The duo, known from the Laconica label, is now ready with their “Laconica Split” release, this time under Courtesy Of Balance Recordings. Both were easy for me to reach, so I have some exclusive words to share with you.
Ocean T: “In this release, I wanted to explore a deeper side of my music. While my productions have often leaned more toward deep, atmospheric sounds, this time I felt the freedom to dive even a bit deeper. Today’s house music focuses mostly on dance-floor-oriented tracks, and I believe there’s a lack of space for more immersive, textured sounds. So, I was excited to create something that feels a bit more ‘trippy’ yet still retains that groovy, bouncy energy that makes you want to move.”
“What If” by Ocean T is one of his best productions so far, despite being “a bit deeper” than his usual style. It’s a signature morning house track. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I heard a piece like this precisely in the morning (because of the curfew restrictions in Ukraine). However, if you give it a listen, you’ll probably fall in love with its seductive vocals and deep yet recognizable melody. “Gemini Rising” goes a bit harder while maintaining that depth. The groove is bigger here, but the mood feels even dreamier.
Sasha Pervukhin: “These tracks were written around the time when I was warming up for him in Lviv, and when he later asked me about some deep stuff from my collection, I wanted to share these. Especially the one with the spoken word about someone going to the club and feeling unhappy about it. Initially, it might sound negative, but after some reflection, I thought it conveys something else – you need to focus on what you love and leave behind what you don’t.”
Sasha Pervukhin kicks off the B-side with my second favorite track on this release. “I Hate This DJ” brings vocals from “Dear Diary” by Michael M over Sasha’s classic deep production, a combination that guarantees someone will ask for the “Track ID” every time it’s played (tested and confirmed!). The other track, “TR 18 Blues”, somehow comes across as even funkier than his “TR 18 Funk,” released ages ago.
In a time when many people are starting to turn towards deeper, more minimalistic sounds, this one could still be a banger. Pre-sales are available on Juno, Deejay, Decks, or any other good record store. Don’t sleep on it!
More information about Ocean T
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More information about Courtesy Of Balance Recordings
Facebook | RA | Discogs
This article was written in Ukraine. Ukraine is in the middle of the war with Russia right now. Would be great if you could donate to the biggest Ukrainian volunteer fund here. Also, you can pick any music initiative, that is also trying to help from our list here. We’ll be stronger together.