After a great 2015, Chapter 24 kicks of their 2016 schedule with an excellent offering from Amsterdam-based DJ and producer Miss Melera, and Dave Seaman and Jonas Saalbach on remix duties.
Miss Melera’s first original is ‘Magenta’, a high-drama slice of house-techno crossover. It’s initially quite stripped back, led by a rumbling bass and crisp hi-hats, but some wickedly retro snare rolls soon put an end to that, introducing a more hypnotic sounds and a light, uplifting melody, while the breakdown fizzes nicely with energy.
Dave Seaman’s remix absolutely motors along from the off, with tougher, fiercer takes on Miss Melera’s bass parts, and a seriously twisted and sinister interpretation of her central hook. This is definitely one to reach for when you need something dark, nasty, and driving.
‘Mint’ is the second of Miss Melera’s originals here, and it’s my favourite of the two. It’s built around a chugging, nagging bassline and intense bass stabs, with spacey melodies and an urgent two-note motif that gradually comes into focus in time for the breakdown, where we’re treated to further squelchy, acidic hooks.
Jonas Saalback takes the best of Miss Melera’s ideas on ‘Mint’, and arranges them over a lovely progressive groove. It’s a masterful reinterpretation, perfectly balancing a deep melancholy with dancefloor-friendliness. This is my pick of the package.
Both of Miss Melera’s tracks here appeal, though ‘Mint’ more so than ‘Magenta’, and both Dave Seaman and Jonas Saalbach do a great job of utilising ideas from Miss Melera’s originals while effectively retooling them for a different moment. All in all, this is one not to miss from Chapter 24.
