Steen Thottrup – Filmatica
A BLISSFUL JOURNEY THROUGH ELECTRONIC DOWNTEMPO AND CHILLOUT MUSIC FROM ONE OF THE MASTERS
Chillout mastermind Steen Thottrup has been at the forefront of the downtempo electronic music division for twenty years or more and as one of the most called upon artists in the world famous Café del Mar compilation series – there’s no one arguing the facts the Steen’s become an integral figure in the business of music to kick back to. A collection of both blissed-out atmospheric delights and a handful of House-inspired works, Steen’s dexterities cover the beach, the bar, the poolside and the lounge with this classy long play album that’s looking like one of the seminal releases of the year in this domain. Calling on a line of vocal additions and a stack of recordings from more traditional instruments – Steen has clearly put his blood into this project and came through with a simply unforgettable album.
The album title track ‘Filmatica’ is Bjork-esque, with a Balearic twist of subtly euphoria-inducing strings and synth work typical of Steen’s flawless production style. ‘Missing You (A Tribute To The Sun)’ is a masterpiece. Some of the most expressive trance plucks we’ve heard in years and a gorgeous vocal does the job of making this track a guaranteed standout on an album that’s far from short on creativity. The beautiful pianos of ‘You Are’ show of Steen’s sultry range of hybrid electronic-meets-acoustic instrumentation in a dreamy display of sonic bliss. The hypnotic sax in ‘Summertime’ will leave you smiling and cheering on the incoming summer season and looking up flights to Ibiza for the first time this year. You’d only need a couple of tracks to know that Steen’s a soul that’s been magnetised by the white shores of Eivissa. Twelve tracks in length with nothing in the way of fillers results in ‘Filmatica’ being a truly stunning album from a musician that’s got everything in his power to take you away from the world for a while to connect with something deeper.
This latest album carries a personal message from Steen, who’s had a tough journey with his health of late – but luckily came through shining with a freshened outlook on life and perhaps an extra touch of spirit in his divine music. There are clear inspirations from around the world in ‘Fimatica’ and it’s no surprise that he’s a globetrotter with a full passport having spent the last twenty-five years enjoying the planet, including long spells in London, Copenhagen, Tuscany and of course La Isla Blanca.
A few words by Steen Thottrup himself:
“It’s been some years since my last solo album “Sunset People”. I have to admit that it took longer for this 2nd album to come to life than I first anticipated.
In short, I got diagnosed with cancer back in early 2010, and after several major operations throughout that year, I got an all clear 100%, which of course is more than anyone can ever hope for. But with serious illness and a year out of the game came an avalanche of issues, learning to prioritise different things including financial difficulty and trying to find the right psychological balance in everything again.
Therefore, I would like to say that making this album really helped me on the way and every bit of it truly came from the heart. While going through these difficult times I was always looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.
“Filmatica” for me, is a Filmic journey stretching through inner emotions to the appreciation of what beauty the world around us provides.
Big wide landscapes, mountain ranges, the ocean and not to forget the sunsets.
I hope you will agree.”
‘Filmatica’ will be released March 14th on physical (CD) and digitally on March 27th on Wormland White.
