- To the wider world, Lithuania is best known for basketball and, er, well, not a lot else. But Mario Basanov and Vidmantas Cepkauskas are making decent strides in clubbing circles with their potent mix of Mitteleuropa techno and transmissions from the more atmospheric end of electronica.
This year has already seen a well-received album on Future Classic, a hook-up with Berlin's Best Works and the standout track for Damian Lazarus' fourth Get Lost outing on Crosstown Rebels. Now comes their first release on their own Best Kept Secret label—set up, they say, to showcase the Vilnius house scene. It's a scene worth investigating further if Staar Wars is typical fare.
Snatches of bandoneón lend the moody tech house of leadout track "Ryyk" a hint of the tango; think Gotan Project jamming across a Tiefschwarz record. The spacey, bubbly "Manann" is built around a mid-paced robotic groove, although perhaps suffers in comparison to the drama constructed by its predecessor.
The somewhat disturbing "Illum" prowls around a futuristic music box melody, but ends up merely being the hors d'oeuvre for the EP's sole vocal track, "Loove Wars." The breathy, cutesy Michelle Bee tiptoes her way across a slice of Photek-like deep house, complete with intricate xylophone synth pads and snappy, ripe percussion. It's the track that lifts the entire EP into a higher division.
Tracklist A1 Ryyk
A2 Manaan
B1 Illum
B2 Loove Wars