One of the cats I mentioned in my recent piece on current wave American dance music was Thomas Xu, whose debut release was a split 12” with Julion De’Angelo on Sound Signature back in the summer of 2017. To kick off 2019 in style, Thomas has started his own label called Steady Flight Circle and he is christening it with the self-produced Different Wisdoms EP.
Continuing on from the jams for Theo’s label, it is obvious that Thomas has concentrated on finding his own signature sound. All three tracks sound very personal and contemplative, with synth tones that elicit an Asian vibe. He even credits his mother for the calligraphy on the artwork in a further nod to his heritage.
“Standing Rock” opens things, reminding me of some of my favorite ambient Detroit techno. Hand percussion and keys create atmosphere that reminds me of old Tony Drake or Detroit Escalator Co., music that takes the repetition and tempo of dance music and turns it into something more heady. The melodies layer on top of one another, finally reaching a crescendo just before the track concludes.
Next is “Grand Mother” which is my personal favorite of the bunch. A half time drum rhythm makes this one into a hypnotic piece that could easy have continued on, especially with the little bit of dub delay that sneaks in near the end.
On the B side lies “Create Hope”. This cut has the most prominent drums but it is still hardly a club banger. More deepness is what’s in store, with well crafted synth sounds that accentuate the floating melodies perfectly. This would be a perfect joint to drop at the end of a late night mix session.
It’s very nice to see such individualism on display. If this record is any indication, Thomas is going to be giving us only very intimate and beautiful music, not just another standard house or techno record.