Thursday March 28th, 2024
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James Braun’s Tearjerker is a Monster Energy Ball

Danish producer James Braun releases an energetic house EP with experimental elements that take his sound to the next level.

Staff Writer

James Braun is a well seasoned Danish producer/DJ who bas been in the business of making records for over a decade now. His combination of house and techno is clearly inspired by styles rooted in Chicago and Detroit. He has released on Claude Von Stroke’s imprint Mothership Music as well as on Tartelet, and his EPs have been supported by the likes of Anja Schneider, Steve bug, Carl Craig and many more.

The title track, Tearjerker, uses warm chords and an acid bass line that keeps the momentum going. We can immediately identify that there are more melodic elements vis à vis the producer’s previous work. The disco melody slightly reminds you of last summer’s hit Super Koto by Ponzu Beach, as the rising bright melodies emit joie de vivre. While still meant for the peak hour, the producer uses a subtly dissonant aesthetic which we can see in the chords panning from left to right. The track shifts from sections of low energy with only the bass line, the beat and a couple of other “weird” elements, to lively and energetic sections with happier components. This method of taking something away and then bringing it back is one that should be stressed upon when producing music for the dance floor.The artist’s Galaxy Dub involves elements that are higher in pitch; an acid melody and the pads. The house beat in this dub is more groovy than the original mix, with snare fills and sizzling rides that keep the dynamics alive. In this track, the artist puts the focus on the acid melody, sprinkling it with dreamy pads that rise and fall. The bass line is almost the same in both tracks - big and resonating. The original mix challenges the dance floor more in the sense that it has new and progressive elements rarely found in most house music, but the dub mix would be better understood as it draws more along the lines of standard acid house and classic house.

Panalama Party People is a banger with bell-like chords over a standard house beat. Different dreamy elements are added in the back of the mix, with the feeling that the rhythms are conversing with each other. The last track Hakkebof is every meat lovers nightmare. Track title is Danish for chopped steak. it is much further apart than the rest pf the EP, repetitive and frustrating at times. You can definitely hear the chopping, and although it may seem relatively obscure to the sound of the rest of the EP, it makes for the perfect landing strip to this inter galactic journey. Two bonus tracks come with the digital version, including another remix of Tearjerker.

Follow James Braun on Soundcloud for more tunes and check out his Facebook for more info.