Inspired by the great people and scenes of the Cocoon Club in Frankfurt, from the country that first adopted and popularized the power of techno, producer and DJ Kai Seibert masters the craft with his latest intoxicating album, blending emotional and passionate intentions with a clear sense of progression and technical expertise that resounds.
Memories of Life is both classic and creative, a unique blending of retro keys, effects, and relentless house rhythms, firing into action with the modest late-night embrace of New Timetable, and continuing to extend its open arms throughout fourteen original tracks.
Building upon the classic four-to-the-floor chord patterns in many cases, the synths are kept simple and nostalgic, but the tone is interesting – something distinct rings out as Kai Seibert’s artistic touch, this balancing of the distorted and hazy, with the light and ethereal.
Consider Hashtag for You, an anthemic and instantly euphoric arrangement, with meandering melodies and subtle but effective drops from quiet into constancy and warmth. Or the more nuanced composition and rising anticipation of quieter introductions like Faces in Clouds – a track that provokes thought, but also calms you down, keeps things simple and spacious, as you fall into the old-school indie comfort of the groove.
The energy here grows and grows, subtly sweeping soundscape intricacies again presenting a kind of design complexity that’s impressive but also soothing in its accessible, minimal feel. This track is a dream to lose yourself within, and a personal favourite for its imaginative uplift.
The characteristics of this project and of producer Kai Seibert as a creative are incredibly well-versed at bringing together the familiar and the fresh. Kai was inspired by the people who made the Cocoon Club in Frankfurt so memorable, and that heightened sense of love and emotional connection is felt in swathes throughout this project.
Gamer is an aptly-retro-toned arrangement, but it’s beautiful – it feels like a celebration of unity, a sweeping ode to the power and wonder of togetherness and escapism on the dancefloor. It’s minimal again, but purposeful – not flashy, but interesting, unexpected, and cleverly unique enough to be instantly recognisable as the music of Kai Seibert.
Following a moment of yesteryear soul, the healing frequencies and ambiance of Over the Roof, and the juxtaposed relentlessness of its beat, makes for another clear highlight. Then there’s the playful intensity of Yellow Nightstar, perfectly positioned for volume and celebratory impact.
After this, something darker and more industrial lets Noise Inside stand tall for its unpredictable and rhythmic auditory charm, and Go with the Flow holds onto that factory weight and rhythm quite perfectly, presenting a fascinating moment of almost tribal redirection at this section in the album’s playlist.
It’s increasingly rare these days for an organic producer to release a string of music that’s not only impactful for its familiar appreciation of a genre’s roots, but also holds closely to a genuine sense of identity and originality. In my view, Kai Seibert is one of the few who effectively achieve this status.
Some final highlights from the Memories of Life album include the boldly euphoric Stand Up – an energizing, vibrant and enchanting listen, which begs for you to turn up the volume and escape entirely into the magnetic wonder and ambition of the music. Then there’s something structurally distinct about the softer spacious set-up, almost acoustic, within the hypnotic, techno-meets-classical arena of Cruising.
Little Daydream is rightfully gorgeous, mellow and serene as its waves of melody and movement calmly wash over, while Puzzle It brings back the gamer playfulness and fuzzy synths of earlier tracks, to lift the energy one last time, before we’re consumed by the joyful vocal fragments and electro-pop layers of an again unexpected but perfectly mood-suited closing piece that is Deep-Down.
Electronic music fans from the dawn of the genre, or the new generation who sway far from the programmed beats of TikTok – Kai Seibert’s Memories of Life is an immersive, all-consuming and creative listen, which celebrates the power of people, our need to connect, and our shared adoration for the escapism and beauty of electronic dance music.
Find Kai Seibert on Instagram.
