The latest offering from the Bedrock stable is a hefty three-disc compilation Bedrock Frequencies meticulously curated by head honcho John Digweed. Melbourne’s Simon Murphy takes a closer look.
Doing as he does best, John Digweed has assembled an inspiring list of artists, both renowned masters of their domain and fresh faces making their Bedrock debuts, to contribute a genre-defying cross section of musical treats. Titled Frequencies, the discs are aptly named Low, Mid and High, offering a hint as to their musical trajectory. Clocking in at just under four hours across the three discs, Frequencies bestows a captivating snapshot of the perfect Bedrock party.
Low opens with an enchanting ambient remix by Stelios Vassiloudis of the track Fanfare, a collaboration between Emerson, Digweed and Muir. The melancholy soundscape accented by diva-esque vocals sets the scene for a journey through the deeper shades of the Bedrock palette. There’s a lot to love about this disc with highlights including; Philipp Straub and Charlie Thostenson’s ‘Miracle of Existence’, which offers a hypnotic, pulsing bass line and accompanied by delicate keys, the Hale Bopp-esque Lehar Remix of Bog’s ‘0901’ whose driving bassline and arpeggiated synth line creates an instant sense of nostalgia, through to the Rhythm Design remix of Tijuana’s tune ‘Groove is in the air’, a deep, dark, progressive monster. Closing with the Nick Muir Reprise of the Emerson, Digweed & Muir tune ‘Tracer’ is a master stroke, wrapping up Low with a stripped back albeit intense offering that side-steps any feeling of any closure or resolution, leaving the listener wanting more.
Mid wastes no time in creating tension through the melancholy, slow burning Melodic Dub Mix of Glenn Morrison’s ‘End of Days’. Mid packs in some big names providing some extra dance floor heat whilst moving seamlessly through genres. BOg and Tim Engelhardt’s ‘Scene 1’ is a brilliant acid tinged offering from their collective conscious. Another great pairing, Lee Van Dowski and Nakadia present their tune ‘Petro Sys’, with a dark and mechanical intro which is engulfed in a sea of swirling melody. Guy J’s ‘Temperament’ and Monkey Safari’s ‘Oxy’ are both highlights of the disc with my pick of the bunch being Robert Babciz’s ‘I Feel You’, a tune that displays the grace and brilliance of Babicz in a piece that contrasts a sinister acid bassline with a dreamy melody. Finally, it would be impossible not to mention the enthralling and delightful Bedrock debut of Diamond Dealer with his tune ‘Little Hungry Monster’.
High goes straight for the jugular with the Stelios Vassiloudis remix of ‘Fanfare’. In stark contrast to his ambient mix featured on Low, this mix is accompanied by a heavy kick and packs a solid dance floor punch. Next up is ‘Frequencies’, a collaboration between Martin Eyerer and Patrick Chardronnet that will instantly strike a chord with Bedrock devotees, a track that builds and builds before slamming home. The peak time monsters continue to roll with Nick Muir’s inspired take on ‘Afterglow’ by Lee Williams, ‘Scorpi’ by BOg which starts off deep and evolves into a hypnotic beast, Diamond Dealer’s acid laced mix of ‘Tracer’ and a hefty offering by Rob Hes and LAAT with their tune ‘Perseverance’. Wrapping up the disc and the compilation itself is an absolute belter, a respectful retake on an all-time classic, an exceptional remix crafted by Guy Mantzur of ‘Pushin’ Too Hard’ by Saints & Sinners. A perfect way to wrap things up!
When reflecting on the Frequencies’ thoughtful movement through genres, textures and emotion, it’s crystal clear why Bedrock remains at the forefront of the electronic music world. The quality offerings provided in this compilation are exceeded only by the diversity of styles encapsulated in the journey through sounds. The artists appearing on the compilation, each with their own unique path to the Bedrock stable, hail from countries and scenes spanning the globe. The unique collaborations meld the minds of creative geniuses with stunning results. Debutants and relative unknowns rightfully have their work thrust into the global spotlight. The music is interesting to the point of enthralling. There are no cheap gimmicks, there is no set formula, we simply witness a label’s tireless pursuit of new and inspiring creations. Digweed and Bedrock have captured the essence of all that makes their parties and label great, contributing yet another elegantly crafted compilation to the music world. It’s also clear that there is simply no way you will stop at one listen.
Release date: 14th July 2017
Formats: Deluxe 3xCD / Digital / 3×12” Vinyl
Pre-Order: http://johndigweed.com/frequencies/
