“Music is my mistress and she plays second fiddle to no one.”
Thus begins Cycle, the debut album by Miami DJ Induce, and by the last song it’s evident that this line is more than just a sound bite; it’s the mantra by which he lives by.
The resident vinyl expert of Sweat Records, Induce has obviously worn the grooves out on countless records, and his intimate knowledge of the art of the groove gives his work a body and soul often absent from electronic music.
A perfect example of Induce’s careful blend of the electronic with the organic is “Call,” which makes use of live drums, dark, brooding Rhodes piano and a flute solo by former UM student Kevin Russell. The digital modifications serve merely to heighten the tension, never distracting from the expressiveness of the instruments.
From angelic voices on “Color Clouds Blue” to Curtis Mayfield-esque strings on “Resuscitation,” Induce finds the perfect hooks to draw listeners in to his minimalist landscapes, his mix free of superfluous elements. The middle of the album takes this idea a step further with several ambient, atmospheric songs that suggest natural settings-the rustling of the wind, an airport, a seaside.
The standout track, “Coletrane’s Brain,” is a masterful sound collage in the vein of DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing that features jazz aficionados discussing the indelible bond between jazz and American idealism over an acoustic piano riff and snippets of sax solos. One of the speakers says, “it’s the sound of America when it becomes itself,” and in paying tribute to his musical heroes Induce is doing his best to expedite that process.
Sweat Records will host a Cycle CD release party on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
Matt Gajewski can be contacted at m.gajewski@miami.edu.