- At first, I was surprised to see Andre Lodemann on Innervisions. Then that thought changed to, "Wait, what took so long?" When you think about it, the German producer has been making Innervisions tracks all along: lengthy, emotional tunes that "build slowly but epically like trance," as I put it when reviewing Fragments back in 2012. Leaving The Comfort Zone is Lodemann's first release for the beloved imprint, and it mostly lives up to its promise, with tracks as sprawling and slow-burning as ever.
Don't be fooled by the title—these two sides aren't a radical departure for Lodemann by any measure. He tends to use the same structure: long intro, dramatic breakdown, big lead that comes in about halfway through (think "Your Choice"). Here, Lodemann does the same, but spreads the recipe out more evenly, making each track feel like a series of mini movements. "Leaving The Comfort Zone" is built on his trademark shuffling percussion, layered with long, whistling notes. Eventually, it shifts into a Latin-influenced rhythm and brings in a lunging bassline, letting synth leads and organs drizzle over the foundation. It's the kind of production that feels like it morphs every few bars, so it rewards close attention and casual listening alike.
Flipside "Between The Notes" operates the same way, but this time Lodemann plays with warped and time-stretched sounds, letting them wobble like he's messing with a reel-to-reel. Where the A-side is smooth, this one is discordant and dubby, giving us a glimpse of Lodemann's darker side. Each track adds subtle new shading to his signature sound.
TracklistA1 Leaving The Comfort Zone
B1 Between The Notes