Refining his sound since the early ’90s, Thomas Melchior has earned himself a reputation as one of electronic music’s finest when it comes to minimalist house and techno. Appearing here under his Melchior Productions Ltd moniker, Tracking The Psyche is the Berlin-based artist’s second release on Lick My Deck. Having spent a year living in Salvador, Brazil, the producer has explained previously that the unashamed party vibe and mysticism of the Latin American country heavily influences his work. While his 2010 release on the London-based imprint, the Apariciones EP, reflected the emotions of the Brazilian party atmosphere, his latest release veers towards the spiritual.

Listened to as a whole, the EP follows a course similar to that of a meditative journey. The opener, “A Right Of Passage (The Induction)” relaxes the mind, with Melchior’s trademark hi-hats and synth loops guiding the listener through stage one. Setting its course from the first beat, the track leads nicely into “The Ritual,” a production that flickers the EP into life. The drums feature prominently while the tribal vocals loop hypnotically in and out. Embodying the emotional frenzy you’d expect from an indigenous ceremony, Melchior’s class and usual restraint as a producer prevent the track from ever sounding gaudy or excessive. On the b-side, final track “Let Go” provides a fitting close. The shamanic vocals are looped throughout, gently propelling the listener through the final stages of enlightenment.

Less club-ready than his other releases this year on Perlon and Aspect Music, Tracking the Psyche fits perfectly with LMD’s desire to release “introspective music.” Production-wise, the EP doesn’t mark a significant change of direction for Melchior, but there is no denying that he has made excellent use of the tools at his disposal.