The most recent piece of music that piqued my interest was “Smoke, Screen & Mirrors” by London composer Nodal Edge (Antoine Follea), part of his No One out There EP. Antoine has been writing tunes for quite some time and is also co-founder of the One Horse Town Records imprint.

When we connected to chat (before even getting to the track at hand), Antoine opened up about the pros and cons of a life devoted to producing dance music.

“On the plus side, I experiment in a lot of different ways how to create and shape not only my sound but my own identity–who I really am.”

While conversely:

“Those close to me (especially those who aren’t electronic music aficionados) don’t understand why I spend so much time alone in my room experimenting as if I’m a lab rat.”

Regardless, Antoine says he really enjoys learning about which moments work best in tracks and what types of emotions are conveyed to the listener. This helps him create what he calls his “own little recipes.”

Founded on a clean sub-bass tone and an array of jubilant synths,  “Smoke, Screen & Mirrors” swiftly establishes a compelling groove. The track is both loungey and exhilarating, featuring a bridge that evokes the feeling of being deep in meditation with Buddhist monks. Upon listening, I can’t help but visualise a swinging pendulum, which calls to that attractive groove I mentioned earlier.

With an ode to one of his favourite labels, Tartelet Records (home to Max Graef and Glenn Astro), Antoine has sprinkled jazz drum samples throughout, further adding to what’s a pleasurable auditory experience.

Jump in beneath.