Petar Dundov

Petar Dundov - Distant Shores

Sometimes the coolest techno is not the techno that bangs, but the techno that takes a single idea and rolls with it. Literally. Here, Croatian maestro Petar Dundov takes a lite-dub techno aesthetic, marries a beautifully ebbing Eastern European melody and stretching it out across deep pools of toms, skittering, echoing bass drums, and a hypnotic bassline. The approach here, musically speaking, is simple. Yet, the dynamics applied here are really what make this such an amazing track. You can almost hear the track undulate, curve, and dip at various times across its main riff. The idea of dynamics is heavily married to techno and nowhere is it more evident than here, on this lush, aural tapestry of a cut that Dundov has crafted. The melody itself even drifts along without pattern, sounding equal parts Mediterranean and Eastern European at the same time; deftly crafted to swing from cinematically somber one moment to deep and emotive the next. Here, Dundov has crafted yet another journey along a calm, moonlit shoreline: peaceful and quite bleak, yet pulverizing in its magnetic and hypnotic sway. The title tells it all: a place you can see and almost feel, that at the same time, exists just out of reach. Beautiful.

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Petar Dundov - Oasis

Where Distant Shores teased listeners with its brilliant swathes of atmosphere and melody, 'Oasis' rolls the melody out almost immediately, and it's noticeably warmer (and even adds in a little bit of Middle Eastern flair) standing in stark contrast with 'Distant Shores'. However, the focus is still on atmosphere, and here Dundov crafts with equal precision and detail a throbbing, breathing world that the darting little melody dances around in. The percussion is decidedly lighter this time around, but the bassline and atmosphere sure aren't. Nearly half-way in, the bass really starts to churn, humming along with a slightly ominous bent as the main melody starts to push deeper and deeper into the track, giving it a fuller, more angelic sound. Farther on, a much clearer synth doubles the second on riff duties, beefing up the hi-end without sacrificing the pulsing low-end. Again, here is a track with no peak, no pay-off, no climax. It is the journey, again, that matters: a beautifully made, texturally-deep slice of techno that shouldn't disappoint Dundov's fans.

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Petar Dundov - Rain

At this point in the post, it should be quite clear the kind of techno Petar Dundov crafts: melodic dub techno with a deft eye for atmosphere and dynamics that forgoes climax for mood and a journey the listener won't soon forget. And guess what? More of the same here. The melody and pads are graceful, lush, and perfectly produced. There really isn't much more to say. Yet another success for Dundov, an emotive cut of dub techno that sounds in line with 'Distant Shores' almost. The melody is much more intricate and even features a beautiful harmony too.

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If you'd like more on Dundov, he's released an album on Music Man Records in 2008, 'Escapements', that features the above two cuts plus six others. 'Distant Shores' has just been released on Music Man and is available for download on beatport.com. All these cuts, minus '...Shores', are all available on iTunes as well. If you need some wind-down or relaxing music, you can't fare much better! Hats off to Petar Dundov and hope to hear more from him soon. Enjoy, friends.
-NL