Henri Bergmann & Wennink – Simulacrum: A Representation of Bergmann’s Captivating Reality
This summer, we were introduced to the intoxicating EP ‘Mind Control’ created by Henri Bergmann who has established herself as a high-calibre producer and DJ and is known for her emotive and melodic sound. She is already back in full force with a new EP, ‘Simulacrum’, released earlier this month on Automatik and in collaboration with her husband, Wennink. Once again, the husband-and-wife duo has the dancefloor in mind with a club-ready thumper accompanied by a series of captivating remixes.
‘Simulacrum’ begins by teasing the listener with a steady drumbeat and a monotone melody before layering the track with urgent hi-hats. More textures are quickly brought in to contribute to a soundscape of polyphonic wonder whilst Wennink’s eery vocals can be heard reverbing in the background. Already, the scene has been set as the duo interweave the raw emotion of humanity with the robotic sounds of electronic music. ‘Simulacrum’ frantically builds, sending our minds into a frenzy, until Wennink’s trademark emotive vocals breaks through and breaks the spell. The soundscape is suddenly stripped back, and we are left with nothing but Wennink’s vocals, which indulgently glide around a flurried melody. The bass comes crashing back in, jolting us out of our hypnosis, before establishing an echoey, groove-laden techno beat and percussion as the voice seductively asks, “I want to know the secrets you hide.” ‘Simulacrum’ is a fist-pumping anthem that keeps us constantly on our toes as Bergmann shows off her musical sophistication by playing with sounds and textures, carefully choosing when to emphasise the haunting vocals or the heady music. The track is relentlessly driven forward towards an epic climax that leaves us absolutely reeling.
The first remix comes from the duo OIBAF&WALLEN, whose focus is immediately on the frantic hi-hats before they punctuate the soundscape with the reverbing bass note heard in the original. You can tell that the two musicians had fun with this remix, as they play with a sample of Wennink’s vocals, hinting at what is yet to come. They occasionally let the vocals slide back into their original form whilst revelling in the funky acid squelch that they’ve brought into the picture. Around the 3-minute mark, there is a brief reprieve from the constant rhythms and percussions as we enjoy Wennink’s vocals in their original form. This does not last for long, however, as a frantic drumbeat takes us into a frenzied drop and all systems are go, complete with an intense synth melody. Their remix ends as it begins, taking us full circle.
The Parisian techno pair, Betical, offer us a remix that manages to be an almost entirely different vibe to its predecessor without losing the essence of the original. Instead of the steady drumbeat that we are used to, Betical instead chooses a breakbeat percussion partnered with softer, sustained sounds and a higher-pitched vocal sample. We hear Wennink’s vocals as they were in the original, but the contribution of the other vocal sample gives the track a sense of ethereal awe. The breakdown of the track comes in the form of a beautiful flute melody, paying homage to the earlier sounds of Bicep, which dances around the breakbeat percussion. This is such a contrast to OIBAF&WALLEN’s acid madness, and it is truly amazing to see how Betical have taken Bergmann’s thumping original and transformed it into something wonderfully delicate and tender.
The following remix, this time produced by pioneering artist The Element, makes a return to a steady techno beat as Wennink’s subdued vocals swell and subside. The monotone, pulsating refrain creates a sense of urgency as it ebbs and flows, playing with different volumes. The Element takes a different approach to the vocals as he taunts us with extracts that have been drawn out and reverbed, making us unsure of what is to follow. After building the soundscape, The Element draws it to an almost complete close as we are left with the echoes of synths, holding us in a moment of reflection. The organ-esque notes that gently accompany the main melody evokes a church-like atmosphere of spiritual wonder until the track is punctuated by a dissonant, bellowing synth melody. An ominous bassline brings us back to reality as the rest of the track thuds on, basking in The Element’s trademark sound of underground deep melodic techno.
The final remix comes from electronic music veteran, Murat Uncuoglu and once again takes ‘Simulacrum’ in a completely different direction. We are greeted by a determined drumbeat that plays with off-beat sounds as the soundscape is peppered with hypnotic noises that whirr, zip and crash around us. The track is then taken over by a manic synth melody that eventually relents to Wennink’s vocals, which are catapulted forward by the uncompromising beat - Uncuoglu delivers a twisted groove with bizarre sounds. The manic synth melody is soon back and in charge, coming to a head around the half-way mark in a feverish build before Uncuoglu surprises the listener by experimenting with rhythm, distorting and bending the synths into a polyphony of mania. The vocals are brought back amongst it all, throwing us into disarray. With its many twists and turns, no one can predict where Uncuoglu was going to take this production.
‘Simulacrum’ is once again testimony to Henri Bergmann’s talents as a producer and tastemaker. Her flawless original is already destined to be a firm dancefloor favourite and shows off how her style is constantly evolving. Each remix brings such a different interpretation that the original remains fresh and exciting despite its many reworks. As a playful nod to us all, Bergmann and Wennink aptly titled this EP ‘Simulacrum’, which is defined as a representation or imitation of a person or thing. A Simulacrum is something that replaces reality with its representation, thus we are left pondering the many layers of this meaning. Is Bergmann substituting the signs of the real for the real with her production, challenging our perception of reality and our relationship with it, or are the other artists replacing the reality of her original track with their clever imitations? Either way, this is an incredible EP created by an array of incredible musicians.