Berlin-based Austrian producer Florian Herzberg has always drawn from a fairly broad set of influences under his My Secret Playground alias. His latest EP, End Of Noise, released through Melopee Records, brings together indie dance, 80s electronics and elements of rock and metal across four tracks, with a darker, more personal undercurrent.
Written during a period of considerable change, the EP explores loss, renewal and the difficulty of leaving old habits behind. Herzberg’s decision to embrace sobriety in 2024 forms part of that wider story, although the music is perfectly capable of standing on its own merits.
Opener The Girl On The M10 is arguably the strongest of the four tracks. Broken beats underpin lush, arpeggiated synths and a spectral female vocal, creating something beautifully melancholic, with just enough rhythmic unpredictability to keep things interesting. Schism takes a more direct approach, its darker, driving rhythms and distinctly 80s electronic influences giving it a tougher, more urgent character.
The Art Of Keeping A Secret, featuring Joy Tyson, heads firmly into dark disco territory. Tyson’s strident vocal performance provides a commanding centrepiece, while synth stabs that could have escaped from an old horror soundtrack lend the track a pleasingly sinister edge. There’s a theatrical quality to it that works particularly well.
Closing track Digital Death is perhaps the least immediately convincing. Its more chaotic arrangement has plenty of interesting ideas, although they don’t always come together as cohesively as elsewhere on the record. Even so, there’s something appealing about Herzberg’s willingness to push things into less predictable territory.
Across its four tracks, End Of Noise makes a persuasive case for Herzberg’s particular blend of nostalgic electronics, darker club music and alternative influences. The production is detailed, the atmosphere consistently engaging, and at its best, particularly on The Girl On The M10, it’s a very satisfying listen.
