Doctor Flake – Lockdown (Spotify)

Jean Marie Leger’s alias Doctor Flake is a project that explores the philosophical and meditative corners of the Electronic music universe. His deep and atmospheric production tendencies are powerful and magnetising to listeners that appreciate the intricacies of this kind of production work. We delve deeper into this new four track collection of his selected works.

Lead track ‘Lockdown’ is a reflective and low-tempo production that flourishes via deep and meditative kick drums as a foundation for a Techno-centric stack of layers in the rhythmic and melodic department. Atmospherics and glossy reverbs full the stereo spectrum and all combined – this makes for a tranquil start to the package.

‘Winterness’ starts life as a heavily processed guitar sound that is thoroughly drenched in reverb and delays to create a padded style backdrop to the pulsing kick drums and brooding bass synths. Progression is the central focus of this track as the tension, suspense and anticipation swells over the length of the production.

Track 3 is ‘Hands’ which again shows off Doctor Flake’s melodic and downtempo aptitudes as we’re treated to a gorgeous array of angelic vocal chants, cloudy percussive melodies, deep and reflective chord transitions and a hypnotic lead that verges on psychedelic. It’s Café Del Mar, Berlin and your favourite place to unwind and destress all rolled into one.

Wrapping up the EP is ‘Volcano’ which delves into a deeper realm of sub bass content with a kick that really hits the insides hard. The percussive elements take a more Techno-edged time and groove pattern to provide a more militant drum section as a foundation. Things get wild when a flurry of pitch-bent wind instruments begin to ring out a droning alarm of a melody to create an otherworldly vibe that fuses acoustic and electronic tones.

It’s a journey that Doctor Flake has purposefully conceptualised with this package. Starting from his Downtempo past and journeying into the future with his sonic explorations with mid and up-tempo Techno, his electronic discoveries are always fresh, thoughtful and very listenable.