Moving Into Jazz by DJ Psychiatre

DJ Psychiatre is the main alias of Sylvain Creton, who over the past few years has curated a compelling audial universe that continues to grow organically and intuitively with each release. His take on House has won many admirers, with praise set aside for his dexterous approach and multi-faceted style. Whether it be acid tinged rollers through to softly spoken rhythmic atmospheres, via disco tinged numbers which never fail to get the party going, Creton has allowed DJ Psychiatre to be a truly expressive medium.

Always engaging, never standing still, it is this approach which has seen him release on some top quality labels over the years, including the likes of Whyte Numbers, Dance Around 88, Lost Palms, Shall Not Fade and Pont Neuf, to name but a few.

Landing in Marienbad feels like a natural next destination for Psychiatre, who delivers a collection of tracks that once again show the hallmarks and motifs of his enriching sound. True to form, "Moving Into Jazz" demonstrates a myriad of styles, shifting from the deeply hazy through the powerfully uptempo - all the while demonstrating a real sensibility for melodic range and texture. The opener, "Moving into Jazz," burns slowly at the beginning with a gorgeous, key-laden whisper, which sets the stage expertly for the kicks and vocal samples to glisten into life.

The atmosphere crafted here is one to get lost deep within, as embers of sound sparkle in the early evening sky, eager to capture the listeners attention before shifting focus to yet another emotional tone. The track even saunters into acidic plains, with the lines emerging beautifully from the haze.

A noteworthy opener. "Those DJs" lands next, and this one begins with the steppin' drum pattern to get things going. Psychiatre once again allows the steam to build up before launching into the core melodic sequence, which consists of a subtle bass line paired with sweeping, angelic chords. The resulting mix hints at the soundscape opener, but makes a distinct focus on the rhythmic pattern and how it holds everything together. Acid lines once again play a big part in the onward progression, and it's a wormhole to get engrossed deep within.

The B side begins with "Iced Lemon," which begins with a clean cut arpeggio sequence to get us started. Things quickly unravel with enriching kicks and hats churning underneath, with the melodic line allowed to retreat before swinging back in with the uplift of energy. Euphoric pads add much to the backdrop, and when the switch up happens it is a proper bombshell moment, uplifting the dance and keeping the mind switched on.

The progression that follows is a marvel to behold, a complex blend of sounds that never feels quite the same as each bar passes by. To wrap things up, "A Trance to Remember" arrives in the slipstream. Starting off with an uptempo drum pattern, the bassline churns through the low end frequencies alongside an engrossing, uplifting chord sequence. Vocal snippets add intrigue and depth to proceedings, as the crowd bobs along to the kinetic energy that chimes along at the heart of the track. It's a fitting end to a record filled with promise, musical diversity, and just straight up melodic and rhythmic excellence - DJ Psychiatre by name, and by nature.

EPs always have the potential to leave a lasting mark on listeners, despite their relatively short length. DJ Psychiatre has made a habit of releasing records that speak volumes, often well beyond their physical bounds, and this new EP of his is no exception. Blending heart with the beguiling, the two sides of the record demonstrate his deft and wide reaching touch, filled to the brim with motifs that make this music distinctly his own.

DJ Psychiatre - Moving Into Jazz
Release Date April 2025
Label Last Year at Marienbad

Tracklist
1. DJ Psychiatre - Moving into Jazz
2. DJ Psychiatre - Those DJ's
3. DJ Psychiatre - Iced Lemon
4. DJ Psychiatre - A Trance To Remember