If you could look through the keyhole of Clarence Rise’s home in France, you would see a musician constantly playing with his numerous machines. A booker usually prefers DJs who are also producers, when selecting them to play in his/her venue, because they have this very particular – organic – relationship to the sound, guaranteeing most of the time a great technical level. This is exactly what Clarence Rise illustrates behind the decks: he’s mixing like a goldsmith. Accustomed to the live acts, he knows how to make his sets particularly consistent, for our greatest pleasure.
His last set found a home in Dark Underground Podcast, alas closed since 2022, but that we used to enjoy for being one of the scene’s most prolific mix series, curated by Nini Qei, who was very devoted to spreading the talent of our DJs worldwide.
The mix starts with Abul Mogard’s sublime silky ambient piece “In True Contemplation”, followed by “Folhas Soltas” by Floating Machine, which fades in like a “heartbeat” with its polyrhythmic drums. In phases both with the mind and the body, such a progressive intro can only have an emotional impact on the listener. The next track, “Shelter” by Jamida, shimmering and dreamy, is two times faster, causing an instant very efficient groove. We particularly love this effect, which gives an extra value to the introduction, by linking the trippy atmospheric layers to a well-driven game of tempos.
While being very consistent, the mix surprises many times, thanks to successful management of the energy, locally built with catchy games of tension, and globally with a subtle build-up. The mix reaches its climax with the dark track “Level 2”, by D/n, before ending with the – again dark – cinematic version of “Mandrill” by MoReVoX.
Most will say that this is not a happy ending, but you are not in Hollywood, you are in Clarence Rise’s mind, on his journey into “fifty shades of grey”…
Tracklist [Please buy the tracks to support the underground scene with us]
1. Abul Mogard – In True Contemplation [Self-released]
2. Floating Machine – Folhas Soltas [Circular Limited]
3. Jamida – Shelter [Harmony Rec]
4. Ryogo Yamamori – Skin [Non Series]
5. Nahualism – Promised Lands [Circular Limited]
6. Svarog – Aglar [Affin LTD]
7. Cassegrain – Arabian Oryx [Warm Up Recordings]
8. The Alchemical Theory – Pyramidal Architecture [Oslated]
9. Saphileaum – Flowing Ray (Valentino Mora Rephase) [Oslated]
10. Kangding Ray – Sleepless Roads [Raster-Noton]
11. Forest Drive West – Block Nine (Konduku Remix) [Midgar]
12. MTRL – Semuta [IO]
13. Evigt Mörker – Axa Delta [Northern Electronics]
14. Michal Wolski & Milena Glowacka – Cisza [Unknown Timeline]
15. Alek Sis – Orbe [Khoros Records]
16. D/n – Level 2 [Spazio Magnetico]
17. Smoley – Dark Forest Signal [Postdynamic]
18. Martin Gore – Mandrill (MoReVoX Remix) [Mute]
WRITING BY: CEDRIC FINKBEINER | 5 JUNE 2024
