(Tech House, Progressive House, Indie Dance) Kobana - The Riddle (Proton Music[PROTON0257]) WEB - 2014, FLAC (tracks), lossless

In recent years, few artists can match the skill, creative talent and impact of Kobana; culminating now in a full-length album, "The Riddle" for Proton Music. Bursting onto the scene within a collaborative pairing with Mario Hatchet, the duo forged an immediate impact with their work for Silk Digital, Mango Alley and Black Hole. Talent firing from every synapse, Filip Kaczmarek's home in the west of Poland thus provided an unlikely hotbed for his Kobana production moniker to flourish. Honing his skills through countless hours of musical experimentation, "reverse engineering" and "mastering science", dedication to his chosen craft has made Kobana a much sought after producer and engineer within a dynamic and fast-paced industry. To date, over 200 Beatport production credits sit proudly next to the Kobana name with his solo work assigned to such luminary imprints as Avangardia, Spring Tube, and Arrival, and appearances on both the Anjunadeep 03 and 04 compilations further stamping his authority upon the progressive house world. Additionally, two celebrated sample packs have provided an insight into the technique behind the Kobana sound alongside a repertoire of skills that represent a variety of genres. Kobana's work for the Proton labels has been nothing short of magisterial. Countless original works such as 2011's "Behind The Mirror" and 2012's "Undercover" for Particles, sit alongside deft remixes of Poison Pro and Paul Hazendonk for Proton Music. Supported by such leading lights as Jaytech, Ad Brown, Barry Jamieson and Hernan Cattaneo, the world's dance floors have become accustomed to hearing the Pole's distinctive music. Continuing the journey, it is now with considerable delight that Proton welcomes Filip back to the Proton Music fold with his outstanding, debut, full-length album, as "The Riddle" now marks the next stage in Kobana's sonic evolution. The thirteen enigmatic tracks that make-up "The Riddle" provides an illuminating window into the Kobana soul. The memerising balance of immaculate rhythm and emotive melody in what he terms, "synergistic" effect, are in full evidence as the beautiful piano lines of "Chasing the Moon" slip effortlessly into the deep, filtered, trademark bass sound of "Bees Sound" growing in intensity with its echoes of Daft Punk's soundtrack treatments. The title track itself provides haunting soundscapes juxtaposed against a backdrop of hypnotic, ticking beats and rising, simmering tension, while "Step By Step", "Glow" and "Water Surface" provide a reacquaintance with a sound that is at the very heart of the modern underground dance movement. The mould-breaking, genre-defying sounds of "When I Close My Eyes" and "Butterfly's Talk" illustrate Kobana's ability to produce cutting edge music, as "Fly" reminds us that he is more than capable of serving up a perfect slice of unadulterated house joy. "The Riddle" posed, it is not difficult to find the answer to Kobana's continued success in 2014 and beyond. Directed by Jay Epoch Design by Ben Mautner Photo by Richard Krolewicz Text by James Warren