Not to be confused with the classic 1984 Italo disco track ‘Spacer Woman’ but no doubt in homage, ‘Spacewoman’ is the new EP by Berlin-domiciled DJ, musician and producer Leona Jacewska, best known by her stage name CHARLIE.
She has become known for her notable series of SZUM electro events and being one of the spearheads of the Italo-Proto scene in Berlin which has also seen acts such as DINA SUMMER, NEU-ROMANCER, CURSES and PARADOX OBSCUR emerge.
With a Roland Juno 60, Moog Source, ARP Solina, Roland VP770, Crumar Bit 99, Moog Minitaur, Moog Little Phatty, Oberheim OB6, Sequentix Cirklon, Roland TR808 and Pearl Syncussion SY-1M in her arsenal, Charlie’s most recent release was 2022’s impressive ‘Cold Inside’ which included a remix by the notable Danish DJ legend Flemming Dalum. She opened her account with ‘Polarity Walk’, a track on the various artists ‘Mechatronica Aid EPII’ in support of Berlin-based artists during the 2020 lockdown.
Photo by Jovan Mrowiński
With a hearty rhythmic snap, the ‘Spacewoman’ title song utilises powerful kicks and throbs with sparkling synth hooks galore and suitably detached vocals that are both spoken and sung with treatments for a brilliant thumping club track.
With Chicago meeting Italy, ‘Let Go’ is hypnotic bliss, a sexy and sweaty number that swings and shifts tonally and rhythmically; this perfect strobe-lit slice of dark disco possesses a thrust and mood in the vein of fellow Berlin residents DINA SUMMER that bursts with groove and energy.
With colder trancier elements, the instrumental ‘Dark Waver’ is metronomic but bubbles infectiously as hints of ‘Oxygène IV’ threaten to breakthrough but it is jagged in all the right ways with a percussive barrage to close! ‘In The Night’ though is not a PET SHOP BOYS cover but its energetic combination of big beats, solid basslines, invader blips and spacey swirls concoct another fine instrumental, revealing a kinship with other young producers in Berlin such as Laura Bailey aka NEU-ROMANCER.
Sonically, ‘Spacewoman’ is immensely satisfying and works in the head as well as on the dancefloor. This retro-futuristic EP showcases CHARLIE as a talented electronic producer of worth, with an ability to bring workable changes within her exhilarating melodies and patterns while retaining the necessary repetitious elements essential to good club friendly music.
‘Spacewoman’ is released by Wrong Era / Slow Motion on 6 September 2024 as a 12″ vinyl EP from selected retailers, also available digitally from https://wrongera.lnk.to/Spacewoman
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Text by Chi Ming Lai
6 September 2024
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