Tantum – Dejavu [Meanwhile]

Posted on 28th October 2025

5 min read

A Meanwhile regular and firm favourite, Tantum returns once more with another 3-track EP of supreme quality with Dejavu / It Has To Be Like This / Palindrome. A Berlin-based artist with a rich seam of impressive releases to his name, Tantum has always been comfortable straddling the boundaries between forward thinking Melodic Techno and Progressive House. Since a 2018 debut on EIN2, a century of production credits has seen him a regular on Guy Js Lost & Found, John Digweeds Bedrock and Mangos ever-impressive Mango Alley. Meanwhile has also been a growing force in Tantums production prowess, centred around a pair of high-quality EPs, found in May 2023s Secondary / Suan Pan / Narko and March 2024s Contact High / This is Real / Scatter. An appearance on October 2025s Meanwhile Excursions, Vol. 5 with Pluto, alongside YANIQ, further shone a light on the Germans skill and technique. Now returning with a third original EP, Dejavu is a driving powerhouse complete with a bouncing, growling bassline, juxtaposed against light reverse-reverb touches and beautifully sculpted melodic textures. Building effortlessly, open filters herald the rise and fall of a club-friendly tour de force, while a crisp percussive shell creates the perfect vehicle for the melodic elements to flourish. Continuing the deep, dark themes of its predecessor, a punchy kick propels It Has To Be Like This forward in relentless fashion alongside off-beat hats and a clicking, popping percussive texture. A veritable smorgasbord of analogue synths fills the left-right spectrum with immaculate syncopation, coming to the fore at the breakdown before dropping back into the familiar hypnotic phrasing of earlier movements. The upshot is a delicate affair that provides a nod to Gui Borattos early work. The beautifully sculpted melodic soundscapes continue courtesy of Palindrome, where familiar themes resonate through hypnotically cadenced plucks and spine-tingling bassline progression. Fizzing and cracking percussive touches add to the sumptuous aural collage in an understated fashion before opening up at the mid-point with textured pads. Hitting further heights in the second half, a new melody rotates, gradually rising in intensity to create a warm and blissful conclusion. A musical triptych of the highest order finds Tantum looking to the future with Dejavu / It Has To Be Like This / Palindrome.

Buy: https://www.beatport.com/release/dejavu-it-has-to-be-like-this-palindrome/5512334
Release Date: 31-10-2025