Belgian producer VAAGUE (aka renowned jazzman Antoine Pierre) continues his fascinating electronic evolution with “SHORTCUT,” an EP that drops November 28th and pushes hard into UK Garage, Drum & Bass, and Post-Dubstep territories. After his well-received full-length “Oktopus Mekaniks” established him in underground club circuits, this new release refines his unique approach – sampling his own acoustic drum kit, sequencing it digitally, and essentially creating a “shortcut between the computer and himself.”
The lead single “Shortcut Jenny” perfectly demonstrates this hybrid POV. Built around hunting-horn samples (courtesy of a friend’s father’s obscure record) and VAAGUE’s own voice, the track evolved from a happy accident – a digital synth preset that accidentally dropped pitch became the massive bass drop that anchors the UK Garage groove. Jennifer Lawrence interview snippets provide texture without imposing meaning, letting listeners create their own narrative. It’s the kind of innovative production approach you’d expect from someone who spent years mastering jazz before diving into electronic music from scratch.
What makes VAAGUE’s trajectory compelling is how completely he’s committed to this electronic persona. Starting with downtempo experiments on his 2021 self-titled EP, collaborating with Le Motel on 2022’s dancefloor-focused “From the Ashes,” and now fully embracing faster tempos and live playability on “SHORTCUT,” he’s methodically building a unique sonic identity. His background as a jazz bandleader informs everything – the complex choreography of his live stick performances, the compositional sophistication underlying even his most club-ready tracks. “SHORTCUT” proves the detour through jazz was actually the most direct route to somewhere genuinely original.
Categories: Music
