Here come three, full-length tracks from the master himself, because there’s no such thing as enough Paavo material.
Those who open Spotify first thing in the morning — or past midnight before going to bed — might have found a surprise waiting for them. That’s how I want to paint it, because that’s how it happened to me. A little Anjunabeats logo on a fuchsia background and an indigo frame. And when I stopped to understand whose release it was, I read: ‘P.O.S – Deeper Tales Companion EP‘.
Ladies and gentlemen, we find ourselves in front of a surprise Paavo Siljamäki EP. Titled the Deeper Tales Companion EP, this new belter adds three tracks to Paavo’s extensive discography. Judging by the name, it’s likely these tracks were intended to be a part of his debut solo album Deeper Tales, yet ended up being cut from it for various reasons.
Companion?
This is not the first time the “Companion” bit has been used, since back in 2019, Above & Beyond — of which a third of its members are Paavo — unveiled the Common Ground Companion EP, a compilation of three tracks described as the spiritual successors to A&B’s year-prior studio album, Common Ground. The release contained the tracks ‘Flying By Candlelight‘ featuring the returning voice of Marty Longstaff after his appearance on ‘Tightrope‘, the instrumental banger ‘Distorted Truth‘, and ‘There’s Only You‘, a tune that once again saw the trio joining forces with legendary singer and songwriter Zoë Johnston.
Deeper Tales Companion EP
From point to point, P.O.S’ new EP is just over 21 minutes long. Three brand-new songs make the cut, and only in their extended form — what a blessing! ‘Rangiroa Feels‘, ‘5 Minute Buildup‘, and ‘Whacky Tribal‘, in that order, bring the EP to life. If these tracks don’t feel entirely foreign to you, great job, you’ve done your homework: all of them were a part of Paavo’s ASOT 1133 Guestmix, along with some still-unreleased music we’re excited to see more of in the future — ‘My Mind Is F*cked‘, I’m looking at you.
‘Rangiroa Feels’
If you’re a fan of the old Trance sound, you’ll like this one. At a steady pace of 124 BPM, enjoy analogue plucks, sparkly textures reminiscent of the break in Mat Zo’s 2009 remix for Activa’s subalias Solar Movement ‘Eclipse’, and Paavo’s iconic shaker rolls. Pair that with Progressive Trance percussion, piano, emotion, and a vocal sample that feels pulled from a time capsule, and you have yourself a lovely track which, upon listening, you realise couldn’t have been crafted by anyone else.
‘5 Minute Buildup’
Borrowing samples such as snare, crashes, and fills from ‘Let You Go‘, ‘5 Minute Buildup’ tells a progressive story, much like the title itself leads you to believe. The main drop is a part of that 5-minute buildup, though, with Paavo making clever use of tension all throughout the track, adding and taking away as needed, but ultimately painting an eternally raising tune, which finally resolves towards the outro. It’s a concept I hadn’t heard of, and I like it for a change.
‘Whacky Tribal’
The darkest of the bunch still carries light, but makes you work to get to it. A very frontal legato and distorted short lead meets a rolling, almost Balearic-like bass, conga drums, floating pads, and a piano. They all work together to direct the aim towards a harder-hitting tune that impacts the listener around the 2:30 mark. It’s standard P.O.S magic from there.
Somehow, Paavo knows how to blend pianos, saw leads, dark basslines, acid sounds, and vocals, all into a composition that sounds seamless. It’s like that one guy who invented salted caramel: it shouldn’t work, but it does, and those who master their craft know how to make the most out of it. Chefs like Paavo will make you crave their odd blends, and that’s what makes him a sublime artist.
Listen to Paavo’s brand-new Deeper Tales Companion EP by clicking the Spotify button below this paragraph. Also, click here to support the release on your platform of choice.
