Lorenzo Senni - XAllegroX / The Shape Of Trance To Come

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  • Trance revivalism often comes with a side of irony. In many cases it's served with a smirk, like it's an embarrassing secret shared between the artist and the listener. When artists revisit it decades after the fact, there's something about the genre's emotional candor that lends it to caricature, or even parody. Lorenzo Senni's take on trance feels genuine. He doesn't over-emphasize its sentimental side, nor does he try to deconstruct its core tropes to make it sound more sophisticated. Sure, he takes out the drums, both on this, his new single for Warp, and on his debut EP for the label last year. But he preserves the soul of the music. Both of the tracks on this record could be clever DJ tools. There's not a single drum sound on either of them, just a lattice of fluorescent synth lines. That means there's a lot of fun to be had when it comes to mixing, and while they're definitely over the top, they could provide a compelling moment in peak-time DJ sets. "XAllegroX" is totally danceable despite the lack of drums, an energy that Senni achieves with angular synths moving in quick percussive patterns. It's like a five-minute breakdown that swells continually without reaching a climax, fomenting a juicy tension that's bound to capture the crowd. "The Shape Of Trance To Come" shows Senni's fondness for plucking heartstrings. It's a reminder that big melodies and bright textures don't have to be guilty pleasures.
  • Tracklist
      A XAllegroX B The Shape Of Trance To Come
RA