Sébastien Léger - Lost Miracle

Can a track be epic yet subtle at the same time? I believe we've got a resounding yes with the latest from Sébastien Léger. The title track from his Friday release Lost Miracle is just the most recent example of the "French Dj/Producer/Artist," and all around musical magician's awe inspiring abilities. Last Tuesday Mixmag premiered the b-side "Dida," and while it succeeds with sublime strings and a warm summer glow, it could not properly prepare us for the freakishly fabulous "Lost Miracle."

Readers of this blog will be familiar with my love for Sébastien Léger and his penchant for producing pristine tracks. They always seem to stack several layers of luscious sound design and interlocking percussion with an incredible ease. And of course that is the case once again. The opening is classic Léger with all sorts of a sounds playing back and forth in an indescribable pattern. It captures your attention as the picture he paints slowly and subtly comes into shape. The breezy and cool atmosphere awakens with long sweeping and shimmering synths emanating out of thin air. Yet to this point the picture is veiled in a formless fog, like the chilly air as sunrise approaches. Then like the first beacon of light streaming over the skyline, the botanic bass blasts into beautiful life.

This blissful warmth plays carefree, bringing more life and love to the already awesome layers, pulling them in, much like the sunflower following the sun across the sky. And this is where things really start to get glorious. Another layer is established as each living thing the sun's strength touches begins to sing and dance. This harmonious top line is tender and tickling. It fills the track, myself, and truly the world with an incredible sense of ease and satisfying serenity. And like every element in Sébastien Léger's productions it is alive and breathing, never remaining the same but flowing with a freedom not unlike a river. It meanders magnificently from more electronic synth strength to brilliant bells and picturesque piano. As if this weren't epic enough itself, Léger strips down the track, illustrating each layer's beauty and, in turn, importance to the track as a whole. This only makes the return even more resplendent, recasting the final three minutes in miraculous magic. The flair and finesse found in this track is nothing short of genius, yet that's seemingly par for the course with Sébastien Léger. Set yourself up for a successful day and wake up with this warmth as your alarm. Download via Beatport, here.FOLLOW SÉBASTIEN LÉGER: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Booka Shade - Night Surfing

Techno titans Booka Shade are a gift that just keeps on giving. You might think that after more than a dozen years in the scene their output may have slowed down or that their best work lay behind them, but with this forthcoming release, Night Surfing/Future Primitives, those doubts are all but cast aside.

Of course we know them for their landmark productions "Body Language" and Movements, yet a decade later their recent releases continue to be nothing short of spectacular. They released a full length album Galvany Street, a new EP Aftermath/Limelight, and remixed Rufus' "Be With You," my personal favourite production of theirs in the last two years. That being said, I think I've got a new one with this soon to be released a-side. While we haven't yet got a full play of "Future Primitives," it's counterpart was uploaded to Mixmag's Youtube channel yesterday, with a full release February 2nd.

Their trademark top notch sound design is on full display right from the get go with strong, sweep you off your feet, shuffling and the dopest of deep synth throbs. Then there's their potent percussion work with nearly every drum imaginable taking the track into a wild scene of nature. And I'd like to stop here to note that this is perhaps the most enjoyable part of Booka Shade's productions. As with "Night Falls" and "In White Rooms" they're able to inject a natural-world feel into their overtly electronic productions. The scenes they create remove you from whatever dark club you're in and transport you to an incredibly vivid landscape, whether it be a sweeping savanna, a gigantic jungle or an island paradise. In the case of "Night Surfing," I envision a tropical jungle at the ocean's edge, of course in the evening with the stars sparkling like the synths. And this is where our story continues.

As you exit the jungle of the atmosphere set out by the drums, the roaring synths and rumbling in the distance beckon you to the water. The rising top line is tremendously tempting, causing you to cast aside all angst of entering the ocean alone. It's allure is magical yet alien, as the scintillating night sky screams out its siren song. But once you get out there the darkness and danger once again rears its ugly head. All hope seems lost as you've become stranded, cast away with the current. The only saving grace is Booka Shade's god like combination of these two opposing narratives around the 5:30 mark. The hopelessness has sunk in at this point but you've come to accept it, opting to bask in the beauty of the brightly lit sky. Like the track itself, it is impossible to look away, only to enjoy every last second. The power of progression is on full display, and Booka Shade have shown their prowess yet again.

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