Review: It's fair to say that melancholic house peddlers Art Department are on a roll right now. So much so in fact, that they have been invited to write the first official theme for the internationally acclaimed Robot Heart parties at Burning Man. Daunted by the task, the guys set about scoring a piece that would truly reflect the party's unique atmosphere. They've come up with an extraordinary eight-minute epic that pumps along under austere vocals by Damian Lazarus, before expanding into a fountain of sinister John Carpenter-esque synth work. If you fancy a sparser version, then BLUD's lean, mean houser is the one for you.
Review: Although blessed with a porn star name, Clayton Steele seems more of the clean-cut sort - if you can call making woozy, hazy, Crosstown Rebels-ish house 'clean-cut'. Take a listen to this latest missive on No.19, and you'll know what we mean. "Passion" for instance manages to be both light and dark, blending squidgy, nu-disco influenced deep house grooves with the sort of weary vocals that you'd normally find in dark synth-pop songs. "Sleep Walker" continues this theme, sounding like a contemporary take on early Depeche Mode. The EP is completed by an excellent remix of "Passion" from the ever-reliable DJ T.
Review: It's a while since we last heard from sometime Crosstown Rebels and Wolf + Lamb regular Deniz Kurtel. In fact, this two-tracker for Art Department's No. 19 label is her first single for two years. The American is in typically introspective mood on "Deepression", a shuffling, quietly melodic stroll through Visionquest-style tactile house pastures. Pushed forward by an addictive bassline and melancholic sweeps, it's one of her finest productions for some time. She joins forces with Art Department on "Forgot Your Name", a similarly deep, swirling and emotion-rich dream-house journey that benefits greatly from the inclusion of Kurtel's own fragile, heartfelt vocals.
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