Review Summary: Injecting darkness and tension into addictively catchy electronic grooves, Cabaret Nocturne delivers a strong EP cloaked in a sinister atmosphere.
Identified as an up-and-coming producer from Belgium, Raphaël de Sauvage has been involved with the underground scene since 1996. After over a decade of roaming the shadows in the underground, de Sauvage brought his passion to life with the creation of his own project, Cabaret Nocturne. It’s hard to nail Cabaret Nocturne down to a specific genre, as throughout the project’s history it has been classified as dark disco, darkwave, progressive house, slo-mo techno, and many other genres.
Regardless of classifications, Cabaret Nocturne knows how to bring an absolutely addictive groove that beckons the body to move and enter a trance-like state. With a total of sixteen singles and EPs released from 2013 to present, Cabaret Nocturne consistently brings top-quality production to unique, dark and catchy songs.
Cabaret Nocturne’s 2016 EP, “Evil Laugh/Wrong Tragedy”, released by Spanish record label, Factor City, is a prime example of de Sauvage’s ability to produce quality over quantity. With only four tracks in total, two being original mixes and two being remixes, this short EP has no filler at all.
The first song, “Evil Laugh”, jumps right into a driving thump that swells into a full-fledged beat with noise cascades and heavy bass kicks. The title “Evil Laugh”, likely getting its name from the sampled laughter that slips in and out of the song, layers smooth synthesizers with quick techno crescendos and tight, steady percussion. The first track proves that De Sauvage has a unique ability to swirl madness and insanity into an adventurous and catchy dance song without it feeling cheesy or forced.
The second original mix featured on this EP, “Wrong Tragedy”, approaches more cautiously, but with equal intensity. Coming in with spacious, echoing percussive hits and deep synth tones, “Wrong Tragedy” sets an eerie, ritualistic mood. ‘Wrong Tragedy” carries a drudge-like tempo with swirling synths fading in and out until a low pitched voice speaks out, “Execute him…. right now”. The few words spoken in this track carry a sinister vibe and the music matches it with ease. It’s hard to imagine how something so lush and smooth can get away with bringing in such overtly evil samples, but Cabaret Nocturne pulls it off and makes it feel natural.
Both tracks on this EP are menacing and maintain a droney, hypnotic groove. De Sauvage colors his tracks with countless subtle flourishes, well-placed ambiance and clever structuring that make it all engaging. Even though there is a darkness that creeps along in both tracks, they still ooze out sexiness and intrigue.
The mood Cabaret Nocturne summons is difficult to achieve for any artist, which is why I feel like the remixes fall a little short of the original mixes. Heretic, which is the solo project of Timothy Clerkin, did the featured remix of “Evil Laugh”. Though I prefer Cabaret Nocturne’s version, the remix by Heretic is still able to capture some of the essence found in the original, even if it does carry a lighter mood. My issue with this remix is that it is less bass-heavy and adventurous causing it to feel more repetitive and stiff. Though it is still enjoyable, it does not have the subtle flourishes and organic warmth of the original mix and makes it more of a club banger than a deep listening experience.
The second remix, done by Undo (Gabriel Berlanga) is for “Wrong Tragedy”. In my opinion, this is the better of the two remixes featured on this EP as Berlanga incorporates more of his own unique sounds and flair to the track, fitting them in organically with the original instrumentation. Berlanga is able to bring the tempo of the original track up a bit and still maintains the ominous soundscapes that fill the song with a mysterious atmosphere. However, the atmosphere is different than the original, as it feels more cosmic and spacey rather than drugged out and cult-like.
Cabaret Nocturne has been consistently releasing dark, interesting and groovy tracks since 2013 that manage to conjure tension, mystery, dread, and lust. For me, this smoky black “Evil Laugh/Wrong Tragedy” EP, and almost all of Cabaret Nocturne’s catalog, stands out as some of the most interesting music going on in the dark electronic scene. It’s rare that dance music carries haunting introspection, but Cabaret Nocturne does just that. Even though it’s still early for Cabaret Nocturne, I’m sure as more people discover it, they will succumb the deep grooves that it creates.
