Kasztan Shares Masterful Second EP, “Celeste”

Pierre-Marie Maulini is proving to be one of the most exciting rising talents in the electronic music scene, championing a nouveau strain of underground music that marries the post-rock and cinematic spaces. Debuting his new Kasztan moniker earlier this year with the highly anticipated “Rare Earth Elements” EP, the French producer has since been celebrating the rollout of his second extended-player with singles “I Can’t” and “Moonriser”. Now sharing its third and final cut, Kasztan completes his stunning “Celeste” EP, adding to his already flourishing catalogue of sonic masterpieces. The full “Celeste” EP is out now across all streaming platforms.

The “Celeste” EP opens with its latest offering, “Through The Skies”; a pensive cut that envelopes the listener with its intricate percussive detailing and subtle break-beat influences. Journeying through its 4-and-a-half-minute run-time with a strong melodic sequence at its core, Kasztan introduces a series of instrumental elements that dip and peak in intensity, resulting in an opus that’s as driving as it is meditative. As with many of his productions to date, Kasztan cleverly stacks his components to build anticipation in the final quarter, this time adding a euphonious, layered vocal piece to complete the rapturous apex moment.

The EP’s second cut, “I Can’t”, originally enjoyed its release in October 2021 and was the first to tease the sound palette of “Celeste”. Leaning into his new techno-inspired persona, Kasztan explores a more hypnotically rolling production style on the track, with soft enticing vocal chops working in fluid harmony with his anthemic synth-work. The November-released “Moonriser” closes out the aptly-named celestial body of work. Laying an ambient foundation of high-twinkling synths and atmospheric soundscapes, Kasztan tributes his post-rock roots with an arpeggiated guitar sequence and anthemic choral-inspired harmonies.

Deftly balancing post-rock sensibilities with the emotive grandeur of ambient techno, Kasztan’s “Celeste” EP represents his love for richly cinematic instrumentals and epic apex moments. With immense theoretical knowledge and innate musicality to his name, Pierre-Marie’s new sound profile serves as a welcomed progressive voice in the industry; straddling a host of musical references from his past to craft a new perspective on electronic music.

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