Passages by Theme

With a sum total of 2 12”s released for Samurai Horo and Red Seal, Theme has a sparse but vital discography. Fusing Dub Techno, Ambient and Half Time Drum and Bass, the Theme style developed as a uniquely Berlin influenced take on 170 BPM’s post autonomic developing progression.

Following a 2 year gap since the last release, the Theme debut LP ‘Passages’ builds on this style by accentuating and extending the ambient ‘passages’ and experimenting with beat structures to create an intricately constructed and textured journey. There is nods to the form that has made the Theme style stand out (Passage 6, 8, 9), beautiful ambient tracks that soothe and guide (Passage 1, 4, 7, 10) but the glue that affirms Passages as an accomplished long player comes from percussive workouts that hover around various BPM’s and genres (Passage 2, 3, 5).

Passages should really feel like the pinnacle of a journey for Theme, but instead it feels like the start of an all new chapter in musical form for a musical nomad who has found solace in leaving behind any constrictions and templates.

If you listen closely to Passage 11, you hear the sound of a new life beating from the womb of it’s mother, a fitting metaphor for the birth of the new Theme.

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