Glenn Astro – Hologram EP

Spring marks the arrival of a heavily anticipated release by German procurer of beats and Stamp favourite, Glenn Astro. It seems as though the producer-DJ has been very busy since he played at our December party alongside K15. January marked the launch of Money $ex Records, a joint venture with Berlin beatsmith Max Graef and OYE record store chief Delfonic. The label’s debut release – now completed and waiting to be pressed – is the M$01 EP by both label owners. Sandwiched between the collaborative Money $ex release and a full-length LP dropping on Tartelet in spring, Mr. Astro has also rustled up Hologram, a six-track EP marking his return to WotNot Music since The Power (2013).

As anticipated, the EP beholds the fusion sound of sample-heavy house, hip-hop and jazz which is characteristic of Astro’s music, as well as Graef’s. There is something footwork-y in the nature of this release, first instigated by the ‘Disco Tempo Cliche’ intro and further amplified by the EP’s recurrent hi-hat shuffle rhythm, heard at its most confident in the closing ‘Good Bye Song (Spirit Dance)’.

The vocal snippets in ‘Love Is Gone’, ‘Gemini’ (alongside fellow Wot Not/Box aus Holz/Tartelet brother, IMYRMIND) and ‘User’s Guide To’ are very house-centric, a distinguishable feature we first came across in his 2013 track, ‘Feelin’ Me‘. This aside, the sound is kept fresh by Astro’s own flavour of blending in other genres: the soulful purple-tinged chords, the polished synthesiser mixed in with the gritty sound of rolling drum beats which have undergone slight delay.

These five brand new tracks continue to set the bar high for Glenn Astro this year, after featuring on Brandt Brauer Frick’s DJ Kicks compilation and being a Brownswood Artist Focus of 2014. What’s more, ‘Love Is Gone’ is given a further lease of new life with the beautiful stripped-down rework by 22a member, Henry Wu, featured as the third listed track of the EP. This is a release not to be missed.