Jhobei has long been a purveyor of intricate grooves, his productions existing in a space where fluidity meets precision. As both an artist and co-founder of Bizarre Trax, he has sculpted a sound that bridges heady minimalism with dancefloor dynamism, crafting records that resonate far beyond the moment. His latest release, “Between Dreams And Delirium“, exemplifies this duality—an exploration of moods and textures that drift between the cerebral and the physical. Fresh off releases on Fuse, Limousine Dream, and Up The Stuss, Jhobei delivers a body of work that feels like both a progression and a reaffirmation of his artistic ethos. Across five tracks, he invites listeners into a world where rhythm dictates reality, and melodies flicker like half-remembered dreams.
The opening track is a portal—one that doesn’t ask permission before pulling the listener through. “Synthesize Hypnotize” pulses with an elastic energy, its Acid-laced bassline slithering like a serpent through the undergrowth of a fever dream. Vocoder flourishes flicker like neon reflections in rain-slicked alleyways, dancing around the groove with calculated abandon. There’s a sense of movement, of perpetual propulsion, as if the track itself were a sentient being, gliding effortlessly between past and future. It’s the kind of hypnotic force that lives up to its name—trance-inducing in the best possible way.
Like a joyride in a DeLorean, “FonkWork (Superaural Cut)” hurls itself through time, colliding golden-era nostalgia with hyper-modern agility. Jhobei toys with tech-house motifs, adorning them with rubbery basslines and percussive stabs that snap like the crack of a whip. There’s a sense of playfulness here—a mischievous smirk lurking beneath the surface, waiting to catch the listener off guard. As the track unfolds, it becomes a conversation between past and present, an ode to heritage wrapped in a contemporary sheen.
The B-side welcomes us with “The Shining (Deep Mix)”, a track that feels like stepping into the glow of a sunlit mirage. Airy pads drift like cirrus clouds over a gently undulating bassline, while synths shimmer and refract like light through a prism. Jhobei crafts an ever-evolving dreamscape, one that shifts and morphs with each passing moment. Just as you think you’ve grasped its essence, it slides through your fingers, revealing new contours and depths. It’s a journey track in the truest sense—an odyssey where the destination remains deliciously uncertain.
Sunset hues seep into “Beauty In Blue”, where dusty drum patterns and slick guitar riffs coalesce into a warm, undulating groove. The bassline moves with the lazy confidence of waves lapping against a sun-drenched shore, while melodic flourishes melt into one another like ice cubes in a cocktail glass. This is a track for slow cruises along palm-lined boulevards, for half-lit dance floors where bodies sway in effortless unison. It’s music that doesn’t just accompany a moment but creates one.
Closing the EP is “Fuchsia Funk,” a track that bursts forth like confetti in the wind. It’s jubilant, infectious—an explosion of color and movement that encapsulates the euphoria of peak-time revelry. Chords ripple with warmth, basslines bounce with unwavering confidence, and a subtle, irresistible funk underscores the entire composition. If the previous tracks were a journey through introspection and haze, this is the hands-in-the-air catharsis—a celebration of rhythm, of groove, of music’s ability to uplift and unify.
“Between Dreams And Delirium” transcends the conventional EP format; it’s an aural novella—each track a chapter, each groove a brushstroke on an ever-expanding canvas. As Jhobei and Bizarre Trax approach their sixth birthday, this release stands as a manifestation to their evolution and continued ascension. With one foot firmly planted in the underground and the other stepping fearlessly into the unknown, both artist and label continue to redefine the limits of their craft. This is music for the dreamers, the dancers, and the delirious—a five-track reverie that lingers long after the final note fades.
Words by Holger Breuer
Torture the Artist 