Love will tear us appart sangs the Joy Division in 1979. Today it’s not longer the love but lack of knowledge that separates us from good music produced in the distant countries like Canada. The internet supposed to bring every music label, artist and track to your fingertips. But with the every-growing supply makes it harder and harder to filter out and find pearls like this one.  Honestly, I never heard about Toronto based label Thoughtless Music before Arthur Oskan’s debute album dropped down my letter box

Arthur Oskan – Moodswings

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Artur Oskan – Two Seasons

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One thing for sure, Arthur spent one long Canadian winter lock-ed up in his studio. Every track on the album is arranged as a separate artwork. Making the whole piece shine with various influences. From classical keyboardtronica a lá Jean Michael Jarre , to progressive techno of early 2000s and pure Detroit.

Arrangement is very different from the standard used for modern Berlin club bangers (intro-short break – new eliments – short break – peak minute – long break – peak minute – outro).  Instead Arthur works with long build-ups, longer breaks and huge amount of time and effort put into drum programming.  The only thin red line that runs through the whole album are those deep keyboard chords that make an appearance in every track one way or another.

Moodswings is definitely my favourite track – a perfect progressive tune for home listening. It keeps building around a thick bassdrum and funky highhats for over two minutes until finally introduces some deep, semi-classical evershifting organ cords.Brings me back to 2003 – 2004 when I fell in love with progressive techno of James Holden, Steve Lawler and Digweed.

Another future classic is Two Seasons suited for late night, main floor festival sessions. Furthermore, the high overall quality is present in every track of the album from throbbing bass intro of Fat Mobile to the pure Detroit Techno track called Morning Calling that goes Bang! Joris Voorn style just a minute and a half before the end.

Everything from A Little More Than Everything will be sounding great on a massive Function 1 system. And I hope that Arthur will enjoy doing at least a dozen live-sets at this summers festivals. He’s definitely deserved some play after all the work.

Album: Arthur Oskan – A Little More Than Everything
Label: Thoughtless music
Release date: 25th May 2011

01. Sentimental feat. Jesse Somfay
02. Blood From A Stone
03. Fat Mobile
04. Play Keep Away
05. Tracksuit
06. Use No Good
07. Morning Calling
08. Pensive
09. Two Seasons
10. Moodswings