An outstanding piece of work from Kiko Navarro who we haven’t been featuring enough of but has certainly stamped his impression all over this great vocal from Chasing Kurt’s Lukas, who together with together with DJ & producer Wojtek have produced the soulfully resonating original. Shuffling percussion, hints of punctuation via the crafted synth stabs plus the sense of building intensity all score high on his remix, while underscoring the impassioned vocal delivery perfectly. 6th Borough Project then lend their distinctive flavour to three versions including a standout Percapella for obvious reasons.
Advance Promo at Traxsource: September 1. General release: September 15
Excellent series of productions from Marcin Czubala whose clever combination of soul and machine works particularly well throughout. Title track, Just Away is driven by shuffling rhythms, punctuated by electronic blips and has one of those fuzzy basslines which is at once unsettling but also eminently funky. The vocals provide the human touch and are underpinned by sumptuous pads to produce music that is also deep and, praise be, soulful in abundance. Not Like This, follows with joyous chords, more cool percussion and telling jazzy undertones as the aptly named, Pleasure Control provides another irresistible bassline and this time classy organ notes for definite dancefloor moments. The even more aptly titled Memory Lane trips out finally on a feast of insensitive sounds, some extremely fine vocal treatments and classic old-school stabs which are again certain to move you. 9
Dualton & Wollion
‘Undisputed’
Peppermint Jam Records
Almost understated but not knowingly undersold this striking production from Dualton and Wollion features a notably poignant vocal refrain alongside a rush of keyboards and is offset by deep beats and throbbing bass. Remixes come from a tech flavoured Kabale Und Liebe, a neatly cut-up Autodeep and a twisted Mario da Ragnio who all bring their own interpretations to what is essentially a rather fine vocal. 8
It’s not music to dance too – I’ve reached track three and not a drum beat in sight – but when was just listening to music never enough. You may not be familiar with 200 Years – I admit I wasn’t – but Ben “Six Organs of Admittance†Chasny and Elisa “Magic Markers†Ambrogios’ gently melancholic sounds sometimes offer bitter-sweet moments worth savouring. At times this has a Country/ Folk persuasion, yet at others the tremolo guitar feels like it should be within a Tarantino soundtrack. The fact that the production is stripped back to organic voice and chords, with perhaps the odd splash of reverb, merely reveals its potential to charm – see Solar System below. The challenge with 200 Years is that the vocal deliberately strains its tuning quite frequently, which does create the intended unease against which the guitar and occasional keys are played, but quite how well that will work for you? Only time will tell.  7
Let’s not be lazy and mention the similarity with the goddess that was Sylvester simply because the vocal is likewise falsetto, after all so was Jimmy Somerville. But then perhaps the music encourages the comparison all by itself: Hi-NRG eighties syncopation and uplifting middle eight that combines with devastating chorus etc etc. But then you either like this sound, or you don’t. Moving on with Joe Goddard’s deliciously moody rework which only adds to the impact of the vocals, you then have Legowelt’s electro stunner rekindling the retro-contemporary image flawlessly. Solo give it a more House feel with pulsating bass and familiar drum sounds providing yet another exotic angle to the vocalist. 8
Number six in the series opens with the stunning Langenberg Mood Remix of Triad’s Vice which could be quite easily be described as melancholy but just as equally euphoric – albeit deeply. Like the sound of that dichotomy? Then read on as the arrangement gently adds layers of echoed drum hits, cinematic pads and Techno overtones neatly complimented by a yearning, synthetic voice. Mousse T follows that with Inaya Day’s inescapably smoky vocals on By Myself which has been pitched down by Paskal & Urban Absolutes whose fashionably slo-mo remix injects some seriously funky bass into the equation. Last but not least is the Nico remix of B.M.R’s version of Level 42’s perennial Starchild that surprisingly doesn’t begin to give the game away until a third of the way through, although its two thirds before those familiar chords hit on this impressive interpretation. 9
Nigel Hayes ‘Tales from The Shed’ (Part 3 & 4) Intelligent Audio
For your information it has taken just over a year for parts three and four to emerge from this Intelligent Audio sequence. And sounding as it does, you know it’s worth the time passing. Part Three features journeys into House/ Techno and doesn’t come much better than the opening salvo, Solar Flare. Fuzzy basslines, shuffling percussion with an intensely funky tilt, and shimmering keys see this shine brightly. Catch The Train rushes full steam ahead with squelching bass tones and undulating chords, aided again by sparkling percussion, as Something For The weekend eases down into something more comfortable though no less striking, leaving Deep Cover to explore yet more cinematic territory. It would be a crime not to be tempted by Part Four which plays the flipside with a funky intensity typically as on Bunny Chow, while Fandango feels like a contemporary Lalo Schifrin i.e. Steve McQueen cool. Lisa’s Flat gets classically soulful with Rhodes and clipped beats, and the finishing Breakin’ Doors joins the dots in-between with thoughtfully crafted notes and scat vocals concealing the Mojo Rising reference cleverly. 9
This handsomely titled production from Mobilee co-founder Anja Schneider and Lee Jones sets sassy syncopated bass rhythms against unsettling synths, and to say this proves infectious may well be a slight understatement. Next is Rio Bravo which provides some melodic relief with its sensitive eighties styled keys while the funkier edged drums/ percussion feel perfect for the dancefloor. The self explanatory Let Me Out follows with yet more gorgeous bass lines although watch out for the sinister sounding voices, they’re enticing. 8
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An outstanding piece of work from Kiko Navarro who we haven’t been featuring enough of but has certainly stamped his impression all over this great vocal from Chasing Kurt’s Lukas, who together with together with DJ & producer Wojtek have produced the soulfully resonating original. Shuffling percussion, hints of punctuation via the crafted synth stabs plus the sense of building intensity all score high on his remix, while underscoring the impassioned vocal delivery perfectly. 6th Borough Project then lend their distinctive flavour to three versions including a standout Percapella for obvious reasons.
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