Mix of the Week 12/6: XLR8R Podcast 596 – Lenzman
The XLR8R magazine has been hastening the pace of music and culture across the globe for twenty-five years. Their weekly podcast features exciting and diverse artists. This week features Lenzman, aka Teije van Vliet, a Dutch DJ with a love of hip-hop, jazz and funk. He began his career reproducing records with a rudimentary laptop-based production setup. This week’s mix highlights just how far he has come.
The mix, clocking in at a digestible one hour, is a simple drum and bass set. However, it is heavily rooted in the artist’s Amsterdam sound. The tracklist includes some old material, new remixes and some exclusive unreleased work. The fast-paced drum beat stays consistent for the entire hour. It is a basic and familiar electro beat, but so tightly produced that it acts as the best possible foundation for the mix.
To give the soundscape some depths, Lenzman will often utilise some synth drones or some distant, reverb heavy piano melodies. These are often very slow and very drawn out, acting in complete contrast to the rhythm and bass section. This creates a relaxing effect that gently washes over the intense drums. The calm atmosphere is enhanced through some other soft layers, most of which have some distortion and reverb effects. Sounds like electrified horns, digital trills and backup vocals resonate in the high end to create a delicate shimmer. The aural interest in the high end gives the entire mix a bright timbre to match the energetic rhythm. As a result, the mix is not only dance ready, but also suitable as ambience for everyday activities like driving or jogging.
In an interview with XLR8R, Lenzman comments on the track.
“I have played some of my own music, some music forthcoming on my label, some old gems, and a few tracks that I'm just feeling at the moment. I always find myself trying to keep it soulful, playing tracks that invoke a certain emotion, or groove.”
Listen to the mix in full below:
