Audio Asia: DOTT's single is driven deep by Sous-Vide Record's label bosses

Title: Day by Day (Skjaerstad and Dolbah Remix)
Artist: DOTT
Label: Sous-Vide Records
Release: October 9, 2020

One of the most beautiful aspects of music is its ability to connect complete strangers across the barriers of culture, language, space and even time. In a year where travel restrictions, cancelled flights, curfews, lockdowns and isolation have become the norm, it becomes more important than ever that we continue to nurture and build these connections with people that share our passions. With so much suffering around us, music becomes a space and haven for us to both escape and heal. To see the connecting of humans with shared tastes, despite vast geographical distances, gives us hope that things will return to normal one day. Today, one of these connections comes into play in the form of a release from a Thai artist on a Norwegian record label.

The last time we checked in on DOTT he was charting an interplanetary course around the cosmos on his Ubiyu release 'Constant Tragedy'. Whether he's curating releases for his highly regarded and vinyl focussed 'More Rice' imprint, locked in his studio crafting dance floor cuts with refined precision or behind the decks for one his revered sets with his local collective Unstๆ, DOTT has clearly set himself apart from other locals with a penchant for precision that never misses the mark. His latest body of work is no different.

This time we catch the Thai wonderboy taking up the hefty job of the sophomore release for recently launched Norwegian imprint Sous-Vide Records (SVR). SVRSR002 features two upbeat and playful records from DOTT, 'Bad Stone' and 'Day by Day', which both come dripping in his signature Thai 'Zaap'. The EP is rounded out by a fresh take of 'Day by Day' remixed by SVR label bosses Thomas Skjaerstad and Dolbah. While all three tracks are deliciously spicy, the deep dive remix of 'Day by Day' is our standout selection.

The 'Day by Day' remix is the first outing from Skjaerstad or Dolbah on their recently minted imprint and stands as a testament of their diverse environs. Skjaerstad has musical backgrounds ranging from the Norwegian tradition of marching bands and brass section to inspiration from the glacial sounds of Röyksopp and Jean Michel Jarre; while Dolbah's influences can be dated back to clubbing since '96 and overall, being a hardware and modular enthusiast. Sous-Vide Records has consolidated these influences and fused them to carve their own path within the grooves of minimalism. While DOTT's version is a crisp chaotic symphony, Skjaerstad and Dolbah take the cut on a deep dive semblant of the Fjord's from their homeland and craft the perfect complement to round out the EP.

On the remix, the bpm is notched down and the track is shaped around the heavy low-end kick and thick bass line which provide a mainstay for the addition of beeps, blips and bloops to randomly appear over. Where the clap was a central focus of the original, it is minimized in the remix, dulled down and relegated to background duty. Melodies wind their way back and forth in fading harmonies as the track sails towards its many breakdowns. The final drop finds an alliance of hypnotic frequencies at play, giving the rhythm a slight rest before finding its way back to the voyage ahead. The 'Day by Day' remix is a sophisticated interpretation, fusing DOTT's penchant for both steady and broken beat sounds with the labels focus on minimal grooves. For their first outing, Skjaerstad and Dolbah have crafted a dark and slow roller of deep minimal mastery, finally signing their names on the Sous-Vide Records imprint.

While the 'Day by Day' remix is a masterclass in smooth minimal groover's, DOTT's version is full of surprises. Punchy drums and crisp claps highlight the single with just the right amount of randomness splashed throughout. A trippy drippy cut from the Bangkok craftsman. 'Bad Stone' adds splashes of nostalgia to the EP with a funky bassline and playful pad work. The upbeat energy of the single strikes a balance with the dreamy chords at play overtop. A dance floor heater for those late-night smokey sessions.

With only two releases under their belt, SVR is already garnering the attention of tastemakers. With their first vinyl release coming from Asael Weiss & RQZ and available for pre-order, as well as SVRSR003 on the way for November, the label aims to continue their high-quality output.

SVR name is derived from the 18th-century French innovation of "sous-vide" cooking, where food was vacuum sealed in order to increase control over the temperature; allowing the chefs to deliver consistent quality and taste across every meal. The label takes the name as an ode for those who won't compromise their craft. In their own words:

"Our vision is to build a sustainable, timeless portfolio of both rising stars and established talent who are, like us, fueled by a genuine passion for music. A release from Sous-Vide Records is more than a collection of tracks — it is vacuum-sealed minimalism.vide".

SVRSR002 is available now via Sous-Vide Records on Bandcamp here.

As a bonus we've included a recent video of Skjaerstad via OsloClubCast which you can watch here.