ITAI is an organic house producer from America who has made an impressive start to 2024. Both out in January, he has a new release on his label The Teddy Bear Lounge, plus a remix on Pipe & Pochet.
His release on Pipe & Pochet is a remix of KÖNI’s track “Indian Resurrection” and it showcases ITAI’s ability to transform a track. The original mix is inspired by traditional Indian music, and ITAI’s version uses the original’s flute and vocals, but he also lifts the tempo to create a more upbeat version.
ITAI’s remix of Indian Resurrection chops the flute into short stabs for the main part of the groove, and pitches down the vocals to give them a trippy sound.
Out only 10 days after the KÖNI remix, ITAI was back in action with the 8th and final instalment of the Unfinished Project he’s been releasing through his record label The Teddy Bear Lounge. “Unfinished 08 – Hafla in Wancy’s World” is the final chapter where each conceptualised track tells part of a larger story.
The Unfinished Series consists of tracks that have been popular in ITAI’s live sets, which combine live instruments with electronic sounds. ITAI is also a classically trained Jazz musician, and his live performances utilise improvised saxophone and piano that he records with a loop sampler.
Hafla in Wancy’s World pays homage to his girlfriend Wancy, who loves to dance and party. A ‘hafla’ is a party/social gathering that’s traditional to Morocco and the Middle East. The track utilises clarinets and other traditional instruments, as it fuses the upbeat rhythms and melodies of a hafla with sequenced percussion, to create a masterful slice of organic house with an invigorating vibe.
You can get ITAI’s remix of KÖNI, HERE, and Unfinished 08 – Hafla in Wancy’s World, HERE.
