Review: Eric Estornel rose to fame a few years ago, from what seemed like out of nowhere. But unbeknownst to many was churning out sleek electro for a long time before as Mariel Ito. But it was with Maceo Plex that he really found his groove with anthems such as "Your Style" and Sleazy Rider". Fast forward to 2015 he's still at the top of his game as a DJ (check the polls) and as a producer as heard striking out on his own imprint Ellum Audio. It sees him temporarily return to his old ways with a chill electro number that ticks all the boxes; vocoder, soaring analogue strings and warm chunky arpeggiated bassline. If that wasn't enough, he flips the script on us again in the form of right techno banger "Solar Detroit" sounding like something on Oscar Mulero's Pole Group. Nice one!
Review: How does a label follow up a surprise summer smash? In the case of Ellum Audio and the excellent New York Is Alright from TV Baby, founder Maceo Plex returns with his first original material for the label in nearly a year, teaming up with Odd Parent's Maars on Going Back. A simple two tracker aimed at the dancefloors, the lead original mix takes the vocals of Florence Bird and weaves them deep into the groove of a dark, sonically hypnotic arrangement with all the usual Plex nuances like crisp drums, gloopily foreboding bassline and clipped strings. The dub version naturally discards with Bird's contribution yet retains the intensity.
Review: Maceo's label Ellum Audio is really beginning to find its place in the tech scene; lavishing listeners with a salubrious, rolling funk, it's been just as much of a breath of fresh air as Maceo's productions themselves. Put the two together and you're onto a purebred winner... "Filthy Mama" twists and turns with the sonic toxicity of 2020 Soundsystem record performed live while "Stimulation" is more prog-inclined with heaps of beautiful emotion laced throughout.
Review: Having made his name with a decidedly fluorescent blend of retro-futurist house revivalism, the logical next step for Maceo Plex was always going to be working with his heroes. Here, he joins forces with former Hacienda resident and '90s remixer of choice Jon DaSilva for a cut based on the latter's unreleased remix of a Jones Girls cover. It's pretty much what you'd expect from both parties rolled into one; the booming synth-bass and cyber-synths of Plex, versus the '90s vocal stylings and bumpin' disco-house beats of DaSilva. Plex himself delivers a thunderous, techno-flavoured Dub, while solo bonus cut "Futre Musik", a tribute to German tech-housers Closer Musik, rises and falls for 10 gorgeous minutes.
Review: Few house producers have enjoyed quite as rapid a rise in 2011 than Maceo Plex. Here he jumps ship from Crosstown Rebels to launch his own label, offering two typically emotional chunks of Visionquest-ish synth-house. While the epic "Aint No Love" opts for a sci-fi tinged approach, it's A-side builder "Stay High Baby" that really impresses. Working with many of his usual elements - those touchy-feely vocals, a snatch of disco guitar, emotion-rich chords, snappy beats, big breakdowns, echo-laden pianos and a dash of acid tweakery - he carefully builds a naggingly hooky concoction that bueatifully ebbs and flows throughout.
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