#49 Feat. Banner in Progressive House

After the success of his debut EP in June 2023, Verche now returns to Particles with his Into the Light that combines a trio of original tracks with remixes from Croatian and Australian artists. Marin Roncevic has been a powerful force in the Progressive House and Melodic House & Techno genres through his Verche soubriquet. Since a 2013 debut, some 250 production credits have shone over a decade on such labels as Heath Mill Recordings, Bonzai Progressive, System Recordings and the October 2023 Saints & Sinners album on Sangria. Making his full Particles EP debut in mid-2023, Riptide lit up the Croatians credentials as he now returns. The title track immediately commands listener attention with its chugging rhythmic intensity and beautifully sculpted piano motifs. Easily transforming into dramatically cadenced sequences, Into the Light rises and falls with dramatic and spine-tingling intensity. The chunky rhythmic foundation of Night at the Velvet Mountain is quickly developed into an innovatively and intriguingly created melodic sequence that evolves through repeated note patterns. Thickly textured pads and floating vocal phrasing add to the sonic collage as it develops more traditional dancefloor characteristics in the second half. The mellifluous tones of Sweet Desert drift over a head-shaking groove and heavy beat as a rich sub-bassline adds weight aplenty. Delicately crafted, layers of soundscape build upon each other with shimmering intensity, subtle vocal intonations and emotive chord progression. Petar Dundov has been a musical revelation for a quarter of a century since he burst onto the melodic techno scene in late-2001. Some 400 production credits later and Petar has been a mainstay of Sven Väths Cocoon Recordings, DAYS like NIGHTS, Sudbeat Music and Bedrock Records. A regular on Proton Music with his Salvation and Spark EPs in December 2020 and October 2021, a pair of Particles remixes for Chihaka and Gaston Ponte in 2021 and 2023 are now followed by a third as Petar Dundov remixes his fellow countryman. Taking on Into the Light, a trademark sound comes flooding through as cascading and grooved arpeggios build upon each other over a huge sub-bassline and immaculate club groove. Evolving easily, familiar melodic patterns from Verches original come to the fore, combined with gorgeous and shimmering keys. Waxing and waning a new synth lead arrives post-breakdown against the ordered chaos of the original. Another artist with strong production credentials, Dave Leck arrives on Particles once more after the success of a quartet of original EPs between 2019 and 2024. Thus Stardust, Primal Connection, Elevate and Opal have showcased the Australians talent in addition to his work for 3rd Avenue, Soundteller Records and a half-century of credits for Nick Lewis Emotional Content Recordings. Now reworking Sweet Desert, the Dave Leck remix builds upon the melodic phrasing found in Verches original and transforms it into a seething club-friendly powerhouse. A deeply resonant kick, ticking hats and cavernous bassline are juxtaposed against cascading arpeggios that pan the stereo spectrum at the beatless breakdown, before combining effortlessly with the metronomic rhythm in the second half to create a mesmerising and free-flowing interpretation. Directed by Jay Epoch A&R by Marina Enebeka Mastered by Cid Inc. Design by Ben Mautner Text by James Warren

Verche