Paul Gafni & Joe Bellingham - Geodesic (Tremulant)

Paul Gafni had been a fan of Joe Bellingham's downtempo music in Seattle for years and decided to collaborate with him. They worked on a couple of remixes for Joe's Hug Records release and the Tremulant label. Eventually, the pair decided to create an original together. With Joe on bass and percussion, Paul providing guitar, keys, and vocals, and Diana Ratsamee adding an extra layer of beauty, "Geodesic" was born.

"Geodesic" rides on a downtempo four-on-the-floor rhythm, populated with dubby echoes, ambient-flavored synth layers, moody guitar lines, and somewhat meditative vocals. The cut is chill but not motionless — there's a danceable vibe throughout ready for DJs to deploy in just the right sets. Michael Manahan answers the call with the Find a Way Through Hypnosis Mix, raising the tempo while maintaining maximum atmosphere. Woofer-vibrating bass, pulsing pads, and arpeggiated synth runs mix elegantly with the original elements. The second remix, from Chilean DJ/producer Ahau brings out a gentle guitar part over repeating bell-like tones. The beats and vibe build steadily as the male and female vocals play off each other, transmitting near-spiritual imagery through the magic of sound.

 

Trent Banks / Citrus Age (Reflect) – “Moody grooves with great textures.”
Enne (Electunes) – “Really nice stuff, cheers.”
Juan Moreno (1 Life Records) – “Perfect for the warm up.”
DJ Morpheus (Lysergic Factory radio show) “I like all three tracks here. Lovely!”
Dr. Best (Radio Z 95.8 Neurnberg) – “Nice release. Michael Manahan’s remix and the original are my faves.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT Radio Show) – “Sublime & thoroughly enjoyable.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Juno Download, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Joe Bellingham & Diana Ratsamee - Oil In The Water (Tremulant)

The Tremulant label returns with a stunning collaboration between Diana Ratsamee, a Seattle-based DJ, musician and curator known for the eclectic taste displayed on her Eastern Echoes radio show on KEXP and label don Joe Bellingham. Oil In The Water is an expressive mid-tempo indie-electronic composition with exotic instrumentation from Joe and impassioned vocals by Diana. Layers of guitar and synth pads create a lush and psychedelic sound pool that'll lend a heavy atmosphere wherever the track is played. Also featured on the track is Paul Gafni, a frequent collaborator with Joe, who will helm the next label release. A remix by Tremulant's monotropa. builds on the original's melodic flavor, adding an ominous bass growl and a techier vibe. Rascal Rae is next, with a version propelling the sound through a live-sounding breakbeat and shimmering synthesizer textures. Closing the release is a remix byNiki Sadeki (Quetame Records), who twists and turns "Oil In The Water" into a deep, techno-inspired cruiser, ready-made for dark and smokey dancefloors. Tremulant delivers again.

Juan Moreno (1 Life Records) – “Nice Rascal Rae Remix. Perfect for the dancefloor.”
Jon Fugler (Fluke) – “Original mix only chosen as the best as it was the genesis for this outstanding record. Fantastic instrumention, vocal, and production. 10/10.”
Steve ‘Griffo’ Griffiths (Fluid Radio Show) – “Niki Sadeki’s remix is my favorite version on this EP, I’ll be using this in my sets.”
DJ Clairvo (Tilos Radio, Budapest) – “What an EP! It's rare nowadays to have world music elements being handled in such music environments. All those jazzy downbeat influences make this one outstanding.”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) – “Love the darker sonic landscap of the monotropa. Remix. Stunning.”
Jon Wesley (Music Goes On Radio Show) – “I love the original and the Rascal Rae Remix. Love the chorus. I’ll definitely play it.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Juno Download, Apple Music, And Spotify.

monotropa. - Distancia (Tremulant)

The Seattle-based artist monotropa. returns to the Tremulant label to once again explore deep sensations and cosmic vibrations through musical expression. The Distancia EP executes this through three textural tracks that combine elements of house, techno, and ambient atmosphere. Remixes from El Mundo, Wesley Holmes, and Slow Shadow go even further into distant territory.

"Distancia" starts the EP with a floor-ready pulse, flowing with synthetic chord hits and arpeggiated gyrations over a steady four-on-the-floor ride. A cinematic breakdown envelopes the cut with shining melody and impulsive drama. This is followed by "Torrente"which ultilizes tones resembling the gentle rings of a thumb-piano as its backbone. Buzzing synth bass, ominous drones, and flashes of percussion rise and fall with expansive depth. "Lavar" is more laid back though no less layered or spacious than anything else on Distancia. A processed guitar-like riff hypnotically riffs on top of chord pads and a mid-tempo house beat, all giving the feel of a transcendent moment on the way.

El Mundo (Quetame Records) supplies the first remix with a version of the title track It's a bouncy trip through exotic places and faraway fauna, where jungle sounds abound as a tribal rhythm carries the cut through strobe-lit valleys. Seattle house music veteran Wesley Holmes next tackles "Lavar," offering a decidedly west coast flavored take that's atmospheric, psychedelic, and perfect for afterhours dancefloors. The EP closes out with a rework of "Lavar" by Slow Shadow, a nom-de-plume of Tremulant's Joe Bellingham. It's an acid-tinged downtempo treatment, enhanced by a pair of distinctive vocal contributions. Vibes for days and days.

Danny Ward (Well Cut Records) – “Really loving El Mundo's percussive take here thanks... will definitely be playing!”
Juan Moreno (Sounds Black Recordings) – “The perfect track to drive the dancefloor.”
Andreas Kinzl (Aromabar) – “Artful and stylish works.”
Al Mackenzie (1BTN Radio) – “The Wesley Holmes mix is right up my street.”
Leri Ahel (Mutant Disco Radio Show) – “Some great tracks here, will support.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT Radio Show / Fluke) – “The originals all have some masterful moments in both the writing and production - quite beautiful. El Mundo remix sounding excellent here too.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Juno Download, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Hector J Rodriguez - La Falsa (Tremulant)

Hector J Rodriguez of Seattle's Underscore Recordings joins the Tremulant imprint for the *La Falsa EP, an expansive foray into deep, dark, and dubby techno vibes. The motto of the release is "Que solamente aparenta ser real, o no es lo que parece," which translates to : "That which only appears to be real, or is not what it seems." This is an appropriate description for the EP's cuts, which target introspection and transportive dislocation while giving after-hours dancefloors an exploratory ride. "Never the Right Time," "La Falsa" (and its "La Falsa Segunda" revisit), and the mid-tempo "Perseid" blend sharp production and spacious embellishments into distinctive tracks made for late night travels.

monotropa. is the first Tremulant-affiliated producer to lend a hand to the remix side, amplifying "La Falsa"'s exotic aspects into a cinematically flavored ride. Pacific northwestern mainstay Joe Bellingham follows, supplying a version that's a little chunkier and peppered with buzzing sound design and jazzy keys. All in all, another stamp of top quality goes to Tremulant for this evocative release.

JuSt b (Balance Music) – “Lovely lush & organic vibes.”
Citrus Age (Reflect) – “What a sublime vibration. Hector has somehow captured the moment and the journey in one.”
DJ Harri (Sub Club) – “Liking these. Will play and support.”
DJ Sabo (Sol Selectas) – “Solid and interesting EP here. A breath of fresh air honestly!”
MGiK (Sofa Surfing) – “On air is a must!”
Jon Wesley (Insomniac) – “I like the original, Perseid and Joe’s mix. Good tunes for the afternoon or mellow daytime sets.”

Available Now From: Bandcamp, Beatport, Apple Music, And Spotify.