UPFRONTBEATS

Damian Lazarus’ imprint Crosstown Rebels will release a solo EP by German DJ and producer Jonathan Kaspar in August. Transcending melodic techno and sultry house, the 4-track Overfree release echoes the cinematic but club-driven aesthetic of the Bonn-born artist.

Reflecting on his Overfree EP, Kaspar says he is “super happy about my first full solo EP with Crosstown Rebels and also about the four tracks which Damian selected for it. They somehow show a whole DJ Set of mine, containing different emotions and feelings: starting deep, peaking and ending conciliatory.” Enter the rabbit hole through the title track and its constellation of starry synth notes and a chugging bassline. Magic. Ten floats in next as a slow-burning melody curls around a bleepy percussive pattern. On the flip, Kaspar goes deep via Piece Of, as staccato piano notes and a soft kickdrum evokes ethereal textures, the kind that marks the end of an all-night-long DJ set. Kaspar collaborates with Canadian singer and songwriter Graham Baxter on the closing track Unify. It’s a sublime meeting of the minds as Baxter’s ghostly vocals collide with Kaspar’s dreamy grooves and rippling bassline. Surreal synergies, made with the dancefloor and introspective listener in mind.

Jonathan Kaspar is a Cologne-based producer and DJ with an evolving collection spanning Cocoon, Innervisions and Kompakt. Kaspar’s roots in dance music stem from his student days studying medicine, when he promoted parties in his native Bonn, Germany, to fund his studies. After graduating, he followed a winding road in producing and DJing and delivered his debut release on Upon You Records in 2015. A slew of solid releases followed suit on Objektivity, These Eyes, ouï and Kompakt. Like his productions, Kaspar’s DJ sets convey stories, stitching a range of atmospheric tones and tingling melodies that capture his audience’s imagination. He garners a residency at Cologne’s esteemed Gewölbe club and enjoys curating all-night-long sets and inviting international names to play alongside him. Beyond Cologne, Kaspar’s played at German institutions Watergate, Kater Blau and Fusion Club, as well as Volt Club in Milan, T7 in Paris and Extrema Open Air in Hasselt.

Credited - For The Record