Sounds like…

The crosshairs of meditative pianos, sci-fi synths and field recordings.

The review

Jeroen Dirrix’s debut EP ‘A Hidden Place’ is an intriguing one. Each track feels like it’s a layer cake of different sound elements that slowly filter in and out like a dream sequence. It gives Jeroen’s music a guided pull towards a feeling rather than being outwardly melodic. It’s an EP for nighttime and quiet places.

The opening track ‘Merging Landscapes’ sells this idea beautifully. Between post-rock distant guitar echoes, washed synths from space and warm pianos you’ll hear layered field recordings. Here it’s bird song and river waters as you move from forest to shoreline. The music and soundscapes take you geographically as well as sonically with you and it is expertly crafted. ‘Under’ mixes a variety of two-chord pattern piano melodies with cooler synths and cafe sounds. It could also be boat sounds too but the idea that life is taking place just out of earshot is palpable in juxtaposition to the clock watching melody.

‘Call the Flood’ pulls in Jeroen Dirrix’ more electronica side with drum loops, distant guitars and beautifully strident piano motifs. The track builds up momentum and whilst it never fully breaks out into something fully cinematic, it carries weight and power with it nonetheless. The closing title track is a beautiful piano-led meditation with rain and cosy shimmering synths to evoke a tiny personal oasis. Throughout the EP, warmth is always provided with a rich and simple synth bass underscore too, so everything feels and sounds grounded.

‘A Hidden Place’ is a lovely debut from Jeroen Dirrix. The Dutch producer and musician clearly understands how careful layering and transitioning of field recordings and modern classical ideas can really make a piece of music shine. I’d personally love to see Jeroen return to do more with the landscape journey ideas explored on a couple of these tracks as I really connected with them mentally. A warm way to end the day.

Recommended track: Merging Landscapes

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