This is Roman Poncet‘s debut release on renowned Italian label ARTS and on the first listen it’s quite good. Featured on the release are three really solid originals and two very nice remixes from the legendary Robert Hood and another from rising Spanish star Psyk.
The opening and title track ‘Walfisch‘ is a rolling, train-like and filtered down belter. It opens with a no holds barred chugging beat that remains throughout the track, assisted with slightly washy yet very sharp chords and tastefully placed hats which do their job perfectly. ‘Afterglow‘ is slightly darker and is reminiscent of something you might hear in a dungeon or a cavernous venue. Like ‘Walfisch‘, it’s headed up by a chugging rhythm while chunky hits, filtered slaps and faster paced hats are the most prominent features that give the track it’s charm. One could easily imagine either or these tracks taking punters up a notch on the dance floor.
Both of the remixes take a significantly different direction to the originals, showcasing the now well established sounds of the respected remixers. First up is the Robert Hood remix of ‘Walfisch‘ who has taken elements from the chords and the chugging low end on the original, Hoodifying them into a darker yet equally rhythmical jam. With the Psyk remix of ‘Afterglow‘, he has utilised the classic sound of a 909 and simple, pitched chords to turn the original into a more downtempo and easy going track. It would be a prefect track to take things down a notch yet keep the energy in a room.
The release is out now on ARTS and is exclusively available from Beatport if you’re a digital dude. Vinyl lovers can pick it up from all major outlets. It’s a strong release that we highly recommend.