Extending his reach from the underground clubs of Berlin, Topper (real name Matteo Taberna), propelled by his label, Sleep Is Commercial, has unleashed a wave of psychedelic and minimalistic tech house onto our delicate English ears. But it’s a very pleasant wave; more of a slight ripple really, because to describe his music as minimalistic is exactly right. Providing the skeleton of a song – the beat – and adding complimentary elements such as futuristic and even sinister sound effects, he creates a piece of relaxed, bare art.
During the first songs of his album, ‘Down by the River’ (released June 9th), you’re probably not going to be salsa dancing. The music, especially ‘Freakboxing’, is very reserved, almost sparse, the beat acting as the focal point, but things start to happen when the beat picks up. It eases you into the album, so to speak, seemingly strategically placed to lower your heart-rate, prepare you for the imminent respite that his songs provoke. A similar tone is conveyed through ‘Yellow Horses’, but the sound is made even more interesting with the eerie yet cool inclusion of non-standard sound effects. For instance, there was a creepy voice mumbling: “I can’t stop talking to the yellow horses”. I had to take my headphones out to make sure I wasn’t about to get my eyeballs pulled out through the base of my skull by some inconsiderate ghost.
One of then standout tracks for me was ‘Air’, which utilises a rather interesting beat and integrates slow, smooth background tones that create a nice balance between hard and soft. It is songs like this which reflect Topper’s upbringing surrounded by psychedelic influences.
The album is drawn to a close by ‘Peeza’, a smooth, chilled combination of unimposing sounds. It is almost dreamlike but with an urban hardness, befitting of the music genre. A guitar, the first instrument used that was instantly recognisable to me, adds variety and the slow pace creates a sense of symmetry for the album as it mirrors the first song’s placidness.
Topper’s label, Sleep Is Commercial, wants to resurrect the spontaneous group energy of the rave scene that has been partially lost with commercialisation, while maintaining the professionalism that it has provided, and this is clear through his music. It does not sound like anything you see teenagers swinging glowsticks to. It sounds classic and unadorned, yet still has the potential to incite an impulsive party. It bears no characteristics of sloppiness, which can often be found in songs outside of mainstream music – overall, it’s been excellently produced.
The album as a whole seems not for partying hard but for winding down. You can still move but without fist pumping ferociously and spilling your tequila over the gyrating bystanders. Everything feels carefully placed, the beats calculated and meticulously uniform yet conveying a strange sense of chaos. Topper isn’t just trying to find the catchiest beat: he’s actually putting thought into his music and using it as a platform for his creativity. This exactly meets Sleep Is Commercial’s promise of high-quality, thought-provoking and unique output – this is what makes ‘Down By The River’ so good.
