DJ CITY - Paris, Rome

Album

8 Nov

DJ CITY's sound captures the beauty of just that—the city. The Berliner catalogues the ups and downs of life, love, and parties, capturing vivid emotion in every release. His latest outing sees him link back up with the Public Possessions imprint on the Paris, Rome (2024) album. This romanticised storytelling through rolling New York house beats and fluffy dream synthesisers forces a deep dive into the connection between listeners and the cities we inhabit.

Paris, Rome blends the driving rawness of early analogue house beats full of MPC jitter and the indescribable warmth from old machines. Buttery smooth synths that embody the 80s city pop of Japan are all over the record. DJ CITY differentiates his work through an uncanny blend of bleak melancholy, unlike most house producers who take inspiration from the classics. This bleakness adds a palpable sense of group isolation as the Berliner offers wistful romanticism laced with a fleeting sadness.

From the off, DJ City cements this idea of loss or giving up as a central theme within the record. Doing little to categorise it one way or another helps expand the audience. Emotionally, he hits several moods without diluting the intensity. The vocoded lyrics in 'Cities in Dust' could connotate relinquishing yourself to the city and the pitfalls that come with that, while 'Paris, Rome' demonstrates the middling position between the idea of the "iconic city" and its reality. DJ CITY's ability to juxtapose snappy house beats with these more downbeat synthesisers makes for a stunning listen, with 'Good Morning' being a quality example of this glossy romanticism that permeates every chord and melody. It's lively and up-tempo, but there is a deep dourness too.

DJ CITY's talents extend beyond just the housey numbers you have probably seen before, with 'Drunk Satellites' being a notable exception for its proximity to Baleric ballads. The track feels more like an apology than glamorising any particular event. Soulful bass swells and intergalactic arpeggiators set the scene for some whistles and clunky Rhodes to add to the atmosphere.

DJ CITY sometimes adds a mystical flair, especially in 'Bergagen', obtuse vocals, twinkling pianos and flutes that melt away. DJ CITY uses these creatively to add social nuances to his sound, taking inspiration from cultures inside these mass "melting pots." The track 'Safe' feels like it plays with the idea of these other cultures being at some unfortunate risk. At the same time, he simultaneously stresses how they inform his musical leanings and add a variety and beauty that would be present otherwise.

While DJ CITY injects musical emotion and nuances at such a high level, there is something to be said for just having a romp. For these, I turn to the energetic early acid sounds of 'Oh Ah' or maybe the disco fused 'A Lover's Discourse'. They perfectly fit in with the album stylistically yet have more of a fun and carefree presence. The same qualities are in 'War & Peace', peak time Italo, which would be welcome in any set. These tracks find a lovely balance between the gloomy and the fun-loving, demonstrating the city's duality.

The Paris, Rome album digs into emotional and sentimental topics. Doing so takes a lot of energy away from the tracks as they focus inward. This album is a microcosm of city life, mainly northern European life. It's damp, and sometimes romanticism takes over reality. Still, it's fun to dream, and it's that quality that DJ CITY taps into. The pop of colour right at the end, entitled 'Bonus Track', rounds us off nicely with enormous energy and big fun, reminding us that it's not all doom and gloom. Paris, Rome is like a beautiful monochromatic watercolour of this city. It feels grey but beautiful. There's more to it than just bleakness, and I think DJ CITY captures that.

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