There is a phrase often told that goes something to the effect of, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That a single thing made up of many others can eclipse them all. Puzzles, or paintings seem to spring to mind immediately. Credit for this phrase goes to the philosopher Aristotle for first uttering that thought a few thousand years ago, among his other accomplishments but I digress. Our ‘whole’, our ‘thing’ for today and for a very long while, is Zendama.

Presented in two parts, Zendama is an eight track compilation compiled by Swiss producer and dj, Ripperton. Zendama, for the curious, means ‘Good person’ in Japanese and is remarkably apt for this body of work. To quote Ripperton when talking about the release, “The common point between all these pieces is that the people who made them are all wonderful humans involved in making good music and keeping a positive spirit.” That spirit is what I believe binds the pieces and elevates this compilation beyond the sum of its ‘parts’. Each track within could very well be a standalone A side. There is no filler, there is no obscure for the sake of. What you do have is 8 tracks balanced incredibly well, in vibe, in detail, that make sense as a whole.

Part 1

  A1. Matt Karmil - Just for me

  A2. Lord Of The Isles - Luminous Black & Emerald

  B1. Jackmate, Nik Reiff - Rerun (Jackmates Special Interest Dub)

  B2. Ripperton - Indian tree

Part 2

  A1. DJ Nature - Signs Of the Sun

  A2. Mary Yalex - How U really feel

  B1. Crowdpleaser - Claire

  B2. Iron Curtis - Werc Werc Werc (Andy Hart Remix)

With all of this in mind, the premiere for today is none other than Ripperton himself’s offering on the compilation, Indian tree. Sitting at the end of part one, Indian tree is the embodiment of a feeling of movement twisting through time and space, touched ever so slightly by passing bodies. This movement of soaring pads and leads, coupled with a pattering percussion almost evoke a mental scene of rain falling on an ocean. 

From the emotional highs of Jackmates dub of Rerun, to Mary Yalex’s piercing leads on How U really feel and the cryptic depths of Luminous Black & Emerald, Zendama encompasses a wide realm of simply good music. That almost seems like a dis-service to say but in this case I believe hyperbole isn’t needed. If you enjoyed Indian tree, picking up the rest of the compilation is a must and can be done at bandcamp. We highly recommend it.