Mix Mup - Beach Hotel De Haan

Meakusma hosts Mix Mup's new release, adequately titled ''Beach Hotel De Haan''. With track titles like ''Seaweed'', ''Wellpappe'', ''Plastic Bag'' and ''De Balkons'', I feel tempted to call it a concept EP. The overall sound is that of a chill out after-party in a contemporary known-of Atlantis. It is a documentation of slippery melodies that stutter devoid of noticeable reverb, delved for on the bottom of the ocean.

Two Lone Swordsmen's 1999 album Stay Down made any further effort of elucidating the mystery of underwater music hard since it completely lacks the childish fiction that can easily and involuntarily come up in this attempt. ''Hope We Never Surface'', ''Spine Bubbles'' and ''As Worldly Pleasures Wave Goodbye'' are all tunes off ''Stay Down'' which demonstrate how ardent the wish to lose touch with land is.

But Mix Mup revealed the side of it which hopes to surface. The final track, ''De Balkons'', contrasts Two Lone Swordsmen's ''No Red Stopping'' through field recordings of traffic sounds and general terrestrial civilization, also making the purpose of surfacing obvious and achieved.

Unlike Mix Mup's previous releases, this EP is a minimal house collage of virtually basic beats and rhythms that don't ever cross this boundary. I think any DJ who stumbles upon this release can't help, but think of how suitably any of these four tracks would fit as a beginning to a long and variable set.

By the way, I remember seeing Kassem Mosse play, with whom Mix Mup collaborated for their notable ''MM/KM'' release on the Trilogy Tapes, and I find it impossible to wash off the recurring feeling of disappointment induced by being submitted to lots of disturbing beat-matching. Anyway, as I lick my wounds and man up, I manage to focus on how bold the identity of their collaborative work is.

Also, Mix Mup's previous solo productions prove his eagerness to experiment which is what defines a restless artist. I advise you to keep an eye on this guy!

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