After a great 2015, Chapter 24 kicks of their 2016 scheduleย with an excellent offering from Amsterdam-based DJ and producer Miss Melera, and Dave Seaman and Jonas Saalbach on remix duties.
Miss Meleraโs first original is โMagentaโ, a high-drama slice of house-techno crossover. Itโs 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 Seamanโs remix absolutely motors along from the off, with tougher, fiercer takes on Miss Meleraโs 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.
โMintโ is the second of Miss Meleraโs originals here, and itโs my favourite of the two. Itโs 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 weโre treated to further squelchy, acidic hooks.
Jonas Saalback takes the best of Miss Meleraโs ideas on โMintโ, and arranges them over a lovely progressive groove. Itโs a masterful reinterpretation, perfectly balancing a deep melancholy with dancefloor-friendliness. This is my pick of the package.
Both of Miss Meleraโs tracks here appeal, though โMintโ more so than โMagentaโ, and both Dave Seaman and Jonas Saalbach do a great job of utilising ideas from Miss Meleraโs originals while effectively retooling them for a different moment. All in all, this is one not to miss from Chapter 24.
