John Talabot - Fin

Apparently "deep house" is a real subgenre of house. Nothing I knew before listening to John Talabot's ƒin, despite all the hipsters and electro-heads going wild over it. I'm not too big on house in general and I tend to prefer the more hardcore-driven genres like Rotterdam and gabber. Despite my house inhibition I really enjoyed ƒin.

As a new listening experience I might be biased, but John Talabot's producing here is great. There's lots of textured, layered beats drenched in melancholia, an emotion seldomly heard in electronic music I feel. The seven-and-a-half minute opener "Depak Ine" serves as a fun (if simple) disco-groove with a preview of the layering and textures you'll soon hear on ƒin. The track reeks of an eerie dimness, and leads perfectly into an album highlight "Destiny" featuring Barcelona's Pional. I don't know much about his work, but whatever he did on here is really cool. "Destiny" features one of the few vocal melodies, notable others being on the tracks "Estiu," a favorite of my roommate that sounds very R&B-esque, and the closer "So Will Be Now," also featuring Pional. "Journeys" feat. Ekhi is another track that utilizes vocal melodies but in a way that doesn't really fit in with the rest of the album. It's not bad - but it doesn't fit the atmosphere of the album very well.

For the most part that dismal, half-light eeriness is present throughout the entirety of ƒin. "Last Land" features some nice synth melodies and even the more dance-oriented tracks like "When The Past Was Present" are smitten with a case of sadness as well. It's an atmosphere that really sticks with the album, but it's not very negative sounding. It's almost a sort of cynical happiness - something that I find most people could relate to on some level. With that feel John Talabot has crafted one of the better album entries in the house subgenre. It's one that I'm not too familiar with I feel like any fan of dance-house could enjoy ƒin.

7.75 out of 10

Tracklisting:

1. Depak Ine
2. Destiny (feat. Pional)
3. El Oeste
4. Oro Y Sangre
5. Journeys (feat. Ekhi)
6. Missing You
7. Last Land
8. Estiu
9. When the Past Was Present
10. H.O.R.S.E.
11. So Will Be Now... (feat. Pional)