Ballerino - Ballerino – Love / Concentrate

Ballerino, a Berlin-native producer and founding member of South-East London-based artist collective squareglass, returns with his new B-side single ‘Love’/’Concentrate’.
　
As an artist, Ballerino’s music often explores dualities within modern sexuality. His debut EP, ‘Amateurs’, was a flamboyant manifestation of these themes, which saw Robin Braum adopt differing perspectives in order to delve into the worlds of cybersex and pornography.
　
‘Love’ and ‘Concentrate’, by contrast, add a unique depth to his exploration of avant-garde electronics and art-pop by honing in on the ambiguous space between the themes of modern relationships: juxtaposing affection and obsession, the erotic and sterile, alongside romantic versus disconcerting gestures.
　
Subtly reminiscent of the classic house sound, ‘Love’ sees Ballerino’s softly-spoken vocals combine with a laid-back groove and looped pads in a track that’s both fresh and deliciously retro in feel. In contrast, the sparse production of ‘Concentrate’, dominated by slow percussive hits and squelchy acid bass hooks, sees the single vocal refrain manipulated in more unearthly ways for a piece of downtempo bliss.
　
A collective known for their collaborative approach, squareglass label mate Bunki contributes a bonus track with a sublime edit of ‘Love’, chopping samples of the original to create an atmospheric, minimal soundscape reminiscent of The Field.
　
Ballerino most recently featured on the first squareglass sampler, alongside artists such as Clash-approved Junk and Semi Precious, an artist who was named The Guardian’s ‘New Band of The Week’ with the release of his debut EP last summer. squareglass are a label firmly on the up with their innovative approach to electronic music – and Ballerino’s ‘Love’/’Concentrate’ can only help to cement their reputation as one of the capital’s most exciting new collectives.
　
Catch him performing live at Rye Wax to celebrate the single’s launch on 18th June.