Volpe debuts a dubby, groovy, Detroit-influenced, and introspective “The Soul Is Healed” EP as the first release on his new label, Transcend.
It was 2019 in Argentina; the sun was shining through the trees, birds were singing, the air was fresh, and Gaston Volpe was gazing out his studio window into the backyard with a sense of peace, calm, and introspection. In between reading passages from great philosophical minds like Alan Watts and Carl Jung and admiring the inspiration found in nature surrounding him, Volpe was hard at work crafting some groovy and timeless Techno.
It won’t be long before Volpe makes a massively important move to Berlin to further grow his career as a producer and a DJ, but he recalls this time as a particularly introspective moment for him. With so much emphasis on Techno being hard or dark, these tracks are refreshingly tender and inviting, much like Gaston’s warm, friendly, and open personality. As Al Capone said, “Don’t mistake kindness for weakness,” because there’s some serious swing, soul, and attitude to how Volpe lays down his grooves.
Gorgeous chords—drenched in reverb and echoing around—shimmer like sunlight reflecting off water, while syncopated yet pulsating percussion and the low-end sound are particularly impressive when fully immersed in a massive sound system. At the same time, Volpe is also able to make melodic elements memorable enough to stick in your head like a hook and while simultaneously developing a sense of song structure. Each of the tracks were recorded in live jams as one take, perhaps to suggest that we sometimes forget to admire the energy and life teeming all around us without our control or agency. Even the titles draw inspiration from the writings of Jung and Watts. It is another reminder that we should slow down and be better at enjoying the present moment.
There’s something soothing yet chaotic about this style of dubby, groovy Techno… almost like waves crashing on the shore or watching a thunderstorm pass by. Robert Hood, Steve Rachmad, Shed, and Basic Channel are major sonic influences here, as well as a lot of Dub Reggae music from Scientist or Lee Perry for example. Although there is a lot of genre gate-keeping these days on what’s considered “Techno” or not, we must remind ourselves of the genre’s origin as a fusion of Soul, Funk, Electro, and European Electronic Music in the definitive soul music capital of Detroit. Volpe’s ability to draw inspiration from all of these artists while also confidently asserting his own style reveals a form of tapping into Techno’s collective unconscious.
A limited edition pressing of 25 dub plates for “The Soul Is Healed” sold out in 30 minutes, and a repress is in the works for sometime this year. The mantra behind label name “Transcend” is honest and straightforward, to release timeless, transcendental, and uplifting music for everyone to groove to. For now, Volpe hopes that listeners to his music can discover the same happiness, calm, peace, and joy that he felt while creating this EP. Lovely message, lovely release.
Happy Listening.
-Alex Dahm
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