Review: Molécule’s Submerge Into A Brooding Ocean In ‘Nazaré’ EP

Molécule | Nazaré (EP) | Ed Banger Records / Because Music

Release Date: 17 January, 2020

Molécule – otherwise known French producer Romain De La Haye – has always intricately woven his fascination with nature into his genre-bending sound. The ways in which we humans explore our natural landscapes; the beauty of the deeply personal connection we have with our earth, and our existence within it, is an introspective and running theme throughout the artist’s extensive and unique library. Molécule’s atmospheric, organic inspiration spans across multimedia projects – most notably, his 2018 album ‘22.7°C‘ saw the artist traverse the breathtaking Greenland; accompanied by his home studio, Molécule captured the magnificent atmosphere not only through his sound, but with an added book of photographs, letters – a virtual reality experience – and a documentary.

In his latest EP ‘Nazare’, Molécule once again demonstrates an intricately interlaced experience of natural inspiration through sound – and multimedia. Taking sounds he attained by literally submerging himself in the ocean, the producer has crafted a sound glimmering with a bright seascape; working in tandem with surfers, as well as filmmakers on a documentary series (Directed by Vincent Kardasi, produced by LK RTEL, in collaboration with Quiksilver) entitled ‘Sounds of Surfing‘ – where the artist challenged himself to record the sound of one of the largest waves in the world – with the title ‘Nazaré’ referring to the iconic surfing spot in Portugal.

The opening track ‘Big Mama‘ introduces itself in a tender foreboding; the ambient seascape of waves lapping the shores, as surfers call amongst the ebb and flow of the ocean – growing ever ominous. Forceful submersion; a dark, brooding bass pulls listeners deep below the surface, held tightly in the clutches of a sea monster – ghostly sonar pulses navigating an infinite space, an entity lurking between the unknown; an orchestral underwater isolation.

‘Réminiscences‘ gurgles with a low bubbling; a sudden tidal ascent breaking forth into a sunken drive – a pounding beat doused in shadow, accentuated with temperamental aqua crashes, booming as thunder. Nervous, repetitive synth oscillations dot the oceanic techno; transitioning into a swelling ambience, samples of voices calling out to one another – immersed in a perilous atmosphere, a foreshadowing tide looming overhead.

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Feature Image: Molécule – Arturia feature on ‘22.7C‘