Jan Driver - Kardamoon

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  • It takes nearly two minutes for the beat to drop in 'Kardamoon.' Before that moment, Jan Driver slowly drives us towards a Turkish bazaar where one lonely horn blasts its droning melody over some hand drums. Finally, a digital beat takes over, the rhythm coheres and - whomp! - the horn, at long last, squeaks out the rest of its phrase, and you finally get the moment of release that the track has been building to. That is until a few minutes later when Driver decides that an awkward horn solo is in order. If you were kind, you could say it was another build, but I think it's more aptly termed an intermission – especially considering how long it takes for everything to order itself once again. That's a good thing. Both 'Kardamoon' and 'Trains' are unrepentant anthems for the Villalobos age. The melodies are a bit "weird" and they both have chunkier, less polished beats than most minimal/tech/whatever, giving each an organic feel. 'Trains' is slightly more straightforward than 'Kardamoon.' It takes its title seriously, waiting for a chugging train to pass by before unleashing its beat over an unrelenting downward synth refrain. Be careful if you're a dancer, though: 'Trains' may be a dancefloor burner, but Driver still can't help himself from pulling in for a few stops along the way: I found myself dancing to crickets for a few long seconds, waiting for Driver's express train to pass by again with a beat in tow.
  • Tracklist
      A Kardamoon B Trains
RA