- If there's a house producer with a better ear for melodies than Thomas Melchior I'd love to know about them. Melchior has crafted some of the genre's most memorable moments, and melody is usually what made them special. But we're not talking about piano stabs, big chords or the other things most artists reach for. Melchior uses a unique, restrained approach (tiny key snippets and strange samples), which gives his productions class. Perlon has released almost all of the Berliner's best solo work since he debuted on the label over ten years ago, and he's back with the two-part, six-track Meditations 1-6 after a three-year hiatus.
I'll start with the good bits. "Meditation 1" and "Meditation 5" are the highlights (the latter is the clear standout), and sound good enough to lighten the mood in just about any room. Both are breezy, spacious and snappy, capped off with shuffling drums and Melchior's signature crunchy hi-hats and looped keys. Like his best tracks, affecting melodies are paired with a swung beat, making them emotive and suitable for the dance floor. The rest of the release is more tool-like and less moving. "Meditation 4" and "Meditation 6" are bottom-heavy and beat-driven, also effective but lacking the spark that made "1" and "5" so good. "2" and "3" are even more dry—rare missteps for Perlon and Melchior. The delights found elsewhere, though, make this a package worth owning.
Tracklist01. Meditation 1
02. Meditation 2
03. Meditation 3
04. Meditation 4
05. Meditation 5
06. Meditation 6