Behind the Smile is a concise yet carefully shaped EP that places Fleanger firmly within a lineage of deep house producers who value emotional clarity over overt display. Released on his own Tiefe Resonanz Records as catalog TR021, the record unfolds across two tracks that feel less like separate statements and more like adjoining rooms within the same interior space. There is a sense of intention in how little is said, and in how much is left to resonate on its own.
The title track, “Behind the Smile,” sets the tone through restraint. Built around a minimalist piano motif, the piece relies on small variations rather than dramatic shifts. The rhythm is steady but breathable, anchored by a soft, rounded kick and understated percussive elements that never push to the foreground. Instead, the groove exists as a framework, something that supports the emotional content without drawing attention to itself. The piano carries most of the narrative weight, warm and slightly imperfect, allowed to decay naturally into the surrounding space. Silence and pause become functional parts of the arrangement, shaping the track’s flow as much as any melodic decision.
From a production standpoint, the sound design is deliberately uncluttered. Synth textures appear almost as shadows, gently reinforcing the harmonic movement rather than competing with it. There is no rush to fill every frequency; the low end remains controlled, the mids open, the highs softened. This approach creates an atmosphere that feels intimate, almost conversational, inviting close listening while still maintaining a subtle dancefloor pulse. The emotional impact comes not from tension or release, but from consistency and trust in the material.
“Midnight Between Montmartre & Mitte” expands the palette without abandoning the EP’s core sensibility. Here, Fleanger leans toward a more progressive structure, allowing melodies to evolve slowly over time. The rhythm becomes more hypnotic, with a forward-driving bassline that suggests motion rather than insistence. Synth lines stretch and unfold, layered in a way that feels cinematic yet restrained, never tipping into excess. The track captures a specific late-night energy, one associated with travel, reflection, and the quiet momentum of moving through a city after hours.
The influence of Berlin and Paris is present not as a stylistic quotation, but as a mood. There is a balance between discipline and romance, between linear progression and emotional drift. The rhythmic foundation remains grounded, while melodic elements gradually introduce a sense of lift, as if the track is slowly opening a window rather than stepping through a door. This controlled evolution gives the piece its hypnotic quality, making it well suited for extended sets and transitional moments.
Across both tracks, Fleanger’s focus on emotional storytelling is evident. The synth work is never decorative for its own sake; each sound appears to serve a function within the broader atmosphere. The EP avoids dramatic peaks, choosing instead to build coherence through subtle repetition and gradual change. This makes Behind the Smile feel unified, even though the two tracks explore different emotional registers.
As a release, the EP reflects a mature understanding of deep house as a space for nuance. It sits comfortably alongside melodic and progressive contexts, as well as sunset and late-night listening environments, without needing to be reframed for each. There is a quiet confidence in how the music holds its ground, suggesting an artist comfortable with limitation as a creative tool.
Behind the Smile stands as a high-quality release that aligns naturally with the editorial vision of a webzine attentive to depth and atmosphere. It is not designed to make an immediate, loud impression, but to linger through texture, rhythm, and mood. In that sense, Fleanger delivers a record that feels considered and human, one that reveals its details gradually and rewards patience rather than demanding attention.