- "I owe a lot of money for my record label. I do my business the American way…I put it on credit." William Burnett, better known as Willie Burns, said this in a recent appearance on Beats In Space. It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that W.T. Records isn't rolling in royalty cheques—Burnett has never been one to go down the populist route. In 2012 his label put out just four records, which ranged from '80s synth experiments and Japanese retro pop to analogue house and folk rock. But last year saw him edge slowly into the limelight, most notably for his own productions and remixes as Willie Burns for Crème and The Trilogy Tapes.
DJ Muscle isn't so much an attempt to capitalise on this as a reminder that W.T. Records can still do house music, and do it well. Released across three separate 12-inches, DJ Muscle showcases mostly under-the-radar talent and a few total unknowns (depending on how close your ear is to the ground.) As the title suggests, the tracks are DJ-focused and relatively no-nonsense. Opening cut "D.E.R.T" from Belgrade-based duo Kompleks is pitched down to a groggy, anaesthetised crawl, while Hypercube—a project of Beau Wanzer and Elon Katz—turn in "(Dimension #1)," a rugged, acid-soaked jam. Caltrop's "Lenny" is the highpoint of the first 12-inch, with a vocal that recalls In Flagranti in their sleaze-fuelled pomp.
Geena's "3 Tongues To Talk," which opens the second 12-inch, has a deliciously noirish stomp, while Dutch producer Orgue Electronique—probably the best known artist here—turns in "The Serpent," a cinematic ode to Chicago. Entro Senestre's "Constant Elevation" shimmers along pleasantly, while the BMX edit of Towlie's "This Is A Momenth" has a snake charmer melody and the kind of tough EBM beat you might hear at a World Unknown party. The third 12-inch is given over to three Afro-house cuts: two of these come from Mzungu—the joyous "Third" and paranoid drum track "Too Hot"—while the third, Africaine 808's "Tummy Tummy," builds from a percussive vocal intro into a bonkers peaktime workout.
TracklistDJ Muscle 1
A1 Kompleks – D.E.R.T
A2 Hypercube – Hypercube (Dimension #1)
B1 Caltrop – Lenny
DJ Muscle 2
A1 Geena – 3 Tongues To Talk
A2 Orgue Electronique – The Serpent
B1 Towlie – This Is A Momenth (BMX Edit)
B2 Entro Senestre – Constant Elevation
DJ Muscle 3
A1 Mzungu – The Third
A2 Mzungu – Too Hot
B1 Africaine 808 – Tummy, Tummy