“Rave Things” EP on Detroit label Motech Records introduces Nicolaas Black’s latest project and moniker, Closer Orbit, delivering four infectiously groovy House and Techno tunes just in time for peak summer.
Building energy right off the bat, “Piano Track” offers syncopated chord loops, a fat bassline, and house vocals dripping through the layers. Detroit Techno is an unmistakable influence on this track. Closer Orbit serves no predictable drops; instead, the track switches things up, moving to the dominant for elevated energy, then shifting gears back down to hook you on a familiar vocal riff. A secondary vocal follows, encouraging you to “move your body.” Expertly mixed throughout, this track has killer club potential.
“State Of (I Still Believe)” continues the Detroit Techno sound, this time featuring a funkier bassline. The muted hats and snares moderate the track’s energy to let you focus sharply on the vocals. Heroic and dark, it says “I still believe,” as the syllables mirror an optimistic chord progression.
The title track and a personal favorite, “Rave Things” starts off with four-to-the-floor kicks and an echoing synth lead. It gets pushed to psychedelic effect when patternistic hats intensify while the lower drums fall away, and one gets lost in the melodies. The track breaks out of this swirl when the stomping kick comes back and the funky chord stabs reboot entranced ravers. “Foldspace” continues this synth journey with smooth and improvisatory moog synth leads while a crawling bassline holds down the house.
These four driving Techno tracks sample techniques from Funk, Soul, and Disco throughout. Nicolaas Black explains that “Rave Things” EP pays accidental homage to the classic origins of Detroit Techno and Chicago House, particularly to Chicago where he had a stint at Slang Music Studio and observed Chicago stalwarts such as Frankie Knuckles and Joe Smooth in the studio. The entire release lays bare how these two influences combine to generate his own artistic idiom, and the results are unexpected and refreshing.
-Lina Xing
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