Seelenkodex self-releases his first EP, “Lullaby”—the result of 4 months of intense creation in the purest home studio style.
While roaming around on Bandcamp, I came across this gem: Seelenkodex’s debut EP, Lullaby. As a young emerging artist (only 25 years old), I had trouble finding a lot of information about him and decided to take the initiative of getting in touch for an insider’s perspective on his work.
Don’t let the German name fool you, Seelenkodex (meaning the code of the soul) actually hails from Mexico. Also an independent DJ, he has been producing music across all kinds of genres for several years, with a focus on Techno and Hardgroove for the past 5 years. With several singles released since 2022, “Lullaby” is his largest piece of work so far.
For this project, Seelenkodex sought an approach to simultaneously dark, industrial, noise (describing it as even sickly) while leaving an undeniable touch of euphoria and playfulness. The artist insists that everyone is free to interpret each song in their own way, describing Lullaby as a sort of macabre anthology: each track tells its own story, the whole EP is only governed by a common sinister-ish atmosphere.
And indeed, each track is very versatile, drawing on a number of different sub-genre, from Acid and Industrial to mind-bending Techno and Hardgroove-meets-House, each of which are showcased alternately, one after the other, through a number of perfectly executed transitions.
The second track “Le temps passe” (meaning “time flies” in French) is a perfect example of this: it is constantly being renewed through different initiatives, with each new influence taking the lead for a certain timeframe. The same goes for “Surprise”, the last track, which at 1:48 has a carefully built up drop that converts sizzling Acid into pure Industrial Techno.
“Multiband Dreams”, the third track, is disconcerting in that it begins with the most authentic House rhythm for a tiny fraction of second before being supported by a powerful Techno kick and losing it into futuristic Industrial, leaving only a skeleton (or even a fossil) of House.
“Spit It Out” (the 4th track) stands out in a mellow way, thanks to a more Trance-like rhythm, which brings a smoother, almost languorous vibe to the track. This aspect echoes the thoughts of the artist, for whom “Spit It Out” is “a sexual song”, full of “exotic energy.” A proper “courtship to the crowd”, he explains.
The EP is overall very melodic, with deep, impetuous kicks on one side wrapped in a host of playful effects and high-pitched, driving synths on the other. Let’s also not forget the ever-present Acid that makes the frequencies crackle in the highs, like at 1:10 of the first track “Brave”, building up for an explosion that throws you into a futuristic Techno tunnel. These various high-pitched effects balance out the ultra-fast-paced, sinister side of this 150BPM Industrial very well.
The idea of having a multitude of genres taking center stage in each track, all in 4 minutes of sound, without creating a break in the structure or logic of each one, sounds quite surprising. Yet Seelenkodex surfs these genres like a professional surfer would ride the biggest waves off the coast of Mexico: with top dexterity, linking them with smooth transitions that never shock.
“Lullaby” is a successful Techno melting pot. A successful pot-au-feu of electronic flavors if you will.
-Hugo Bingler
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