With his first album as DJ Counselling, Ash Arnold plays with tempo and genre to pursue a contemplative period of creation, accentuated by his experiences of grief, love and optimism. Written in its entirety during a 3 week stay in Berlin, Alt-Mobeat is a 7 track synthesis of music created using only a remote studio (sampler, field recorder and headphones) and showcasing an acoustic sound that differs from Ash’s more familiar electronic work. Wanting the album to remain authentic to what he created in Berlin, Ash explains “I added as little additional production and synths as possible while mixing the album back in my London studio, which proved to be quite a challenge but one I remained committed to”.

The album’s narrative is framed by cleverly incorporated field recordings — a stroll through Berlin's Tiergarten park in falling snow, a conversation reflecting the lighter side of Ash's personality and samples from a mandolin harp found at an abandoned 19th Century hospital site in Beelitz Heilstätten. The latter of these can be heard throughout "Intro" and "The Visit". As well as capturing the beauty and haunting atmosphere of Berlin, the broad range of recordings also echo some of Ash's most sanguine moments of the trip. The effect is clear; it is an album that is at once reflective, searching and hopeful.

The trumpeting of greedy swans at Kreuzberg’s Landwehr Canal emphasises the band-like energy and swing that can be heard in "Little Grey Ghosts". In "Your Light Cannot Be Extinguished", a track written in memory of Ash’s friend Gavin, layered bugle samples punctuate the enduring influence of a cherished character in the South London music scene. Lead single "It’s Perfectly Clear Right Now" was conceived in a Berlin art gallery and provided immediate clarity for the direction of Alt-Mobeat. The track offers a nod to the laid back hip hop vibe of albums that inspired Ash during the 90s, drenched in organic textures and layered beats, yet with a darker edginess, low synth bass, heavy drums and a cinematic atmosphere. "The Birdman" draws inspiration from Berlin's chilling sites, notably a monument to Bismark depicting Germany's 19th-century global power status.

Losing a friend shortly before writing the album and spending much of his trip contemplating life’s uncertainty, Ash embraced atypical experiences in Berlin; steering away from techno clubs to explore historic buildings, visit the home of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and drink hot chocolate by the Spree. These, alongside Ash’s mood, led to a collection of altogether novel DJ Counselling music. As Ash describes it, the album is “much looser than my dancefloor oriented stuff, with a feel and groove tapped out on my sampler in various places across Berlin, reflecting not only how I was feeling at the time but also the impact my surroundings had on the sound”.

Alt-Mobeat, which sounds timeless and devoid of genre, reveals Ash’s symphonic craftsmanship at its best and underscores his esteem as a musician first and producer second. Expect hints of hip hop, jazz and electronic minimalism, interspersed with a deep yet delicate atmosphere.