- Side A. Lexicon Ave Mix
Side B. Envy Mix
The New York duo last single “I Wish You Were Here” sees a whitelabel release after nearly three years from the original. John Creamer & Stephanie K have been known for their sinister production work on labels such as Saw Recordings, Alternative Route, and Bedrock Recordings. The last few months has seen both Creamer and K DJ’ing more, a few remixes, and a compact disc released from Bedrock. Two of Tribal House master’s are given an even more deeper and darker tone with this release. This Whitelabel comes in two forms on one slab of vinyl. Fellow New Yorker’s Lexicon Ave Mix is on this-side and an Envy Mix is on that-side. Synonymous with quality dark tribal production, their sound has also been abstract and dark; no melodies – just dirty, sweaty, tribal grooves to grid in the club.
The track follows the four-to-the-floor beat throughout the track with deep sexy voices. Unlike the normal diva-style vocals, the Lexicon Ave Mix seems to follow a new thread in house and breaks music – using ethereal and soft vocals to drive a wicked dark beat. Hard and pounding, the b-line is solid as random sounds peak in and out. What seems like seconds later, you hear that Lexicon Ave sound as those long and dark synchs come in to warp the track into oblivion. I enjoy the deep snares as that scary melody breaks out over the vocals. Halfway and the breakdown occurs, leaving just the snare and vocals to keep you head straight from venturing off. The track then turns into familiar tribal territory as Lexicon Ave keeps bringing in those random drop sounds. The snare gets louder with echo’s hitting you upside the head as it loops back and forth for the DJ to cue in the next track - a marvelous mix from one of New York’s finest tribal production team.
Envy’s Mix follows in Lexicon Ave’s shadow in remixing another tribal beauty. Envy uses a more complex drum pattern that meets a very low-end snare as the foundation for the track. The vocals are sliced apart and thrown in to make you feel like your mind is bending. Constant drum chimes are laid within the track that it takes over everything else. The vocals feel like they are secondary and it becomes very hard to listen to the words. The vocals don’t become murky, but it becomes lost in the track. Still an excellent mind bender from Envy in a more traditional structure for DJ’s who luv that sick and twisted Steve Lawler and Satoshi Tomiie’s sound.
What more can you say, but damn. Two dark pounding mixes on one slab of vinyl for all the gothic children who play the sounds of New York; a serious must for fans who still luv the sounds that dominated progressive house back around 2001-2002.