• Search
• Subscribe
• RSS

Dane Martin Swanstein  has been releasing records under his Martinez moniker (one of another cunningly geographically-disguised pseudonyms in electronic music) since 2001, with much of his early output on local Out Of Orbit Recordings, and its sub-label Re:connected. But he's slowly extended his influence across the rest of Europe on the lofty mediums of Audiomatique, Dessous and Moon Harbour, his penchant for lush instrumentation and precise notation garnering him fans from the dancefloor and industry alike.  
The end of 2008 may be rolling closer but there's still six weeks in which to shoehorn a myriad of electronica, and his latest is on new offshoot Lowmidhigh Organic, pushing past its sister label's limited pressings and leaning towards the wider audience. 

The title track clocks in at a mammoth fifteen minutes, enough for two or three less expansive ideas, but listening to its entirety doesn't feel like wasted effort. Gathering inertia like a slowly rumblingjuggernaut, the delicate rhodes and soft percussion builds imperceptibly, and a ghostly, overlayed vocal adds to the slow insistence, working its way into the listener's consciousness like a subliminal message.  

Chi-Town 60661 is a nod to Chicago's famous districts at the birth of house, and it's a more downtempo affair. Soft bongos and male and female vocals hark back to the early days of the US scene, and the track exudes a real warmth, with pulsating basslines and shuffling hats, matching many recent trends that seek to link up the classic sounds of yesteryear with this century's digital methods.  

The Alley Cat is livelier than its two predecessors, almost jacking, matching Chi-Town's retro stylings. Simplicity is again the key, with nothing superfluous left in, each element maximising its character in the mix, whether it's the reversed hat or isolated bells. Filling out the quartet, Rattle Snake is drenched in sensual grooves. Bongos dominate, with a growling, moaning bassline, and a chatter bubbling under like a conversation heard in another room. 

As an EP, it's instantly approachable, and easily accessible, another point in Martinez's measured upward curve. Proof that Sweden does not have the stranglehold on underground talent where Scandinavia is concerned. Electronic warmth against the winter cold.

Artist : Martinez Title : Organic Theme EP Label : Lowmidhigh Organic Track list Organic Theme Chi-Town 60661 The Alley Cat Rattlesnake www.myspace.com/lomidhighorganic www.myspace.com/martinezreconnected www.myspace.com/martinez_outoforbit