Artist: Paul Hazendonk
Title: The Long Journey
Label: Proton Music
By: Julien Roby | 19 April 2012
Tracklist:

• 1. The Long Journey
• 2. Silly Sally

Paul Hazendonk  "The Long Journey"

Paul Hazendonk, head of dutch label Manual Music, provides the good on Proton Music 173th release, with a double tracker EP.

"The Long Journey" starts on a clearly tech path with a relentless beat & synth pattern.
It develops in a smart way some melodic elements that are exposed just enough to tease you but not too much to not become over euphoric. The rolling beats quickly remember you this is still about techno but still, this is tech with soul & build up - not flat & repetitive techno. Progressive Techno should we say. An excellent track for sure.

On the flip side (Can this still be said for digital relase?), "Silly Sally" brings the same goodness. A perfect blend of cold tech beat & warm melodies. It's very easy to get hooked to this track groove while the melodic loops blow you away on a grand final. Definitively, "Silly Sally" is our pick here. The two tracks on this EP are great but "Silly Sally" has this little thing more that will certainly get any floor grooving. Paul Hazendonk definitively has some skills, no wonder why Nick Warren had picked up one of his track for his Balance 018 compilation.

Jay Epoch Proton Label never fails to impress. Each of the label release has its own identity, with lovely crafted sounds & brings each time something new to the table - not caring about music style pigeonholing. Truly Progressive.