DaRand Land - Wander Being

初回入荷分は即完売！「アルバムでディープ・ハウス？」なリリースも納得の仕上がりの高品質すぎるディープ・ハウス・アルバム！自宅でのリスニングやBGMにもオススメ！

DaRand LandがScissor and Threadから放つ『Wander Being』は、ディープ・ハウスの核心に迫る全12曲を収録した2枚組LP。Buffalo出身の彼は、Deep4Lifeレーベルの中核を担い、アンビエントなシンセとファンクベースを軸に、内省的でありながらもグルーヴを失わないサウンドを築いてきた。

本作では、ハードウェア機材を駆使し、ミニマルな構成と直感的なアプローチで制作。冒頭の「The Nature of Reality」は、渦巻くパッドと低音のグルーヴが絡み合い、浮遊感と緊張感を同時に生み出す。「Turn to The Music」では、力強いキックと官能的なコードが、ダンスフロアを意識したエネルギーを放つ。

全体を通して、ハイハットの煌めき、スネアの切れ味、ベースラインのうねりが際立ち、パッドやシンセのメロディが魔法のような彩りを添える。故Mike Huckabyを彷彿とさせる瞬間もあり、深く、滑らかでありながらも荒々しさを感じさせる仕上がりとなっている。

『Wander Being』は、ダンスフロアと心の奥底を同時に揺さぶる、思慮深くも喜びに満ちたディープ・ハウスの旅路。アナログ盤には10曲を収録、ディープ・ハウスの真髄を求めるリスナーにとって、見逃せない一枚だ。

A1. The Nature Of Reality
A2. Wander Being
B1. Turn To The Music
B2. At The Feeling Level
C1. Jazz Intent
C2. Thematicism
C3. Wade Away
D1. Natural Causality
D2. In The Meadow
D3. See Urchin

DaRand Land, who hails from the post industrial confines of Buffalo, NY was one of the leading figures of Deep4Life, a cult label known for submersible oriented, yet dancefloor-friendly productions. With ambient synth-driven tones and heavy funk basslines being at the center of his sound, DaRand Land’s music often evokes an introspective quality, without losing its groove fundamental. DaRand’s works, which span decades on deep house labels such as Downbeat, Confluence and Pulp have been described as “uncompromising” and has afforded him a passionate following of listeners who seek a more emotive, thought-provoking brand of underground music. 
Teaming up once again with Scissors and Thread - the perfect fit for his sound - DaRand Land drops an album full of crafty, trippy house for the heads. Wander Being contains 10 tracks on the double vinyl release with a pair of additional tracks for the digital release. The vibe is deep and sleek, with a rough, bumping edge. The title track sets the tone, a smattering of percussion accompanying a thick, round kick drum and Rhodes chords, giving off a classic Detroit feel. Tracks like Turn to The Music ramp up the energy somewhat, but overall the tracks sit in the sweet spot between dancefloor burners and soulful, jazzy, deep cuts. Noticeable is the space given to each element across the tracks - the hi-hats sparkle, the snare snaps, and the basslines roll and rumble. Add to this the magic melodic flourishes provided by the pads and synths, reminiscent of the late Mike Huckaby in places, made this whole album a thoughtful, joyful experience.
„The genesis for the Wander Being LP”, says DaRand “was a desire to return to the essence of some of my original Deep4Life productions. How was this accomplished? Principally, through the exclusive use of hardware components, minimalist arrangement, and a minds-eye approach to source the musical elements. In particular, the single, The Nature of Reality was written to convey a sense of what it feels like to be in a state of suspended animation. There is a natural tension introduced via the organic, swirling pad progression juxtaposed against endless vocal echoes and the low-end groove of the bassline. Thematically, I wanted to carry this forward through the entirety of the album.
balancing subdued keys and strings with ethereal tones and atmospheres.