Joep Mencke is a producer based in the Netherlands. In his DJ sets and breath-work he uses his music to facilitate an inward journey. Through musical storytelling he aims to provide a vehicle for exploration and transformation. His music, which is heavily inspired by nature and the immensely diverse cultures on this planet, can be characterized as: compelling, deep, and melodious. Melancholic chord progressions, hypnotizing bass-lines, and driving drums will accompany you on your journey.
To celebrate his new album on Klassified, he recorded a new exclusive mix for us. Enjoy!
The Amsterdam-based artist follows up two stunning singles with the release of his feature-length debut album ‘Unalome’. With ‘Su’ and ‘Sabda’ already out in the open, Joep returns to unveil the surrounding tracks in this melodically focused and intrinsic body of works.
Released on Dutch imprint Klassified on 14th October, Joep Mencke’s ‘Unalome’ pays tribute to the Buddhist path to enlightenment. Passing through 11 individual emotions, much like stages, the journey from cover to cover of ‘Unalome’ is one that connects to Joep in more than just a conceptual way.
From the outset, where we meet ‘Fahasa’, ‘Mina’ & ‘Tiok’ – representing courage, letting go & trust, respectively – there is a clear audio-visual connection within Joep’s work. Likening tracks to the emotions they represent is no easy feat, much akin to seeing sounds or hearing colours, but the deeper you get into the album, the more you realise that is being achieved. The likes of ‘Even’, ‘Buntu’, ‘Heisei’ and ‘Unalome’ continue to intensify that blurred sensual boundary between aural cognition and tangible feelings. Even into the latter stages, where you’ll find the free-form and ambient cuts like ‘Lume’ and ‘Abar’, there is still an evident connection between intended messaging and frequencies received.
Talking about the aim of his debut LP, Joep says: “I believe we have come to a point where a fundamental change is needed in order for humanity to progress. In order to realise this fundamental change an increase in consciousness/awareness is needed. All of our contemporary complex issues are rooted in ignorance, or a lack of consciousness and awareness.
“Music is an excellent tool for transformation. Through my music I want to facilitate an inward journey for the listener. A journey that opens the listener up to new perspectives and helps them to establish new connections with themselves and the world around them. I’m dedicating my life to raising consciousness. This album will be the first major release that is fundamentally rooted in this mission.” – Joep
Joep Mencke: Facebook // SoundCloud // Instagram
Tracklist:
Joep Mencke, Benjamin Sacks – Even
Durante, HANA – Celestia
Joep Mencke – Tiok
Kasper Roman – The Blind Navigator
Joep Mencke – Kozai
Maga, Sean Doron, Tim Engelhardt – Here To Stay
mOat – Paradise
Jimi Jules – Too Far
Emanuel Satie, Maga, Sean Doron, Tim Engelhardt – Disconnect
Collé – Owami