- Some tracks reel you in with catchy melodies, others with crafty drums and groove. Foehn & Jerome's "Thyme," the A-side of the latest release on Sammy Dee's Ultrastretch label, does it with mangled vocals and an ominous bassline. Those elements might not sound appealing on paper, but the combination—which I heard twice in one night at Club Der Visionaere this week—is deadly in the club. Pairing the sinister with the serene, "Thyme" doesn't push you to move, but listen. The pinprick drums are quiet in the mix, enveloped by a psychedelic low-end. Only a fraction of the chopped vocal snippets—"time," "go"—are within grasp, so you spend most of the track's 12 minutes trying to decipher the others while swirls of acidic synth float above.
A more conventional track sits on the B-side. "Cumin" is a tribalist groover with cheery vocal chants and another heavy-duty bassline, but this one is rhythmic and synchronised with the percussion. Arriving just in time for summer, the track is a day party sure-shot with just the right amount of flair. The wording of vocals is just out of reach, while the goofy '00s-era vibe of the squelching synths in the mid-range adds to their positive mood. This is great minimal house from a duo who isn't afraid to hold back.