- Strangers In Heaven is a side project from two "established" Berlin-based producers who would rather remain anonymous, which I gather is intended to create an air of mystery. There isn't much of anything mysterious about their music, which is a decidedly heady, low-end cherishing brand of glossy German tech house. "This Ride" embellishes a clichéd bongo groove with a deep, dipping throb and a big ol' organ riff to drive the point home. Laila Tov's scatting dancehall-inspired vocals bring it to a smooth cruise that wouldn't even think of taking a left turn. Fellow Berlin duo Smash TV throw in some snags and turn it into an descending, electro-tinged tumble that proves a little more satisfying than the merely pleasant original.
The two flipside tracks emphasize the atmospheric factor of the duo's work, replacing the full vocal with ghostly moans and scattered chatter. "Heaven Can Wait" prefers mournful Detroit chords instead of blithe organs, while "Eternal Life" wheezes in and out over an unpredictable sputtering beat and one hell of a zig-zagging bassline. It's a tad deeper than your usual Souvenir release, and rounds off an EP that proves more average than intriguing.
Tracklist A1 This Ride
A2 Heaven Can Wait
B1 This Ride (Smash TV Remix)
B2 Eternal Life