Artist: Joris Voorn
Album: Nobody Knows
Label: Green
Released: 17/11/2014
They say all good things come to those who wait, and seeing as we’ve been waiting a whole seven years for Joris Voorn’s latest artist album, I was eager to see if this mantra held fast. Following his landmark summer in Ibiza, taking to Ushuaïa’s stage with Nic Fancuilli for their first headline residency on the island - a milestone in any DJs career – I initially came to the album with visions of main-room anthems and dance-floor beats. What I in fact found was a classically inspired, experimental collection full of intricate percussion and sweeping melodies, proof that Voorn’s skilled ear for production extends far beyond the clubbing world.
'Nobody Knows' is an hour long, twelve track offering released on Voorn’s own label Green. Opener The Monk sets emotions running high, as strumming guitars and soaring synths unfold into a climactic crescendo, a perfect introduction into this cinematic record.
Testament to Voorn’s musical upbringing, the album explores a diverse range of sounds and instruments, and this in turn allows each track to tell its own story, be it the melancholy conveyed through the steel drums in Sweets for Piano; or the other-worldly quality captured with the chiming percussion and vocal sampling in The Wild. His seamless production is particularly apparent toward the end of the LP, where his ability to create cohesive soundscapes from obscure, disjointed layers of percussion is showcased with tracks like Momo and Left.
There are four vocal collaborations on the album, two from Kid A, including the beautifully eclectic ballad, A House, and guest vocals from Matthew Dear and Bram Stadhouders. Dear’s strange, husky tone grabs your attention in Homeland, and paired with the satisfying house beat made it one I kept going back to again and again.
As for clubbing material, will Voorn be incorporating any of this new material into his legendary sets? Well, whilst he’s clearly focused on the musical experience over the BPM with these numbers, they’re not completely devoid of dance floor potential. His 2013 release Ringo, which sits mid-way through the album, offers up some warm, melodic techno to play around with, whilst up-tempo groove Fall could easily be re-worked into a go-to club track.
An intelligent, captivating album; it may not be an instant hit with everyone, but given the chance is sure to grow on most.
Tracklist:
01. The Monk
02. A House (featuring Kid A)
03. Homeland (featuring Matthew Dear)
04. The Wild
05. Sweets For PIano
06. So Long (featuring Kid A)
07. Ringo
08. Mugged
09. MoMo
10. Fall
11. Left
12. Dust (featuring Bram Stadhouders)
WORDS | Joanna Wright
