- Cosy tech house with a striking Mandar remix.
- "Spellbound" is Matthew Dekay's debut on Mandar's Oscillat Music label, and his first solo record in five years. Yet it doesn't mark a stylistic transformation. The track's restrained introspection and laconic low-120s-BPM tempo resemble the continental tech house he's made for labels like Maeve and Innervisions. His music is in touch with a strong sense of mood, with sleepier elements buoyed gently by a rubbery, Mr. Fingers-style bassline. But the sultry, diced R&B vocal and hygge-inducing pads feel dated in comparison to the 2-step and electro elements that have been introduced to minimal and tech house in the years since Dekay's previous EP.
The Mandar remix brings more heat with nimble drums, a beefier bassline and a greater sense of drama. The intro builds anticipation for the elements that are obviously missing from the groove—the bassline and an off-beat hi-hat—which makes their appearance more satisfying. It rounds out the EP as a moodier and more striking companion to the laidback original.
TracklistA Spellbound
B Spellbound (Mandar Remix)