- Hardware-built house is certainly nothing new, and Friendly Chemist (Jean Brazeau) isn't pretending that it is. The Vancouver DJ/producer's first outing for 1080p, Touch Of Jupiter, is a collection of New Age-inspired dance music with an urge to jack. Borrowing as much from 808 State as Mr. Fingers, nearly all six productions balance a languid atmosphere with busy drums, swaggering basslines and sumptuous melodies. Brazeau seems to know exactly what he's doing with this material, and he keeps Touch Of Jupiter inspired and exciting despite its roots in well-worn sounds.
Some of the record's best tracks feature live instruments (or an approximation thereof), which gives Brazeau a chance to show off his soulful melodic touch. The Rhodes in "Trying 2 Find U" appears during the tune's quiet breakdown, and its burnt chords lend it some heartfelt punctuation before launching into the finale. "Visions From Yesterday (Saxy Mix)" delivers exactly what its title promises—a wistful floor-filler with exuberant saxophone. The instrumentation in "Queen Of Swords" is all retro-digital synth pads and blasted 909s, but Brazeau injects satisfying musicality with his casual keyboard flourishes.
It's a rare moment when the celestial vibe grows tiresome, but once "March Of The Bog Lily (Celestial Mix)" comes on at track five, the beatless, nearly eight-minute piece feels somewhat laborious. The slow drift does eventually pay off, though, acting as a sort of extended intro to the understated closer. A soft-focus production, "Mist Haze" caps off Brazeau's debut release like it's reminiscing on the previous 30 minutes of music.
Tracklist01. March of the Bog Lily (Clapapella)
02. Trying 2 Find U
03. Visions From Yesterday (Saxy Mix)
04. Queen of Swords
05. March of the Bog Lily (Celestial Mix)
06. Mist/Haze