Berus - Blue Hope

BERUS RECORDS

£21.40

Format: LP
Catalogue No.: BERUS001
Barcode: 3663729169532
Release Date: 10 Dec 2021
Genre: Neo-Soul/Hip-Hop/Instrumental Hip-Hop

Special remarks : Limited 180g vinyl w/ inlay card

When Berus debuted in January 2021 on Kommerz Records with his “Voyage EP”, he had no idea how precise the title would be for the coming months. A little over a year before the release of “Voyage” the Berlin based multi-instrumentalist and producer had taken his focus away from his, more than a decade lasting, house and techno career towards a new sound, inspired from neo soul and hip-hop. Whilst his electronic projects found home on Kerri Chandler's Madhouse Recordings and DVS1’s infamous Mistress and gained his moniker Frag Maddin worldwide attention, it was part of his progress to focus on himself and Berus, his real name. He took this step not knowing it would lead him into a dark journey of self revelation, identity finding and for the foremost new hope: blue hope.

Berus was born to a Zaza family in Kurdistan, which eventually migrated to Germany escaping prosecution and discrimination of the nationalist regime in Turkey. The family settled in Hamburg and Berus grew up to be a musician. He played the drums, formed teen punk bands and started producing at an early age experimenting and shaping his future as an artist.

Since the beginning of his career Berus releases can be seen like a diary, always expressing his very personal state at the time. For the work on “Blue Hope” two main topics fall into the production of the album: love relationships and seeking identity.
There is a blue melancholy and reflection leading through the album. On “Talk to Me (Karşılıklı)” Berus opens up about his feelings of true love and the need to set free when they are not answered. Whilst the incredible Mulay who is featured on “Holy Waters” answers with her female perspective. And there is hope. The hope (“Dream On”) and fears (“Being Alive” feat. Sedric Perry) of a young migrant generation. “Blue Hope'' is a coming of age story that’s relatable and yet unique, honest but vulnerable and for the foremost: 100% Berus.
The album is a neatly curated mixtape and delivers a wide range of styles like the jiggy sounding Mike Nasa on “On Me” all the way to “Wholesome” on which Barne delivers a John Mayer-esque performance.

On “Blue Hope” Berus gathered a mixture of old friends and new talent around him to produce the record. The outcome is an LP referencing different influences without the use of any samples.
Berus shows impressively he is here to stay and has a bright future to come. Like he says on the final song of the record “Resilience”: “Happiness is selfmade”.

Tracklist:
A1 20/20 VSN 00:03:11 A2 Karşılıklı (talk to me) 00:02:19 A3 Holy Waters feat. Mulay 00:04:06 A4 Being Alive feat. Sedric Perry00:03:17 A5 Dayrunner feat. NDO 00:02:14 A6 Power feat. Young Naughty Soul 00:03:00 A7 Dream On 00:04:02 B1 Interlude 00:01:12 B2 On Me feat. Mike Nasa 00:03:18 B3 Sex'N'Ghetto 00:02:37 B4 Wholesome feat. Barne00:03:04 B5 Resilience00:04:01