TuneLab
Rezident at Splendor
Anjunadeep Explorations 2024 (Deep House DJ Set)
When a set is recorded at an event called 'Anjunadeep Explorations', you know you're in for a long, melodic deep house journey where the only thing deeper than the basslines is our own need to ID every track. Rezident's performance at Splendor is a textbook example of the modern Anjunadeep sound: emotional, driving, and impeccably polished. The vibe is a vast, open-air stage at dusk, with a sea of people moving as one to synth pads that seem to stretch to the horizon. Technically, it's a powerhouse, averaging 126 BPM and frequently cycling through the moody, complex key of 7A, which gives the music a sophisticated, slightly melancholic edge.
The energy balance is fascinatingly even, with 55% mid-range melodies taking center stage, supported by a 44% low-end thrum—this is house music that thinks it's techno. Rezident's mixing is dynamic and assured, using long builds and dramatic filter sweeps to craft a narrative that feels both personal and communal. Harmonic shifts into 5B and 12A introduce moments of light and release, preventing the journey from becoming monochromatic. The tracklist is a who's who of the label's roster: the opener 'It’s All on You' with Malou sets a dramatic, vocal-led tone, while Rezident's own 'Miracle' and 'Our World' showcase his talent for soaring, emotive productions.
The inclusion of the Ben Böhmer remix of Worakls' 'Red Dressed' is a guaranteed spine-tingler, and Simon Doty's 'Hometown' adds a touch of soulful, spoken-word depth. The left-field closer, Loreena McKennitt's 'Brian Boru's March', is a bold, Celtic-tinged finale that somehow works perfectly. The arc is epic: it starts with the cinematic swell of 'It’s All on You', reaches a melodic zenith with 'Red Dressed (Ben Böhmer Remix)', and lands on the ancient, folk-inflected resolution of 'Brian Boru's March'.