Asadinho’s accolades could easily outnumber the words in this article, and as a man who has lived the life of a world class DJ for over 20 years, this is no great surprise.
However in true understated deep-house fashion, he is known only to those truly interested in the genre. A Nile Rodgers character in that although you may not have heard his name, you have definitely heard his music.
After such an extensive career, like any established artist, it is time for the compulsory “best of” release, in this case taking the form of Dendrology, a collection of Asadinho’s finest productions and reworks masterfully mixed into one long and satisfying slab of bum-shaking delight. This is to be released on his very own label RVS in the twilight weeks of next month. But as this is no ordinary release, of course it has no ordinary platform, Dendrology is to be released on a biodegradable USB stick (perhaps USB ‘twig’ is more fitting) in a beautifully presented pack that would make even the most militant anti-house head’s to think twice about buying.
Down to business, and booming it certainly is. The album starts with a personal standout track Asadhino's remix of Wallflower’s "Say You Won't Ever". The cool eerie vocals ease you into the album as the beat builds in the background, gaining pace as the simplistic yet almost percussive bassline gives some life to the track. As the song develops the mournful vocals begin to layer, pulling you into that sensual lucid trance that deep-house is renowned for.
As the album starts to mature, Asadinho’s DJ prowess is exposed. The precise moment you begin to recognise the repetition of a track, a sign it has run it’s course, the next one is fluidly and masterfully introduced into the mix reinvigorating the dancefloor.
The album’s midsection offers enough variety to satisfy your dance move repertoire, whilst maintaining an element of auteurism so that you know who you’re listening to. “Meet People” offers a nice funky guitar based groove and stands as one of the brighter tracks of the album.
This is nicely balanced a couple of tracks later with Asadinho’s remix of “Love Gamble”, a track with electronic foundations and a focus on a fairly deep dirty womp and with a more minor tone to it.
The pace and tone carry on this theme for the next few tracks, and it must be said had it been part of a live set I was at, this would certainly be the point I ventured elsewhere for a breather. However the funk soon returns with “Transgression”, with a wonderful yet understated bassline that I challenge you to sit still to.
As with any set worth it’s salt the end few tracks are among the best, moving from a the funky bassline of “Transgression” to the intoxicatingly bouncy “If Only”, where Asadinho’s cuts the reverb of the aetherial voices in time with the beat to punctuate the rhythm and accentuate the bouncy vibe.
Coming to a conclusion on probably his best known rendition of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness”. It’s clear to see why this is such a popular song, it manages to maintain Del Rey’s solemn yet soulful atmospherics, whilst working in an irresistible percussion bass combination that adds to the tone of the song without detracting attention from her infamous voice.
Dendrology has something for everyone, even if this means some parts of it may become slightly tedious to some. As production values and mixing prowess are concerned however, this album never deviates from the mark. It’s a concise and thought out collection of his best work and deserves a spot in any self respecting DJ’s collection.
Check out some more of Asadinho's work on remix duty for the Wallflower - Say You Wont Ever EP here
You can pre-order the Album here.
Ben Stevens
Follow Ben on Twitter: @bennysteves91
