High 5 - Tsepo
Dutchman Jan van der Lugt aka Tsepo, has been making a name for himself in his native Dutch scene for a couple of years now. Neat and versatile DJ sets have made the former Trouw and current Shelter resident a very welcome guest behind decks across the globe. Reasons enough to be delighted to shine the spotlight on 5 handpicked tracks by the artist himself that showcase just why he’s so in demand as a selector.
S.O.N.S. - That Dream We Call Reality
There is little known about the Seoul-based producer S.O.N.S, one of the most intriguing figures to have emerged in the underground scene over the last few years. S.O.N.S is a refreshingly originative DIY project whose limited and occasional 12" singles have been selling like hotcakes. “The Dream We Call Reality” hails from the artists first and highly sought-after debut release “Shibuya One Night Stand” which is currently fetching high prices on Discogs. It’s a mystic slice of captivating minimal techno that rides along a simple breakbeat pattern paired with sizzling percussion and occasional synth bleeps. The bulk of the whole thing is underpinned by dark, mystified vocals that plunge the listener deeper into a subdued heads-down state of mind. Its atonal reductionist nature emphasizes the artists focus on atmosphere, the aim being to drift its listeners into both trippy and murky terrains.
DJ Koze - Pick up
When it comes to crafting lengthy, funky fired dancefloor stunners, Stefan Kozalla aka DJ Koze knows his craft from top to bottom. “Pick up”, which appears as a ten-minute "12" Extended Disco Version" on his latest EP and a in a more compact version on his latest album, rides along a rolling disco loop melded with disarmingly sincere samples taken from "Neither One Of Us" by Gladys Knight. Devoted Koze-heads will experience an instant throwback to the summer of 2016 when Koze’s disco edit of Lapsley's "Operator" quickly became a summer anthem. Following the well-tried formula “less is more”, the simplicity of its construction - a looped disco break, some swelling strings, a ray of electric guitar snagged against melancholic sighs of a vocal full of sorrow - provokes nothing less than a series of heart leaps of joy.
Soul Capsule - Lady Science (NYC sunrise)
Released through Peter Ford’s Trelik in 1999 this record is probably one of house music's most treasured emotive pieces with classic status. There’s a lot of storytelling across it’s 10-minute playtime: Starting off with off with dreamily wistful and nostalgic organ melodies, the track starts building slowly with the introduction of each element building a low-slung yet groovy dancefloor appeal and subtle emotional resonance. The light-footedness of the vocal samples makes the track fit perfectly to either warm up, peak-time play or after-hours sessions alike.
Prime Minister Of Doom - Deep In Your Heart
The mysterious genius formerly known as Prince Of Denmark, DJ Metatron and Traumprinz returned with quite a bang, namely two new complimentary records as DJ Healer & Prime Minister Of Doom. The artist’s output varies between shades of deep and micro house as well as measured dark, minimal techno with a special knack for lightness prevalent in the music, suggestive of a need to soften even the rougher edges of those genres. The same holds true for “Deep in your heart” where a relentless techno shuffle carefully rises in prominence before a contrasting sonorous hook cuts through the muted mood.
Melatonin Man – Cruise Control Love
Dutch producer and record collector Melatonin Man, a.k.a. Tammo Hesselink returns to the forward-thinking Dutch imprint Nous’klaer Audio with an impressive solo EP “Cruise Control Love”, following on from his 2017 debut summer anthem “Garrol” on the Paerels compilation. The title track is driven by a thick acidic bassline, draped in starlit tones and woven around thickets of tight hi-hats. Things get further nifty as ambient synth notes lazily chime in, taking the track to an unbelievably emotional acme.