After a busy 2018 that produced three EP’s and an album, Frankfurt House DJ/Producer Frank Heinrich aka Reboot has just released his first material of 2019 in the form of the explorative and focused Renzo. Coming after the deep and dubby Vulvasion, the superlative EP marks back to back releases on Monkey Safari’s and Karl Friedrich’s Halle based imprint Hommage.
As we’ve come to expect from the high attuned nature of Reboot’s catalogue, Renzo offers five (four on vinyl) stylistically varied and deftly produced left field compositions characterised by an innately organic realisation of groove and texture. Heinrich’s insight stems from over two decades in the caper either creating, collaborating and curating. It’s produced a compositional style where elemental convergence conveys a sense of relaxed industriousness and a freed discipline. Here this is achieved through the gradual and empathetic relationship that grows between between each element producing tracks characterised by a volume conscious and groove sensitive low end, layers of rhythmically complex beats and percussion and effects jocose and adventurous that sit strangely yet comfortably astride curious and intoxicating melodies.
The title track begins the EP in mysterious style and is motioned simultaneously in diffuse directions by sizzling percussion and liquid like effects. Together with layered beats and a gently lilting bass line they not only keep the track on its peculiar path but create a groove with depth. ‘Astrid’ is a divine interpretative combination of kosmische and world music. The spaced out ambience and patterned rhythms grow organically to reach a peak from whence it positively powers home.
‘Memoria’ begins with expertly applied disparity of volume as a prominent combination of traditional and programmed drums overpower the reticent emergence of a repressed melody. It eventually becomes apparent that the melody is a delicate yet lush guitar loop and as a fascinating assortment of percussion elements are gradually added a markedly ecstatic feeling ensues, topped off by a captivating vocal.
The tempo quickens on ‘Brothers on the Side’ which is characterised by the effortless way Heinrich conjoins the low and high ends and eventually engulfs the cavernous space space between them. Finicky frequencies become insistent melodies as the ever winding groove grows in elasticity. The off kilter nature of of EP is never more highlighted that on the digital only ‘Hausa’ which closes proceedings. Atop a potent beat and a rigid groove, experiments in sound and effect are the order of the day that bring to mind everything from a raucous beach party to a full blown firestorm.
Over his 12 years in the game, Heinrich has become renowned for his future focused sonic imagination, love of experimentation and his quality and accessible left field creations. And in Renzo, he has produced yet another inviting masterclass in explorative inquiry that probes the boundaries of house music. For all its experimentation and myriad of influences and styles its also a cohesive and disciplined musical document in that it retains an ebullience and vivacity throughout and never strays from the path of accessibility. That’s revealing of another quality Heinrich has become renowned for. His ability to translate the sheer joy he gets out the creative process to his music. And the result here is an exhilarating EP that is always slightly off-kilter but always exactly on point.
James Stocker – October 12, 2019
We are currently featuring ‘Memoria’ and ‘Renzo’ at the top of our New House Playlist on Spotify. Go here for access to that and don’t forget to follow to keep the quality House music tracks coming your way. Below we share the stream of another track from the EP to sample, ‘Brothers On The Slide’. Renzo is out now and available on Hommage. Get the 4 track vinyl here while the digital (exclusive to Beatport for a fortnight) is here.
Brothers On The Side
Reboot (GER)
From the EP, ‘Renzo’, Hommage.
Audio Stream