-track tech-fest on Bedrock.
The whole EP’s mood is one of assured and commanding authority, with no absolutely no fillers. I would be very surprised if much of the ideas for this EP weren’t rinsed out in his live sets – where he makes exhaustive use of Lemur and Maschine – particularly with the massive risers and FX used throughout.
The production quality is also excellent, with not too much ‘brick’walling’ on the compressors and limiters. This ensures that there is enough dynamics in the track to keep things involved and engaging (something often lost on many producers these days).
It’s a no-holds-barred, solid experience throughout with the toughened and tribal ‘Tranparence’ or the Balearic stabbed ‘Spagetjack’ and its really clever, almost hidden, I Feel Love bassline – check the mid synth pluck-bass start the sequence and the sub-bass complete the riposte. Very nice.
‘My Boo’ hits a trancier tone and like the others on show here, has a MASSIVE break which will rip holes through more submissive crowds. That leads us neatly onto the supa-dupa fx siren-laden ‘Jarten’ which will have hands crawling upwards irresistibly at the breaks with some great drops segueing with the main passages throughout.
Finally, the title track ‘Hold On’ will have Slam, Dubois and Garnier grappling to play. With its distorting, razored synths, classic stabs and ‘pitch up to the stratosphere’ breaks – this is my favourite of the pack. Somehow understated in comparison to the rest of the EP – but definitely the one that will linger longest in my mind and in my studio.
If it’s main-room, peak-time stuff your after you really can’t go wrong with this one, in fact, I’d be very surprised if Mr Shirazinia himself hasn’t already picked up on this as one of his picks for the Summer. Eclatent
We also have a great new podcast from Maxime for you to check out now..
Release Date: Out Now
Words: Mike 13
