Already starring in a lead role on the Meanwhile roster, Luka Sambe now makes his debut on sister label, Meanwhile Horizons with his 3-track “Spy Games” EP.
An artist of notable repute and over 400 production credits to his name, Luka Sambe has come a long wany since a debut EP for Exclusive Recordings in 2013. Releases on Robert Babicz’s Babiczstyle, Hernan Cattaneo’s Sudbeat and Guy J’s Lost & Found have cemented the Australian’s status as one of underground dance’s leading lights as he continues to build on an impressive year and an August release on All Day I Dream’s “Summer Sampler 2021”.
Opening the musical triptych, the title track is a glorious combination of chunky groove and rich melodic juxtaposition. Creating an evocative atmosphere with waves of pulsating pads and subtle motifs, stuttered synth lines filter in and out of sonic range with copious amounts of delay. Building with ease, a searing lead enters the fray at the mid-point to create another layer of intrigue in the aptly titled “Spy Games”.
“Ruminate” continues the immaculate percussive groove as clipped hats create a head-shaking pattern atop deep kick. Progressing in delicate fashion, oriental inspired synth lines ripple forth in time-synced delay as a glassy freeform melody supplies a counterpoint phrase. Pads full of stereo width enter the fray at the mid-point providing further texture, before the track hits its mark once more in the third movement where rhythm and melody combine once more to devastating effect.
The final track is a glorious electronica offering that revels in ambient percussive effects that create a mesmerising backdrop of real-world sounds transformed into rhythmic patterns. Simultaneously, plucked synth motifs combine with string phrases and myriad textured effects to create a warm and luscious offering that meanders gently across its 8-minute duration in unhurried and evocative fashion.
Creating delightful musical tension through a variety of powerful melodic actors, Luka Sambe is making waves on the world stage with his “Spy Games”.
