As Fantastic Man, Superconscious Records boss Mic Newman got us used to hi-NRG blends of organic, exotica-infused boogie and straight-up jacking rhythms; mapping an invisible route between heliotropic funk, classic filtered house and the lush oceanic shades of balearic melodies to overcome any tepid crowd’s reluctance at bunching up on the dancefloor.
This is where Newman’s new persona ‘Mind Lotion‘ takes over – just as balmy as its name suggests. Sharing an obvious love for panpipes and bells with label pal D.K., Mind Lotion’s sound attires itself in chimey inflections and vaporous flute lines, matching the intoxicating feel of the summits with the horizontal quietness of a shimmering seaway.
"Mind Lotion's sound attires itself in chimey inflections and vaporous flute lines, matching the intoxicating feel of the summits with the horizontal quietness of a shimmering seaway"
‘Dreamscape‘ breaks things in on a deep introspective note; its lo-freq modulations rippling like whales’ clicks and buzzes amidst a chaplet of scattered light beams and crystal spume. It doesn’t take long to get into the smooth heliotropic feel of ‘Altitude Attitudes‘ so much Newman’s elegant tune-making puts the finest summery vibe in a – monoï-scented – bottle.
The second track on the album, ‘Atmospherica‘, bounces off a more dynamic wind, the stress-free zen audio-garden gradually evolving into a proper clubby set-up as East Asian horns and woodblock percussions get the track in dancing motion. Newman shows at his most attractive when finding the optimal balance between an halcyon scenario and its lively instrumental fauna.
‘Hotel Breakfast‘ and ‘Astro Girl‘ are certainly the two most delectable slabs of the whole, even though picking a favourite from Newman’s album is no easy thing. Whilst the first takes on a sensuous funky vibe, cruising on the cerulean skyline surrounded by xylophonic streams, water slapping samples and high-pitched synth flares, the latter deploys rainbow-hued gradings – full with a mellifluous blend of bass pizzicato, tempered breeze and subtle skirls, getting even more interesting towards its last third when the keyboard seems to shake up the track’s jacuzzi-warm mood.
If ‘There Was A Time‘ feels very reminiscent of Padilla’s bright oasis house anthems, deftly toying with pure Balearic tropes, ‘Algo Rydim‘ regains a more regular pace with its cascading keys, as Newman progressively loosens his hold on the album’s suspensive tempo and dissipates the ’80s-infused, new age haze. ‘Altitude Attitudes‘ could be one of these amazing tape finds from an old dusty box of ambient records at your parents’ – stuck somewhere between ‘Echoes of Nature‘ and ‘Tropical Rain Forest Sounds‘. A supremely enchanting ode to the past that never looks back.
Altitude Attitudes is out now, order a vinyl copy from the label’s webshop.
TRACKLIST
A1. Dreamscape
A2. Atmospherica
A3. My Language
A4. Hotel Breakfast
B1. There Was a Time
B2. Rainbow Delta
B3. Astro Girl
B4. Algo Rydim
Discover more about Mind Lotion and Antinote on Inverted Audio.