Playground
Level T, 2025
8/10
The Dutch trumpet wizard Gils Levelt has an impressive resume that includes working with Spinifex and Amsterdam Klezmer Band, among others, and this album written for theatre covers a lot of ideas in its diverse appeal.
The flowing strings and well timed beats of “Momentum” opens the listen with a very unique pairing of classical meets hip-hop ideas, and “Augustus Oklahoma” follows with plenty of percussive sounds amid the electronic exploration.
In the middle, “The Beauty Queen” offers glitchy moments of electro-pop that carries an infectious energy and dreamy bouts, while “Cloaca” is more rooted in a jazz spirit via the atmospheric brass and backdrop of mystery.
Further still, the dance floor mood of “Aardgasten” will get your body moving to the colorful and swirling ambience, and “Voorbij” exits with a more minimal approach that completes the eclectic sonic journey superbly.
A highly atypical effort, the large amount of sounds are complemented by joyful, melancholic and intense moments, where Levelt even uses found objects for his artistic vision.
Travels well with: Joep van Rhijn- Between Fact & Fiction; Teis Semey- En Massei!