EP REVIEW: Ray Okpara – Gipsy by Jeet Ghoshal

I both love and hate EP’s. They’re like an elegant tasting menu—they allow you to sample a wide variety of flavours within a fairly short period of time, but they don’t allow you the time to get lost in any particular dish.

This week’s EP comes from Ray Okpara, a Nigerian Tech-House producer and DJ known for his drifty hypnotic beats and soulful and deep productions. Okpara has been instrumental in the development of the German dance music scene ever since the mid to late 90’s. He is now based out of Berlin, however, he tours very frequently, mostly around Europe.

Ray Okpara’s “Gipsy EP“, released on Saved Records, opens with the title track, Gipsy. Gipsy opens with a flourish of sounds; You first notice the wobble, which is independent of the bass line, although, at first listen it may seem otherwise. The opening is accentuated by a quick hit-hat that fades shortly thereafter. A recurring deep, electronic echo is periodically laid over top of the bass line to add more a variation in frequencies and create a well-rounded sound.

The strong kick drum is probably the most influential synthetic sound in this track. Its boldness rises above the bass line, while supporting the rest of the sounds—it modifies itself with the introduction of new sounds, and with the addition and subtraction of key elements of the track acting as a bass line, a kick drum and, even a solo sound, dare I say a melody, at times.

After listening through the entire EP once, I was astounded at the diverse complexity throughout each track on the EP. There is enough variation in each track that you never ever quite get to settle in—which, funnily enough for a tech-house EP, is wonderfully different. It always keeps you guessing, what is going to happen next? All whilst maintain the bounce and groove that is distinctly Tech-House.

The second track on the EP, Atlixco, is a very different track. The kick drum and the bass line work so well together that, it is not until you really listen, that you can differentiate between the two. The low growl in the beginning signals that there will actually be vocals in this song. The chorus is accentuated by a vocal that add a distinctive soulful feel to the track, similar to something you would hear from a jazz record in the 60s-70s.

Another thing I have noticed that is unique to Ray Okpara, is that he eloquently marries a blend of sounds that, taken individually, may sound disharmonious. But, by altering the mood of the track so frequently, it is the unusual sounds that bleed together to create such an astounding track—reminds me of creating something from nothing, or simplicity through complexity. One last thing about Atlixco, all throughout the track, the arpeggios seem to climb and build to something, but leave you hanging, always searching for that glorious down beat that brings you back down to earth, but it never comes. Maybe in the next track…

The final track in the EP, Buster, opens with a deranged twist. The most addictive part of this track is the hit on every sixteenth note in the background—it keeps the energy high and adds that much more to the well punctuated bass line. But this track seems the shortest, and consequently, the track that lacks depth the most. I say that loosely because, I have never heard tech-house like this before. It reminds me of the sounds blended together in Delirium’s Silence remixed by Tiësto. It shouldn’t make sense, but it does. It makes so much beautiful, groovy, bouncy, sense.

I have done my best to paint a picture for you. But, to be honest, Ray Okpara’s style of music is difficult to describe. Which is why, I highly recommend you head on over to beatport and checkout his EP for yourselves to gain an understanding of what I’m trying to convey. See you all next week! Same Bat-time, same Bat-place!

Click here to purchase the album via Beatport. 

 

LINKS:

Ray Okpara
SoundCloud 
Twitter 
Myspace 
Resident Advisor 
What People Play
Discogs 

 

Jeet Ghoshal – EDM TOR