- Iron Curtis, AKA Johannes Paluka, is among a handful of artists who made a name for themselves during the German deep house heyday of the late '00s and early '10s. Along with producers associated with labels like Smallville and WHITE, he emerged with a linear but lush sound suited to smoke-filled rooms welcoming the night's first dancers. Paluka's profile has dipped in the meantime, but his new Unwind EP shows that he still knows how to craft effective deep house.
Of the EP's three original tracks, two are for the dance floor. "Unwind" is the deeper option, with a snappy beat and occasional licks of synth. Thanks to a hyperactive bassline, "Riders" is more energetic, shuffling its way to an extended breakdown that feels too ambitious for the track's twilit mood. "Cream," a celestial ambient track, is the EP's nicest moment, a four-minute respite from the chugging drums found across the rest of the EP. Any house DJ responsible for warming up a room should find use for Unwind, a record with a sound that could transport you back to 2011.
TracklistA1 Riders
A2 Cream
B1 Unwind
B2 Unwind (Force / Emerge Remix)