No more than 20 years of age, Dallas-based producer, medasin, has thoroughly established himself as one of the most promising producers in the underground electronic music scene. Adopting an intensive approach to sound design, his style is equally simplistic as it is astonishingly intricate. A polished repertoire of remixes and heavy-hitting singles offered medasin the formal introduction onto the SoundCloud scene, while his collaboration with Ekali & Elohim, ‘Forever‘ was the final confirmation that this is merely the dawn of a prosperous future for this young talent.
Medasin’s debut project on ALT:VISION, IRENE, is a courageous display of creative maturity. Contrary to his conventional industrial trap sound, this album embraces a more euphoric vibe, yet simultaneously emphasizes the sophisticated essence that fans have grown to love. 9 tracks in total, the project resembles a warm spiritual journey, characterized with retro-synths and a serene tropical vibe. With each listen, a subtle complexity revealed itself to me as I grew more enamored with the brilliance of this unanticipated change of pace for medasin.
The opening track, ‘Weird Summer’ unwinds slowly like a spool of thread, reminiscent of a music box playing in reverse, the whirling synths and soft organ melody lay the foundation for the vibe of the entire project. A delicate metallic tapping leads into an addictive pattern of tropical notes in ‘Ramen’, as the percussion and retro melody assemble, the tune launches into a sensationally funky atmosphere; nostalgic of a jingle you might recall from an elevator. ‘Leaving Earth ‘ begins with a dismal chanting in the backdrop, culminating with the distinct sound of footsteps on a hard floor. The blade of the track unsheathes into a muffled radio frequency, which is quickly joined by a soothing piano melody. A pattern of wavering horns rise and fall in stature amid a medley of gentle clicking noises, which provide stunning complexity to an overtly simple track.
The interlude of the project, ‘Warm Blue’ reintroduces the retro-tropical appeal, a calming melody composed of luscious synths lingers into a peaceful melody, while a soothing chime calls in the distance. An uplifting beat leads into ‘Slinky Man’, which breaks into an obsessive pattern of chords, while a rhythmic drumming in the background and subtle laser noises provide a groovy undertone to the track. The bouncy, energetic intro in ‘Work For You’ unfolds into a pleasing array of vocals courtesy of Kaz Moon. Tight, metallic shaking, vibrant horns and perfectly timed breaks accentuate the vocals in the drop beautifully, providing a subtle hint of spice to the tune.
‘Home’ is riddled with overwhelmingly nostalgic significance, a divine melody of bells and enthralling pattern of falling synths and low repetitive bass hits, highlighted with angelic minimalist vocals provide a challenging yet familiar appeal to the track. A languishing organ precedes a succulent vocal lead from Sophie Meier’s in the emotion-ridden tune of the project, ‘Tired’. A deliberate pattern of plucking strings and floral synthesizers further emphasize Sophie’s exquisite vocals, giving a dreamlike vibe to the song.
As ‘Outro’ brings the project to a close, I can’t help but feel completely taken aback by this audacious, masterfully executed album. While the style is a fresh take for medasin, he continues to deliver on unparalleled intricacy and attention-to-detail in everything he releases, and IRENE falls nothing short of that standard.
