With his melodic track “The Break of Day”, electronic artist SLAPPER is playing into the nostalgic feeling of the club culture in Ibiza of the 90s. The song emulates the aesthetic of the golden age of melodic trance with the sentiment of the magical early-morning times when the dance floor is thinned out, but some energy in the air remains.
“The Break of Day begins” with a straight forward beat that sets the rhythm of the whole song right at the beginning. A four-on-the-floor kick forms the base of the foundation and the movement is created by a slow build of light percussion and gliding hi-hats. The rhythmic pattern is also something that regular fans of dance music would be accustomed to, but the implementation is slow and calm so that the groove does not have to rush.
Then, as the song progresses, a wave of synth starts to pass through the mix, and it feels like the first rays of sunlight that emerge on the horizon. The synths beat and flow in a manner that keeps the momentum going and yet still gives it a dreamy feel. The progressive accumulation makes the song sound cinematic as the audience becomes immersed in its sound world as the layers build up.
The production style of SLAPER is a mix of retro with the contemporary finish. The song adheres to the traditional uplifting trance format but it is filled with small modern elements that distinguish it as something new and not as the one that was left behind. The sound design is heartwarming and all-embracing, as the artist has always been fond of melodic club music.
The sense of optimism is the particular strength of the poem the “Break of Day”. The song resembles the atmosphere of the revival – peaceful but optimistic night-morning shift. It is a kind of song that can be equally strong on the stage of the festival as it is on the trip when it is a sunrise and you drove a long way having a long night.
With this, SLAPPER keeps developing his trademark sound that proves that old school trance is still exciting and modern but can be presented with care and feelings.
