- Over the past couple years, the Regelbau crew, a "collection of local DJs and producers" from Aarhus, Denmark, has put out at least 25 records. It's tough to say exactly how much music their core producers—Central, Sports, C.K., Optic_ and Manmade DeeJay—have released, as they work across a maze of labels, collaborative projects and aliases. As Central, real name Natal Zaks, told XLR8R, "That's the curious part of being a record digger or music enthusiast—trying to dig, trying to understand. If everything is presented in a clear way, then it's a bit less exciting." It's been a natural, if fast, build for the Danish crew. A record-digging Facebook group led to parties, parties led to a label, and now the label has an anthem: Hi Mount & C.K.'s "I Know."
Most of the Regelbau producers have alternated between breakbeat-anchored ambience and anthemic, shambolic house. "I Know," a collaboration from Hi Mount (the new trio of Central, PH 1, Sports) and C.K. (2 Bit Crew's Christoffer Kejlstrup), is the first time they've embraced pop. They lift a tremulous vocal from a '90s gospel or R&B record, adding their own bittersweet accompaniment with digital pianos and flutes.
In keeping with the '90s vibe, this record includes three mixes of "I Know." The "First Mix" shapes the longing vocal into contemplative electro pop. The "Club Mix" cleverly switches the bassline to a dive-bombing, UK-influenced figure. Coupled with a slamming house kick and the original vocal and pianos, this one could be a melancholic speed garage obscurity. The "Deep Dub Mix" is most like the ambience of previous Regelbau releases, but there's a Second Wave Detroit feel to the nuanced percussive shifts, pristine arpeggios and hammering two-note bassline. No matter the version, the music's backbone, a longing wail of "I know" and its cascading echo, transcends style, making for one of the year's memorable tracks.
TracklistA1 I Know (First Mix)
A2 I Know (Club Mix)
B1 I Know (Deeb Dub Mix)