- Stephan Bodzin has been showing us the power of melody on the dance floor for over ten years. His snake-charming productions laid the groundwork for a cinematic sound adopted by many high-profile producers, including those on Afterlife, Tale Of Us's label, which hosts his latest release. Discogs labels Strand "neo trance," which feels like an accurate description for the title track, a sprawling eight-minute epic built around Bodzin's trademark delicate arpeggios. It's not particularly energetic, but it's easy to imagine a peak-time dance floor swaying to its trancey melodies and the occasional blast of atonal sludge—another Bodzin trademark.
"Catamaran" loses the arpeggio and is therefore less trancey. There's more empty space in the mix, which puts the attention on the main synth riff, recurring stabs that become grander as the track progresses. The same goes for the atmospherics, which thicken as the energy builds. Bodzin is a masterful producer, and tricks like these have helped him become one of the best-loved live performers in electronic music.
TracklistA Strand
B Catamaran