- I'll plead the fifth as far as my knowledge regarding the Balkans as a house and techno hotbed is concerned, but if Logos Recordings serves as any sort of barometer for Macedonia's dance music scene, then they're quiet a sophisticated bunch over there. Denny Trajkov likes his deep house to have an emotional kick and be as subtly textured as only the best techno can.
"From Chicago to Detroit" sounds as ambitious as it gets, but the first sound it evokes in me is that of mid-'90s French filtered disco, minus any unwanted cheese. The euphoria is alive and well and the feeling is there. There's an analogue ambience that encapsulates the direction behind this release perfectly. If evidence was ever needed of the global reach of this brand of electronic sophistication, then here it is. It's lovingly reverential but completely uncontrived. The same can be said of the title track. "Soulful" is classic tech-house. You've heard it before, but there's nothing wrong with that. An eye for detail sets it apart from other similar releases: Rising and falling in intensity, it's a tantalising piece that doesn't quite explode when it could, and that has to be a good thing.
Label boss Samoil Radinski's remix techs it to its symphonic limits by laying on the keys in harmony with the percussion so that the sound is much fuller and forceful. There's an obvious nod to the original as far as the momentum is concerned, but it's a distinct reworking that, for me, is a slight improvement.
This is extremely solid dance floor tackle for those who like it deep and passionate. Logos is one of the best examples yet of a digital-only label making great strides in a market that is still, spiritually at least, vinyl-owned.
Tracklist01. Soulful
02. From Chicago To Detroit
03. Soulful (Samoil Radinski Remix)