Lee Jones - Watergate 07

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  • Despite its reputation as one of Berlin's finest clubs, it's hard to pin Watergate down to any particular sound. Go there on any Friday or Saturday night, and you're just as likely to find the deep house stylings of Sebo K as you are the minimal techno of Highgrade. As you might expect, then, its mix series has been similarly wide-ranging within the house and techno sphere, finding room for Onur Ozer, dOP and Sascha Funke among others. Lee Jones' entry into the club's discography follows in a similar manner to Funke's mix, blending melodic tech house that is often just quirky enough to be memorable and often just danceable enough to keep your feet on the floor. To do so, Jones relies more heavily on his own compositions (and collaborations), fitting things neatly with up-front productions from an array of house and techno artists such as Ray Okpara, Mark Henning and Andri. It's a mix that doesn't do much that's special per se. Jones keeps the tempo relatively steady throughout, despite a chance with Alex James vs Alif Tree feat. Los Updates' "The Blind Busker" to take things in a completely different direction, seeing as how it embraces piano jazz and drops the kick drum out altogether for an extended breakdown. But, before you can contemplate the possibilities, Jones brings in "Voice Scatter," his collaboration with Patrice Baumel, and normalcy is returned. (If a four minute track that delights in making men and women sound like cats meowing for four minutes can be described as normal.) Indeed, things are sonically weird on Watergate 07. The main lead on Jones' "Yoyo" sounds as crazed as ever, an epic seven minute vocal track—Flowers & Sea Creatures' "International"—is placed in an unlikely slot at the beginning of the mix and "Lullaby" has Jones making you re-evaluate the relatively unremarkable back catalogue of Daniel Dreier. But mix-wise, it's often strange. There are stretches where it seems like we're treading water. "Basic Chord Tool" marks the middle of a lengthy stretch of bouncy tech house where you're still shaking off the hangover of "International." Later on, "Yoyo" comes too quickly after the Los Update comedown to properly feel like the climactic moment it could have been. Watergate 07 is technically solid, and a great example of Jones' breadth of house and techno interests—a great business card for both artist and club. As a mix, though, it seems slightly malformed, and constrained by the format. Go see him in a club, preferably Watergate.
  • Tracklist
      01. Lee Jones - In The Water 02. Flowers & Sea Creatures - International (Lee Jones Watergate Remix) 03. Andri - White Sunday 04. My My - Mymorial 05. Matthias Meyer & Lee Jones - Basic Chord Tool 06. Ray Okpara - Short Stick 07. The Cheapers - Being Eaten (Watergate Edit) 08. Lee Jones & Daniel Dreier - Lullaby 09. Brandt Brauer Frick - Melancholie (Lee Jones Watergate Remix) 10. Alex James vs Alif Tree feat. Los Updates - The Blind Busker 11. Patrice B�umel & Lee Jones - Voice Scatter 12. Lee Jones - Yoyo (Watergate Version) 13. Mark Henning - Gibson Said 14. Acid Pauli - December 15. Gregorythm and Greenbank - Lion Dreams 16. Lee Jones - Kreuzberg 61
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