Sascha Funke - Mango

Sascha Funke is either my favorite or my least favorite artist on BPitch Control. His personality comes through in his tracks, and we're given something that sounds like it was made by Sascha rather than generic-techno-house-producer-x. This doesn't mean, however, that he limits himself to using the same techniques over and over again to reach an effect, something that too many producers turn to lately.

The only problem is that he's not terribly consistent. The "Boy" 12" was great, "Auf Aix" was great, but sometimes his releases aren't the best to me (his BoogyBytes Mix, however, is so far the best in the series). Luckily for us, "Mango", his first LP in years, does not dissapoint.

"Bravo" had its faults. It had good tracks, alright tracks, and not so great tracks. You don't see this on "Mango". "Mango" is a good record as one piece, but there is also a lot of variety in it. Opener "Mango" is melodic and atmospheric until the guitar cuts the track open, adding a whole new element. Guitars are seldom used well, but here Sascha uses guitar sparingly and to great effect. Some of the cuts on the album bring the tempo down and add some melancholy, not necessarily the tracks you would spin at 3am, but perfect home listening tracks.

Yet, "Mango" also contains some real stunning cuts sure to get the dance floor fired up. "Double-Checked" sounds like ringing bells and sticks in this great groove until these odd vocals come in, adding a sinister element to the whole thing. These aren't the pitched vocals of R U OK or Charly, but something else entirely. "Lotre (Mehr Fleisch)" is also a killer dance floor track with a voice that comes in later that may or may not be saying anything. Regardless, it serves as more of another rhythmic element than anything else, which makes it both interesting and hypnotizing.

Gernot from Modeselektor said that this is the most mature music Sascha has ever produced, and I must agree with him. Sascha's tracks are sometimes too melodic, or sometimes they sound purposely a-tonal (when we all know he wants to throw in some swooshing synth). Here, he finds a perfect balance, keeping everything reserved and, in the process, creating tracks that are more than the sum of their parts.