The Marseille-based multidisciplinary artist Vanda Forte is showing their bold production palette with a club track taking its roots in MENA traditional percussions and instrumental drill, to be released via Lyon’s own PRISME label and party collective
Another great collective output to land on the French electronic stronghold, Falconidae is the next compilation that will be released this June by PRISME, all curated by local DJ, radio host and producer Axonberg, who is also a founding/core member of the crew. Showcasing a bunch of breaking-through European talents from the bass music and nowadays club scene, this new album appears to be drawing a path into a darker side of sound than its two predecessors DEITU & Doble Camí (the latter has already been promoted by yours truly few months ago). Introducing sound design maniac veterans from the likes of Porter Brook and Zero Crossing Point, this new effort also highlights musical explorations by Lyon’s artists such as Veil and SPLT, or Nantes bass lady Soa420.
Over the run of ten deep and gloomy tunes, Falconidae gives a sense of club drama, taking the auditor into a set of heavy and irreverent grooves taking their influences from Dubstep, Dancehall or UK Techno, all tied together with this certain darkness we were discussing earlier. While Doble Camí, the previous volume curated by PRISME member Etienne Perez, was more an attempt to picture a rushy, boldly percussive and even scintillating side of club electronics, Axonberg decided to slow down tempi and create a shady minimalistic set of sonic artefacts with this new opus to come. Nonetheless, it appears to be a great window to observe how the club music scene is diversified and densely explorative.
You can now listen to Vanda Forte’s track “All I Can Think Of Is You” above the present article, where the Marseille-based singer, DJ and producer showcases their talent of crafting enigmatic dance-driven atmospheres by blending trance-like synth lines, UK Drill drum patterns and MENA infused percussion layers, to create an instrumental which is as hybrid as moving. With its widely pitched vocal samples and slices, its stripped-down rhythmic structure and elegantly designed drop parts, the track tells the story of a new generation of electronic artists who are in the endless seek of taking formal risks while remaining relevant on making danceable efforts. Yummy and challenging.
Pre-order Falconiade on Bandcamp. Out next June 14th 2024 on all platforms via PRISME.
