Artist: Pole Folder
Title: Buenos Aires EP
Label: Hope Recordings
By: Antonella Sirec | 5 June 2007
Tracklist:

• A: Pacha 6am
• B: Bokoto 10pm (Pole Folder & CP Mix)

Pole Folder "Buenos Aires EP"

If there's one producer that continues to astound me with both his musical creations and his DJing abilities, it would have to be Belgian Benoit Franquet aka Pole Folder. With each release over the last few years, his talent has continued to grow and rather then follow the path of others; he's made a path into progressive house that others follow instead. With the upcoming release of his 'Buenos Aires EP’, Pole Folder once again proves why he's the leader of the pack and like no other.

The first track on this EP is 'Pacha 6am' which begins on a dubby melody with a number of intricate sound effects added over the top. Soon a padded beat comes in which keeps things on a mellow tone. This is the perfect set up for the deep melody that wanders in slyly and becomes the mainstay of this particular tune. The track continues to grow in sound as lush, atmospheric chords sweep in and out at varying points throughout. Every now and then a vocodered vocal sample can be heard with the tempo picking up slightly towards the halfway point. With the impending breakdown, some of those layered melodies become redundant, which only heightens the subtle drama of the composition. However, this is only for a short time as they soon kick back in and continue again until the end of the track. This is an exceptionally beautiful piece of music that, for me, sounds perfect in both structure and melody. While aimed at the early hours of the morning, it's the type of tune that the listener can truly lose himself or herself in as those lush melodies practically envelop you in their sounds. 'Pacha 6am' is a track that I loved from the first listen but has managed to grow on me more and more with each consecutive listen.

While its predecessor began on a mellow side, 'Bokoto 10pm' instantly begins on an uplifting beat. After a minute, subtle sound effects are introduced while the beat takes on a more pronounced feel. With the introduction of a sampled female vocal, the bass line kicks in and changes the focus of the track. With this all happening at precise points, the main melodic hook comes into play and you're instantly transported somewhere else preferably a darkened dance floor. 'Bokoto 10pm', like its companion, also benefits greatly from a number of sweeping melodic synths that are introduced halfway through the track. All these sounds and layered effects gel perfectly together to form a tune that’s as much about groove as it is about pure listening pleasure. As the track dips into a breakdown and then climbs back out again, the beat drops in again as the melody builds in intensity and remains on the same feel until the end. A brilliant tune that's primarily focused on dance floor appeal while stimulating the senses at the same time.

There are very few releases that I find completely perfect. Pole Folder's 'Buenos Aires EP' is one of those exceptions. Both tracks on here are as emotionally evocative as they are intelligently structured to encompass dance floor appeal. While I love the more melodic aspects of progressive house, in my view, only a few producers – one of whom is Pole Folder – can truly carry off that sound without ever resorting to saccharine laced, chord-by-numbers melodies. Whether it is 10pm or 6am anywhere in the world or even 3pm for that matter, this is one release that will be enjoyed by many irrespective of what part of the world you find yourself. Highly recommended.