Slowcream :: dan/s (No.Nine)

If the remaining six tracks of dan/s follow the lead of this opening trio, Slowcream’s return marks a significant chapter not just in his own evolution, but in the broader conversation surrounding contemporary electronic music as a platform for critical, interdisciplinary expression.

Crafting a vocabulary for interpreting motion, fragmentation, and form

After a decade-long hiatus, German artist Martin Eugen Raabenstein—working under his long-running alias Slowcream—returns with dan/s, a concise yet intricate three-track statement that marks the first phase of a larger nine-part concept album. Issued by No.Nine, dan/s explores the intersection of structured and spontaneous movement, using a sonic palette rooted in fractured electronics, stuttering edits, and a mature, post-genre sensibility.

Opening track “permanent peach” is a bold reentry—disorienting in the best way. Shifting rapidly between musical ideas, it evokes the sensation of spinning a radio dial, catching fleeting atmospheres that drift in and out of range. A steady undercurrent of chilled, forward-moving percussion guides the listener through the haze, creating a sense of momentum without urgency. Detuned loops and melodic fragments surface briefly, casting glimmers of familiarity before dissolving back into the flow. Raabenstein constructs the track with a delicate balance of motion and restraint, crafting a listening experience that feels intuitive, yet deliberately sculpted. It’s a composition in constant motion, where texture and rhythm lead the way.

With “the morel dish,” the focus sharpens. Tones are more assertive, the pacing more deliberate, but the unpredictability remains. Layers of digital grit and reassembled beats interlock like pieces from mismatched puzzles. Raabenstein’s background as a multimedia artist is clear in his use of space and contrast—each sound feels positioned, framed, and momentary. Despite its abstract construction, the track has a kinetic energy, hinting at the physicality of its conceptual origins in dance and movement.

Rhythms are teased and then withdrawn ::

The final piece, “delicate heroes,” leans into restraint and precision. It’s the most linear of the three, but still peppered with disruptions—melodic threads are interrupted, rhythms are teased and then withdrawn. There’s a tension between smooth surfaces and jagged edges, a sense of pushing minimal gestures through a complex signal chain. Rather than reaching a grand conclusion, the track ends with a sense of continuation, as if it’s a node in a larger, unfolding process.

dan/s is not interested in genre conventions or easy categorizations. It’s an album made by an artist who has clearly spent time outside the music world, returning with sharpened tools and a refreshed perspective. These pieces speak a mature electronic language—one informed by years of artistic inquiry and an ear for modern composition. Raabenstein isn’t just assembling sounds; he’s crafting a vocabulary for interpreting motion, fragmentation, and form.

If the remaining six tracks of dan/s follow the lead of this opening trio, Slowcream’s return marks a significant chapter not just in his own evolution, but in the broader conversation surrounding contemporary electronic music as a platform for critical, interdisciplinary expression. Released in three stages, each track in dan/s will be accompanied by a specially created video clip, forming a cohesive audiovisual dialogue. Across all nine compositions—including these cinematic works—Raabenstein pushes toward a deeper connection with dance theater, exploring how sound and image can communicate the nuanced meaning of movement and sequence for the Berlin-based artist.

dan/s is available on no.nine. [Website]