The Fucking Formula

Dorian Concept – When Planets Explode (Kindred Spirit/Nod Navigators)

Another beat-monger to look out for in ’09, Dorian Concept is a Viennese toybox-synth prodigy who has been getting ‘mad props’ (ahem) from fans of Flying Lotus, Bullion, Madlib, J Dilla etc. Rampantly freeform yet head nodding beats lump him in with the above crowd but It’s the synthwork which gives him his specific sound, 8 bit jazz style. He’s clearly a talented and accomplished musician, Radio 1 Nu-Jazz perennial Gilles Peterson going so far as to compare him to fellow Austrian and legendary jazz fusion keyboardist Joe Zawinul.

Despite the obvious influences this is contemporary wonky (with a small w) beatsmithery, neon synths with a potent hip-hop backbone. There’s a little less of the badboy crunk element evident in a lot of his European contemporaries (Rustie, Joker, etc) but this works in his favour, leaving it a bit more cerebral and a bit less po-faced. Don’t worry, there’s dancefloor potential if you want it (Fort Teen, The Fucking Formula) but there’s also the promise of further melodic/rhythmic/textual depths. Get on it.

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