On his debut LP as Jameszoo, Fool, Mitchel Van Dinther combined a scorching set of jazz improvisations and funk jams with outlandish swirls of electronic colour and synthesizer squelches. The Flake EP is Dinther's first release since then, though some of its material was created when he was putting the final touches on Fool with his collaborator Niels Broos.
It starts with a reprise of "Flake," the lead track from Fool, before moving into three new tracks and then ending with two remixes of the title track. With the exception of a saxophone solo on "Con," the new material here lacks the live jazz elements that made Fool so compelling. Yet it's a solid effort; Dinther's knack for computer funk is on display again, and he makes use of bass music elements in ways he didn't on Fool, suggesting a possible direction for him to develop further.
The two remixes of "Flake" are good, presenting the original's elements with new beat structures and with some additional synth work, but since they stay so close to Dinther's own vision without improving on it, it's unclear what, exactly, the purpose of the remixes is.
Fool, a surprising 2016 record, introduced a new artist with a singular, well-developed aesthetic. This EP lacks the same excitement, but it's still nice to hear more music from Dinther's Jameszoo project.
(Brainfeeder)It starts with a reprise of "Flake," the lead track from Fool, before moving into three new tracks and then ending with two remixes of the title track. With the exception of a saxophone solo on "Con," the new material here lacks the live jazz elements that made Fool so compelling. Yet it's a solid effort; Dinther's knack for computer funk is on display again, and he makes use of bass music elements in ways he didn't on Fool, suggesting a possible direction for him to develop further.
The two remixes of "Flake" are good, presenting the original's elements with new beat structures and with some additional synth work, but since they stay so close to Dinther's own vision without improving on it, it's unclear what, exactly, the purpose of the remixes is.
Fool, a surprising 2016 record, introduced a new artist with a singular, well-developed aesthetic. This EP lacks the same excitement, but it's still nice to hear more music from Dinther's Jameszoo project.