Philippe Del Bosque is a Malaga-based Belgian producer, who you may already be familiar with as one half of Ethnic / Electronic production duo Tribu Oro. His new release, the Philippe Del Bosque – Looking East EP, takes the slow ethnic grooves of his previous work and blends them into what is perhaps his best solo release yet (as well as his debut EP and first solo release for Danish label Sofabeats). According to the artist himself, the idea for the EP came as a result of some vocal samples he released from singer Sofia Upton, whose delicate voice lends a haunting feel to the tracks featured on this release.
The Philippe Del Bosque – Looking East EP features five tracks in total, all of which make for chilled out but intriguing, ethereal listens. Kicking off the release is Swell, a hypnotic track centered around repetitive eastern-style drum beats and free flowing vocal sounds that draw you in the more you listen.
Another highlight of the EP that offers a slightly different sound is the midway point Organicos, which is focused around gritty, rumbling bass, slow House beats and plaintive piano. Despite the fact its sound is less overtly Eastern than the other tracks included here, it keeps things consistent with its hazy, mesmeric feel.
The title track of the Philippe Del Bosque – Looking East EP is also worth a mention, bringing mysterious and even sinister vibes. Again, the focus here is on rhythm, with crackling shakers and subtle drum flourishes providing a solid bass for Upton’s eerie ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’.
“I always was intrigued by eastern music” said Del Bosque about the creation of this EP, “and tried to combine this with electronic music”. He has certainly achieved this on Looking East, alongside curating a sound that takes hints from his previous outings as Tribu Oro, and which also perhaps points towards his musical direction as a solo artist in the future.
