SABLE BLANC – NEW PLACES

Title: New Places
Artist: Sable Blanc
Label: Oath
Genre: Deep House, Balearic, Breaks, Downtempo
Catalog number: OATH021
Format: 12"

On the imprint’s latest record, Oath is proud to present the audial wizardry found within the sound of Sable Blanc, who presents a collection of tracks that evoke warmth, introspection, and touch upon the heartstrings…

Blanc has always found new and exciting ways to further incorporate sounds within his audial universe, with each release showcasing his broadening of horizons. Blanc’s musical roots formed within the spheres of Jazz and through drumming lessons, and upon discovering house music in his teens, he quickly sought to manifest his array of interests into a concise yet wide-reaching musical output. Blanc brings together the sensibilities of Jazz laden grooves and melodic patterns with the up-tempo energies of House in such a way as to always provide the feeling of forward thinkingness, but never losing sight of the smaller things that make life worthwhile. In his own words, his music is ‘home-listening’ in feel, and the grooves and keys find their way into every corner of homes in which listeners press play on one of his records. Soulful, bountiful and emotive, Blanc’s music is profound in its sensibilities and quietly brilliant in which it demonstrates. It fosters connections and provides specific soundtracks for specific places, but its diversity allows for new meanings to be found in it, wherever it might be listened to.

‘New Places’ fits very much within his musical lexicon, and was inspired by new surroundings in the South of France, and by becoming a father for the first time. ‘Banana Candy (Intro)’ provides the stage for which this record is to play out, and the identifiers come into view very quickly indeed. The light drumming pattern forms a bedrock for the playful piano loop to wish the sunrise a good morning, and when the bass and full drum kit land, everything begins to flourish. It’s the little textures and lines that persist on the peripherals of the track that add so much to proceedings – bird song and guitar, all wrapped up in one feeling. ‘Epitome’ arrives next, and this one begins with a gorgeous piano lead. The drums that land are crisp and precise, with evolving melodic sweeps adding depth in the backdrop. Everything lands in exactly the right place, giving over just the right amount to move the composition onwards. A head-nodder with a morning coffee.

‘Canvas’ arrives next, which features Wes Maples, and this one begins speaking very softly. The low end feeling unravels into a sublime groove, with the next phases surfing the horizon line with ease. The breakdown focuses on the sax, and its food for the soul, a full buffet of all you could ever wish for. ‘Fleur De Sucre’ lightly treads into view next, with the piano and light hats joining forces. The vocal work adds to the top ends, before unraveling into a bountiful bouquet that touches upon all the senses. The arpeggio that comes into view provides a sense of surprise, in all the right ways, as the track sees itself out into the morning sun.

‘Remember the Feeling (of Love)’ lands next, with the energy being topped up here. The hats land quickly, providing the basis for a rich and dense rhythmic pattern to emerge. The bassline and vocals that come into view align themselves with this deepness, with the melodic elements also following suit in adding to the enriching array of sound. To wrap things up, we have ‘Soft Seasons’, and the energy is pitched up for this one. The vibe is distinctly house-laden, with the bass line and core chord pattern doing much to tap along at the soul. Graceful, purposeful and evolving, it’s a perfect ender to a record of such richness and thoughtfulness – the kind of vibe that persists as you look out from the balcony.

Sable Blanc makes music that chimes to the energies of life, bringing together a myriad of feelings and channeling them into his craft. ‘New Places’ may speak of places and experiences new, but it’s a quintessential reflection of Blanc as an artist, a pure expression of his sound and what he aims to evoke through his music. Perhaps tomorrow morning, grab a coffee and watch the sunrise with this absolute pearler – it’s perhaps the best way to start a day…..