Oliver $ - iHope

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  • Oliver $'s ability to craft accessible house has been evident since his emergence on the German Grand Petrol Recordings in 2005. Since then, the Berlin-based producer has found a home in Jesse Rose's Made To Play, an imprint that seems to bring out the best in the young redhead. 2009 was testament to that, with the release of the well-charted deep and down-tempo "Watcha Gonna Do," and multiple inclusions in the label's mid-year fidget sampler, Playing Around Again. iHope sees that trend continue. The title track gets underway with big Chicago drums, partnering up with a thick bass-loop 60 seconds in. From there, filtered vocals and jazzy trumpet lines punctuate a snare-less drum loop, only ceasing for a succession of crowd-pleasing and stuttering breakdowns. With its intricate vocal and brass sampling, "iHope" serves as one of Oliver $'s most mature production ventures to date. Rather than completely dismantling the glitch-ridden fidget house formula that brought him acclaim in the '00s, the result is livelier drum patterns and hooky samples formed into a snappy but elaborate dance floor tool, sure to be of use for many a selector. On the flipside, "Ginger Ale" stays in similar territory, making use of a harmonious woodwind line, fitted with fuzzy bass and a limited vocal overlay, complementing "iHope" with its flute solos and hyperactive bass. Lastly, "iHope (Dub)" takes the original well into the deep end of the house spectrum, a place not unfamiliar to Oliver $, again highlighting the relative subtleness and intricacy of "iHope" and its simple, yet attractive percussion makeup. Together, both B-sides serve as effective accompaniments to "iHope", but, as with Oliver $'s previous Made To Play releases, the A-side stands as the sure highlight.
  • Tracklist
      A1 iHope B1 Ginger Ale B2 iHope (Dub)
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