It’s only Vase Forever’s third release, but the label and its sound are becoming stellar. Started by the Montreal-based producer Jacques Greene, who was hotly tipped by Thom Yorke after his ‘Another Girl’ EP, and later collaborated on the ‘King of Limbs’ remix project, the imprint works on the premise of “a kind of a postmodern label, in a way.” To highlight this point Jacques has signed two Canadian fashion designers to the label for a release, saying that “it’s kind of like when you sign an artist and you wait for their demo.” We have yet to be enlightened by the results of this concept, but I’m sure you’ll be the first to know.
Vase Forever doesn’t just play host to Greene’s trademark sound – House music infused with elements of Garage/ R’n’B – and promises to deliver more than just dance tracks. This is manifest in the ‘Lost In Tokyo’ EP, produced by Koreless, a contributor to VASE001, and a successful applicant to this year’s Red Bull Music Academy NY. The title track leads with floating tonal percussion while Sais’ reverb drenched vocals help set the pace. Subtle in its nature, but no less complete, loose hi-hat patterns and rim shots allude to a garage rhythm, while warm bass undulates below. A wistful turmoil is implied throughout the track, the sort you might find in sprawling urban centers and cityscapes or the worlds capitals. As the rhythm fades away, kick drums still intact, orchestral strings and intertwining melodies carry the listener off into the ether.
Backed with Jacques Greene’s remix, the stems of the original track are taken to a whole new level. Employing techno stabs and heavily compressed low end drums, the track is lifted from the melancholic straight onto the dancefloor, while a seemingly endless melody loops around the now hardened broken beats. Compositionally, ‘Lost In Tokyo’ is a masterful balance of elements that implies more energy than it actually contains. Although Greene’s remix moves production towards club land, the core essence is not forgotten.