Saytek – Live On Cubism Vol.3

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Artist: Saytek
Title: Live On Cubism Vol.3
Label: Cubism
Cat No: CUBISMLIVE3
Release: 29/10/2014
Genre: House/Techno

Following on from his critically acclaimed series of released Live performances, Saytek arrives with volume 3, and it’s every bit as potent as we’ve come to expect from the House maestro. It’s fair to say I was rather excited when this one arrived in my inbox, as i’ve still got volume 2 on regular rotation on my mp3 player, such is the quality of the music contained therein. His meticulous attention to detail and unrelenting rhythms grabbed me from the off, and highlighted Joseph as a talent with whom the House fraternity could be proud of.

For the third instalment (of many more, I hope), he’s kept the tone familiar, and fans of his previous work will be instantly at home. For me that’s not a bad thing in the slightest, seeing as though his productions have always remained so on point, there really is no reason to re-invent the wheel. As an album, the fact that it is a live performance (as opposed to a DJ set) means that the various musical elements flow in and out of each other organically. Whereas your traditional mixed album often showcases transitions of varying degrees of subtlety, this feels like a steady progression of ideas that bind with each other and flow together in a manner that’s hard to match as a DJ. Saytek prides himself in his distinction as a live performer, and rightly so. His dexterity throughout volume 3 is evident, as he utilises his arsenal of hardware to loop, layer, manipulate, and mix his collage of samples into the mesmerising onslaught that is Cubism Live.

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The album kicks the party off with some deeper bass-driven cuts, accompanied by heavy doses of synth washes and vocodered acapellas. ‘Darkness Meditation’ stands out immediately, with its fierce percussion and rolling bassline, and as a track in itself it paves the way nicely for the techier material contained within tracks like ‘Talking Dirty’, and ‘Bass & Chords’. From here, Joseph takes us on a visceral cruise through Acid and Techno, with brutal tracks like ‘Klap & Smak’ illustrating his proficiency in crafting tougher material that might not have been so evident in volume 2. Certainly the finale of this release has a much more ‘heads-down’ aura to it than before, and when contrasted with the chunkier House sound that was so prominent during the early stages of the album, the intricate techno at the end serves as a logical progression to give the release that all-important flow.

I can only hope that this is not the last of the ‘Live on Cubism’ releases from the man Saytek, as they genuinely are exemplary demonstrations of both exciting new electronica, and of a producer who’s clearly working very hard to provide the masses with high-grade underground House & Techno. In a world of lazy anodyne mixes, and over-hyped underperforming producer albums, Saytek and Cubism are a shining beacon of exceptional-quality no-bullshit Dance music. Volume 3 is well worth every penny of your hard-earned.

Head to Beatport to secure your copy on release 29th October 2014

Catch Saytek performing live at Showcase with Darren Emerson 25 October 2014 – tickets available here


About the Author

Born of the Oxfordshire countryside, Andy has always preferred the quaint aspects of life around a historic city to the hustle and bustle of places like London or Birmingham. That said, the desire to satisfy his thirst for live music has led to him fleeing the tranquility of rural life on a regular basis, in favour of regions where the nightlife doesn't have to come to an abrupt end at 3am.