Belgrade-based Laars marks his first solo vinyl release over a sensual 4-track tale honouring the merits of faith, discipline, and the satisfaction of taking your sweet time. Drawing from the vibrant sounds of the 90s and 00s progressive trance and house scenes, he discovered a kindredship with those who have since then primed and perfected their own modern takes on the definitive genres.
The proggy trance/house opener “Breath Control” sighs into existence, emerging like the head-rush of euphoria that accompanies surfing the sadistic tease between suspense and bliss. High resonance and acid sounds punctuate the track, supplying a dominant bodily cue amidst the melodies, gated vocals and loops. “What If You Fly” observes the void below and decides to jump anyway, finding its faith rewarded in a free-fall through chords and synths that knit into a dark, groovy soundscape – soaring over an underscore of conga drums as though caught in exhilarating flight.
On the B-side, “Concur” looks up from the void back into the ether, embracing the danger of the pale blank space above. At 135BPM it glitches and dances through a cyclone of atmospheric synths, pads and cult sci-fi film samples, grinding like a serrated blade under a soft-focus lens. For the close, “Delight” flirts with the comfort of another, tantalising its approach before erupting in slow-motion from its amniotic state. It blisters, bubbles and gasps – and then takes a roll-eyed descent into breakbeats and arps that glide like menacingly slow fingertips over hot skin.
The record from Laars has a precious message: when was the last time that you really let go and listened to the steady rise and fall of your own breath, or sank into the discomfort of not knowing, but continued anyway? The outcome is still the same: jump.