The latest release on Deersky’s Soundteller Records welcomes Following Light back to the label for a brand new single.
2015 was a great year for the Ukrainian producer and Inmost label boss; his productions got picked up by Hydrogen, Particles, Stellar Fountain and countless other top underground imprints. Both Inmost records and affiliate Aeriform flourished, having now become household names in the progressive underground. He got the year off to a great start with ‘Substrate’, released last week on his Inmost imprint which was also selected as Beatport’s #1 Must Hear Progressive House track for the week. He looks to continue that strong momentum with ‘Forgotten Abode’ alongside remixes from Loquai and Robert R. Hardy.
I’m glad Beatport tends to recognize Following Light’s work in their must hear charts a fair bit. He’s definitely one of the more prolific producers in the underground but he generally brings some very interesting ideas into his tracks. On ‘Forgotten Abode’ we get one of his most moody and twisted records to date. The prominent element here is a buzzy synth which flows through an unpredictable storyboard of modulation all throughout the first half, until eventually dissipating as the main break commences. A more melodic theme comes to light during the tracks interlude and takes it from being a dark, broody piece to something much more enlightening and hopeful, It’s rare you see such a diverse range of emotion in a track but Following Light has pulled it off nicely.
The first interpretation of ‘Forgotten Abode’ is provided by Loquai who is making his first appearance on Soundteller Records. The Refined Tunes label boss closed out 2015 with an impressive remix of Pad One’s ‘Dragonfly’ on Superordinate Music. It was a year where his production volume seemed to go down a touch and also in a deeper, more refined direction. The launch of his Refined Tunes imprint was certainly a bright moment and the label looks to be a force as 2016 moves forward. It’s shocking that this is Loquai’s first appearance on Soundteller Records, given the labels history in progressive music and artist roster you would expect that the two parties would have collaborated at some point. Nevertheless this has been a long time coming then and Loquai delivers a superb interpretation of ‘Forgotten Abode’ for his debut on the label. Anchored by a wickedly shaped groove and dynamic kick it doesn’t take long before this one is sounding great. He’s definitely kept it a lot smoother and cleaner than the adventurous original, avoiding the buzzy synths and rougher elements in favour of a smooth meditative quality. The main break conveys the beauty of what Following Light captured in the original but on a much deeper level and the road home is a thing of beauty. Definitely one of Loquai’s best in a long while and a great beginning to 2016 for him.
The second and finale interpretation of ‘Forgotten Abode’ is provided by Soundteller label artist Robert R. Hardy who is making his 13th appearance here. The Hungarian producer grew into one of the underground’s most loved artists last year. A busy release schedule combined with consistently deep and intriguing music made each one of Robert’s productions a delight. He’s become one of Soundteller’s primary artists no doubt and his ‘Therapy’ EP was certainly a highlight on the labels discography. Robert’s great at taking bigger progressive tracks with more prominent elements and transforming them into deep, dubby dance floors jams, and that’s exactly what he’s done on ‘Forgotten Abode’. Dark vibes and moody grooves are the order of the day here and deliver a profound hypnotic experience. The buzzy synths, just barely audible add immense character to the glacial sounding groove all through the first half, before a solemn break sets up a slow burning third act perfectly. A fabulous remix from Robert who will be interesting to watch as the year unfolds. A quality release once again from Deersky’s Soundteller Records to start 2016 off right. Don’t miss it.
