TuneLab
Leaving Laurel
The promise of a 'live from the barn' set always conjures images of hay bales and questionable acoustics, but Leaving Laurel here offers something far more refined: a deep, hypnotic excursion into melodic techno. This is music for the wee hours when the crowd has thinned to the dedicated few and the air is thick with concentration. Imagine a vast, dimly lit space where the rhythms are felt in the chest and the melodies seem to emerge from the shadows. With a BPM average hovering around 122, the mix is built on a framework of moody, minor keys, particularly 3B, which gives it a consistent, introspective tension.
The energy distribution is fascinating—78% mid-range, meaning the driving force is in the intricate percussion and atmospheric layers, not just a pounding kick. This creates a textured, cerebral soundscape where every hi-hat and synth swell is consequential. The mixing is patient and linear, allowing tracks like Alex Banks' 'Uber Dem Vulcan Wolken' to unfold with cinematic grandeur. The harmonic progression feels more like a slow exploration than a journey, with keys 6A and 7A adding subtle shades of mystery and light.
The crate digging here is impeccable: the opener 'Uber Dem Vulcan Wolken' sets a deep, volcanic mood, while Loquace's 'Back Again' offers a more driving, loop-based hypnotism. The celestial arpeggios of Bandēs' 'Supernova' provide a moment of sheer beauty, and Guy Gerber's 'Secret Encounters' introduces a dusty, analog warmth. The inclusion of the sprawling 'Space Radio' by Torch shows a commitment to long-form immersion. The arc is a slow, immersive drift: beginning with the atmospheric rumble of Alex Banks, building intensity through tracks like 'Supernova', and concluding with the driving, optimistic pulse of 'Never Stop' by Morsy & John Spinosa.