I’ve observed a few times that I’m a bit of a sucker for piano house. Here are a couple of tracks this morning that give piano house more of a leftfield spin, from Dark MTTR and P-LASK.
The UK’s Dark MTTR has appeared here a few times before with some quality tunes. And this one continues that quality run. Leaving the Road Ahead Behind is a gorgeous lofi house track with some lovely Rhodes stabs that rise and fall. And in so doing they hit on that emotional weak spot in all of us, tapping into loss and hope in some ineffable way. Hardly surprising then that Dark MTTR says “I wrote this song shortly after a long term relationship break up, which came out the blue.” A melancholic air is constantly challenged by the optimism of the piano line. This perfectly delivers on Dark MTTR’s intent that, “I wanted to counter the negativity I was feeling with an uplifting, upbeat track.” Delightfully dreamy.
Next, from Los Angeles, USA comes P-LASK and Open House. To be honest, this is more deep house than piano house. But it does have that stabbing quality to the piano synths that gives that piano house uplift. That effect is further enhanced by the positive vocal of “House sees no race, creed or colour.” Simple yes, but still necessary in these populist days. In many ways this track is a gambol across the last thirty years of house music, dragging in elements from Chicago, Detroit and jack. Sit back and enjoy your history lesson.
