- Barac Nicolae has been releasing music since the late 2000s, but he seems to have only recently found his voice. Emerging in 2009 as half of NoiDoi with fellow Romanian Istoc Robert, the Bucharest resident spent the first chunk of his career dishing out by-the-numbers tech house for labels like Fear Of Flying and Oslo. While solid, these early efforts lacked the character and subtle charm of the stellar solo tracks he began releasing in 2013. Like a lot of great minimal, these later records were built with abstract sounds (no doubt helped by the acquisition of a modular synth), but remained both functional and accessible. Case in point: Moment Of Clarity, Barac's second EP on his Moment label. Packing two of the nicest minimal tracks of the year, it's streamlined, positive and delightfully effective on a dazed dance floor.
Barac seems like a happy guy. It shines through most of his music, but perhaps never more than on "Moment Of Clarity." Essentially an eight-minute loop, it's the kind of cut you could play from start to finish in the right setting. Intricate drums, a live-sounding bassline and a hushed three-note riff combine for a perfect cheery roller that will surely be getting rinsed for some time. "Sun, And Following" on the B-side is more percussive and features a more dynamic bassline, making it a touch more energetic than the laid-back A-side.
TracklistA Moment Of Clarity
B Sun, And Following
