The hardest working Belgian might very well be Olivier Grégoire aka Kolombo, a man with more releases under his belt than a dog has hair and a long-standing contributor to the electronic dance music scene and that we interviewed some months ago : interview Kolombo. Having gone through nearly all stages of the industry – including DJing, producing, promoting parties and the founding of a label –, he amassed an invaluable skill set allowing him to craft masterful tunes for distinctive floors notably his latest “Whatever U Like” played recently by Maceo Plex. Case in point is “Don’t be shy EP”, Kolombo’s new 12“ on Kompakt holding what can be considered his finest work to date. It will be released at the end of October. But for me the best still remains the same : “Sniff”.

A1. Kolombo - Don’t Be Shy
B1. Kolombo - Sustain

Title track “Don’t be shy” sees Kolombo following his own dogma: he’s clearly not shying away from grand gestures, employing swelling synths soon to envelope a majestically trotting beat and pave the way to blissful ascent, with nervous bleeps gathering around the leads like a court around its king. It’s not a particularly gossipy cut, though: an air of serene austerity floats in the background, signaling you the highly focused attention that went into any of the track’s details. An engrossingly tasteful production, “Don’t be shy“ takes you by the hand and introduces you to a world of sheer beauty, explaining every dance move along the way.

Once you’ve arrived, “Sustain” takes over the frequencies, perfectly building upon the A-side’s reassured mood and carefully cranking up the emotional volume with faster beats and bigger melodies. In a way, it’s the classic stuff heroic space operas are made from, but engineered by a style-savvy producer who knows how to avoid the pitfalls of corny cosmic drama. Kolombo doesn’t go for gothic shadowing or acoustic violence here, as his home stretch lies beyond the sundrenched horizon, in a place where mirror balls are used for bowling and lucid dreaming is the norm. With both tracks warmly inviting you to get into their groove, this makes for a package holiday sure to brighten the upcoming winter months.

Have a good hearing.

MORE INFOS
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