Leaving my footprints on the winter’s white canvas, I walked the dimly lit streets on my way home, my ears warmed by full-sized headphones playing a somewhat melancholic but intensely pleasant track called “Whitefall” by Kenn Dust.
This work by the Belgian producer, who bravely returned to music after a long illness, feels to me like a testament that the drive for creativity is vital energy. It is a pure, sincere gift that artists share with us.
“Whitefall,” from the very first seconds, promises something sacred and intimate. It begins quietly, but after just half a minute, it abruptly bursts with deep, melancholic colours. It contains everything I love: the signature, enveloping future-garage bass, percussion scattered across the space creating depth, and a wonderful, not-too-deep kick drum. All of this is masterfully layered over a light vocal sample and a rhythmically fading pad, which accompanied the listener from the start but gained its true power beneath the percussive instruments.
1:35 is the perfect timing for a “rest pit,” accompanied by simply tear-inducing piano notes. Their reverb creates an incredibly atmospheric, almost crystalline feeling, as if you are standing in a cave studded with sapphires. And again, just as I begin to recover from this tenderness, there is a sudden, emotional entry with no build-up or easing in. Emotions wash over me with a new, intensified wave. The same bass, the same drums, and pads now hit harder than they did at the start.
The second half of the track is a true catharsis. It hits quickly and unexpectedly but ends in a balanced way, bringing complete calm. The composition slowly fades as the familiar pad gently drops into the depth of the boundless bassline.
This is an incredibly beautiful work for self-reflection, ideal for listening to outdoors. “Whitefall” helps release emotions and give them space—a space that perhaps no one will notice from the outside, but you will feel it within yourself down to the last cell.
P.S. If you are looking for more music capable of creating an emotional takeoff through deep melancholy, be sure to check out our Chillstep guide: Melancholic Bird Runway: The Chillstep Guide to Emotional Takeoff.
