Ostriconi

Ephemeral vocals, galloping bass lines, loops of string instruments caressing out a melody, this is the sound of downtempo, that fusion of ambient and the groovier end of electronica sometimes called global bass. Yeahman’s debut is a prime example of how downtempo has become a means to travel, through evocative diaspora soundscapes, and even between planes of consciousness.

The Toulouse-based producer calls on an impressive supporting cast of France-based artists that serve as an advert for Gallic multiculturalism: ‘Sakoneta’, named after a cliff in the Basque Country, is moored by a hefty pulse, dreamy synths recalling The Orb while Tarang Cissoko’s kora forces us to question where this music is being beamed from; ‘Ouloullou’ contains the skeleton of a Touareg desert blues groove thanks to Omar Zidia’s presence on guitar and vocals, but is dressed, via electronic pulses, for the dance floor; Ibero-America weighs on a number of tracks, the Andean-imbibing ‘Sueño Contigo’ offering up a dreamy transcendence that plays with your wakefulness. And even without guests, tracks like ‘GLI-F4’, with percolating rhythms constantly in motion, interrogating, are redolent of Yeahman’s clear vision. Beautifully-produced and dazzling in its beatific melodies, Ostriconi recontextualises distinct musical sources without ever feeling artificial in its conception.