BnB Review: Stelios Vassiloudis - It Is What It Is

Written by Youri Jozee

Progressive -

John Digweed's Bedrock label has just released the debut album of Greek producer Stelios 'Wiretappeur' Vassiloudis and of course you want to know if he delivered the goods. Click below to find out...

Stelios may be of the newer faces over at JD's famed Bedrock label, but chances are you're already quite familiar with his sound due to his wonderful productions under the Wiretappeur guise (together with Florian Kruse and Nils Nurnberg). This two-disc album has been in the making for 'a few years', during which Stelios developed his music writing and arranging skills. And it shows.

Much like Bedrock's recent mix compilations, the album is divided into two discs. The first disc is a relaxing, down tempo trip through lush synth waves and ambient-flavored grooves, while the second disc represents Stelios' clubbier sound. “I’ve spent a year refining, rewriting, expanding and polishing the album into the two disc form it has today," says Stelios. "In keeping with the popular paradigm, this experience has made the journey far more poignant and resounding than the end destination and has made me a better writer/producer. I guess that's what music has always been about for me-learning and evolving. A music professor at University once told me that: "the moment you start to feel complacent and accomplished, you're finished".

CD 1
The first disc doesn't contain the kind of chill-out you would expect from Bedrock. Well, to be honest, it does, but it's different, more evolved, more pure and definitely very original in every way. Stelios merges organic drum rattles, glowing synthesizer waves and tiny pop-infected snippets in such a way that a very natural and extremely dynamic sound is established. Instead of opting for basic downtempo progressive, this first disc switches from beautiful pop-orientated tracks to semi broken beat tracks and Infusion-styled progressive riddled with fx and unexpected thematic cliffhangers. Highlights here include I Burn Like, a great mix between pop and ambient with standout vocals by Darren Murray, the melancholic Walk Away featuring Astrid Suryanto and the chunky, very mysterious Tie Me Up. All in all a very original take on downtempo progressive, something we've been aching for for quite some time...

CD 2
On the second disc we're being catapulted into club dimensions in the form of 11 powerful tunes. From acidy bass wobbles to shuffling rhythms, deep house flirts and more traditional rhythm structures, Stelios again manages to add his very own twist to the progressive genre simply by inventively combining elements. Crossover magic is one again established, as evidenced by tracks such as the massive Green In Blue, the chilly Isolation and beefier tracks such as Reaching and Nowhere. Stelios effortly sails from epic moments to deeper and colder territories across a sound palette full of surprising twists.

Our verdict:
It Is What It Is has become a magnificent representation of Stelios' next level take on the progressive genre. The boundaries of the genre are being explored, redefined, and experimented on as Stelios'doesn't shy away from throwing in a variety of other genres to come to a very original, refreshing sound. Add to this a jaw-dropping production and a constantly shapeshifting vibe and you've got yourself a massive album well worth blowing your cash on.

Rating: 8.3/10
Label: Bedrock
Release date: out now

Tracklist:
CD1
01. In Tandem
02. Entropy
03. Who You Are
04. I Burn Like
05. Reshape and Reform
06. Your Other Left
07. Clarity
08. Walk Away
09. The View From Here
10. The Highline
11. Sunrise On The Avenue
12. Tie Me Up

CD2
01. Small Hours
02. Green In Blue
03. Isolation
04. My Leaking Vein
05. Feed
06. Blister
07. Reaching
08. Nowhere
09. The Z
10. Toujours
11. Repetition