When Brendan Zacharias and Mikey Melas get together, good music happens. Whether it’s the no-holds barred electro of their Assembler Code and Jensen Interceptor monikers, or their more house-oriented project Anthony Fade, their collaborations have the same raw and direct approach to production that makes them perfect cuts for the dancefloor.
The pair have just released their latest Anthony Fade record, Fading via UK label Lost Palms, keeping company alongside the likes of DJ Boring, X-Coast, and Earth Trax. The Fading EP is consistent with their last release, offering three stripped-back lofi cuts best suited to a big system. It’s an exercise in house music minimalism, the duo crafting the tracks using only the bare elements.
Brendan Zacharias, a trainer here at Liveschool and a mastering engineer at Cirrus Audio is often asked about the signature sounds that make up their lo-fi aesthetic. While there’s too much to the answer to include here, it’s notable how he addresses the common myth that compression is everything:
“Where others might traditionally use compression, we use saturation to work with and enhance the groove and movement between the elements of the song: the drums / percussion and the tonal parts of the composition.”
And this is evident in the results – each song centres around nothing more than a banging drum pattern, some crunchy pads, topped off with a vocal hook. Between these simple elements emerges the detail of the grooves. And while there’s a familiarity to the sound, it’s executed in such a way each track is an instant standout on a big sound-system.
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