Jacob Korn – She review
Hype is a funny thing. Sometimes an artist can go from unheralded underground producer to much-discussed dancefloor hero in the blink of an eye. That’s what’s happened to Jacob Korn. Less than a month ago, the Uncanny Valley man was being described by deep house nerds as one to watch; now, he’s widely regarded as one of Germany’s most talented exports. So what’s changed? This release, that’s what. The Dresden-based producer had already built up a bit of a reputation thanks to some seriously good releases on Dolly, Left Of The Dial, Running Back and, of course, Uncanny Valley, but these still left a sense that the best was still to come. This EP, his first solo set for Uncanny Valley, contains arguably his best work to date. Bring on the hype.
“She” takes a satisfyingly detailed and musically complex approach to deep house. While it boasts some notable hooks – like the best dancefloor music – the production is far more intricate and densely layered than your average Germanic deep house cut. The groove itself as a case in point; at various points throughout the composition, there are hissing jazz cymbals, bongos, fuzzy snares and thick kicks, alongside a bassline that changes shape and form several times in seven minutes. Add in beautiful marimba melodies, cascading pianos, rising strings and foreboding chords, and you have something remarkable. It’s arguably his most musically advanced composition yet – and that’s saying something. “Once Love” repeats the trick, building from a dark and atmospheric opening into something almost blindingly bright. By the time it drops into a snappy mix of drunken horns and quietly uplifting melodies, you’ll be lost in its delightfully woozy, undulating groove.
To compliment Korn’s superb originals, there are two remixes of “She”. Iron Curtis is up first, turning the intricate original into a delightfully melancholic slab of tear-jerking warm-up house. It’s a touch more soft focus and dreamy than the original, but nevertheless packs the required amount of punch. John Talabot rounds off the package with an excellent interpretation of his own, that strips back the crowded original before building into an intoxicating late night stew of spiralling organs, heady melodies and spooky stabs. It’s arguably the better of the two remixes, and caps a near-faultless release.
Matt Anniss
