Striking creative expression and instrumental nostalgia lays bare a series of original dance tracks with a boldly unique and addictive sense of energy and character. Mirza Causevic is the creative behind mentalEscape, a seasoned producer with a unique fusion of inspirations to his approach.
Upgrade marks a significant step forwards artistically, an album one year in the making, with stylistic roots scattered across world music and big beats to nineties hard breaks and beyond.
We begin with a fascinating take on originality, for the fluidity and escapism of an organic to industrial Pasha’s Night Out. Here we’re welcomed by the Balkan melodies of Mirza’s childhood, those organic folk roots that remain as alluring as ever.
Consider instrumental music as the storytelling realm that’s finely crafted but intent on being reimagined by each and every listener. This is what we get here, great vibes and nostalgia, distinct riffs and melodies, intricate design and personality, all elevated by a clear sense of energy and immersive presence. The body engages, the mind wanders, and the experience is suddenly yours alone.
Keep Going brings through that nineties alternative dance weight and flair more notably, a hint of iconic breakthrough acts like The Prodigy shining in the balance between distortion, grit and rhythm. That same influence rings loud for the manic euphoria and tuneful appeal of The Salton Sea, a style remisncent of times past, but still astoundingly original in both instrumental choice and overall evolution. A personal favourite.
0s and 1s feels something like a freestyle extended mix from a simpler era, recreating those days of pirate radio and all night escapism streamed live from the garage of some small estate in the corner of nowhere. It takes you back, but continues the journey to fresh plains. Persistence follows and injects a hit of darker intensity and heavy distortion and pace. Versatility is crucial, and it pours through in masses for each track and indeed this album in its entirety.
For Hype we enter the calming consistency of timeless breaks music – a vibe and groove that envelopes us and rightfully lets responsibility and concern fade away. AmenBr8k takes that further, a more notable riff at the forefront but more of the rhythmic allure that naturally feels both dreamy and uplifting. Another highlight for its meeting between the ethereal and the gritty.
Old Town brings back that organic Balkan aura from Pasha’s Night Out, a mellow tempo and exotic melodies and voices rising and falling. Then for Night Drive, an eighties synth-wave power and presence re-amplifies proceedings, for another twist of the unexpected.
mentalEscape concludes this journey with a disarmingly peaceful ambiance. A sense of drama softened by string-like warmth and hints of cinematic fragmentation. Odyssey is eerie yet comforting, humble yet brilliantly original, and marks a fascinating end to what is genuinely one of the most deserving instrumental albums of the year.
Fans of the already mentioned Prodigy, of Fat Boy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, Adi Lukovac – Upgrade relights the excitement of classic albums, maintaining that nostalgic minimalism and industrial realism, alongside a sincere and consistent playfulness, which lets each and every track work its magic in unpredictable but satisfying ways. Not to be ignored.
Find mentalEscape on SoundCloud, YouTube, Bandcamp.
