Emerging through the Progressive circuit is an unusual talent whose recent cutting edge sounds have been pushing the boundaries of sound design and genre classification throughout the entire scene. Aji Mon Nair is an upcoming Progressive producer who has seemingly popped out of nowhere, but has that certain timeless quality that reflects both nostalgic memories and pioneering ideologies. Hailing from India, Mon Nair has been gathering a plethora of varying influences from exotic artists such as Eric Prydz, Ferry Corsten, John Digweed and Erick Morillo and has incorporated their sounds into something new, fresh and essential to the scene. With an insatiable love for 80’s music, (think Human League and late Van Halen), his intrinsically technical tracks have been but a prime example of the new age Progressive scene that has emerged within the last couple of years. But rather than be a part of the pact, his signature productions contains that individuality that is hard to come by and has been burning a specific sound that only he can produce. After a highly successful remix to Fon.Leman‘s single of One Day (which garnered support from the likes of Solarstone, Andy Moor and Thomas Datt), he begins another test of his abilities with his brilliant double EP that’s out now on Fuzzy Recordings. This particular release is more of an intimate look into his musical philosophies and one that exceeds many expectations while still maintaining an organic touch throughout the entire release.
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Aji Mon Nair- Crown Of Beauty (Original Mix)
Crown Of Beauty is probably one of his most important works to date, simply because of the emotional impact that resides within it. This particular piece was inspired by his recently wedded wife, whose radiant beauty was captured within the musical pages of his melodic interludes. As such, this piece has more of a dimmer, almost inclusive vibe to it whilst the sound design has a deeper, more laidback feel towards its orchestration. It starts with a highly technical bassline whose liquid-esque timbres errs on the side of lounge and relaxation, yet contains a certain sprightliness to it. With classic 80’s drum fills, it pulls into a carefully pristine section where crisp percussion and alternating harmonies give great contrast to the subtle, but necessary pads and adjoining voices. The breakdown, however, is not what is expected from Mon Nair, as we hear a cascading synth melody with the faint rush of ocean waves in the background, almost as a brief memory of his wedding day with his wife’s beaming face. This notion is supported with jubilant wedding bells and incredibly engaging main room synths as the technicality of his productions returns. By combining tender, heartwarming melodies with a hybrid of Progressive/Deep House paradigms, it is an ambitious work that combines his highly computerized sound with an interjection of raw human emotion towards one of the best days of his life.
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Aji Mon Nair- Let’s Get Retro (Original Mix)
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While Crown Of Beauty was more of a personal tune by Mon Nair, it is the single of Let’s Get Retro that has been getting major attention throughout the scene. Let’s Get Retro has been personally supported by Above & Beyond on their Group Therapy radio series and considers it to be his greatest accomplishment to date, especially since he has only been producing for 5 years. This single was inspired by Eric Prydz and Michael Cassette, who are two of his greatest inspirations and one of the leading reasons he began producing in the first place. With its name in mind, he expertly combined the forward thinking philosophies of Mr. Prydz & Mr. Cassette and added a heaping dose of 80’s while keeping his unusually iconic sound in check. Beginning with a miniature breakdown, flowing pads alternate between fluttering, low cut accompanying synths and Progressive bleeps before a fantastic 80’s trumpet follows through with one of his signature basslines. With the basslines being as open ended as they are, it allows the more sublime parts to stand out to showcase all of the tiny gears and pulleys that work together to make this track. Mon Nair does a fantastic job of keeping the essence of Futurism within his sounds, (with his expertly clean lead lines and bass chords), but he also manages to add fluffy pads and a particularly graceful vocal timbre which provides both clarity and depth throughout the phrasing.
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Aji Mon Nair’s Crown Of Beauty/Let’s Get Retro EP is out now on Fuzzy Recordings, so head over to Beatport and support upcoming talent today.
Keep the music alive. -Q
Beatport: http://www.beatport.com/release/retro-crown/1179591
