- Does the man make the city or the city make the man? Judging by the success of his Substance night at Berghain, Paul Rose would have no problem arguing that he has left his mark on Berlin. By the same token, Rose started the SCB offshoot after he moved to the German capital. And, indeed, listening to the A side on this second instalment from the label, it sounds like Rose has been spending time searching through the back-stock racks at Hardwax.
"Hard Boiled VIP" follows the same rolling, driving direction as the first release on SCB, but distinguishes itself thanks to its dubbed out drums and the reflective, airy chords—like a cross between Rachmad's early '90s Tons of Tones project and the long-forgotten "Zephyr" by Kech & B Bonds—that lead to a ponderous break down.
Although "28_5" also taps into a distinctly Berlin-centric style, it is not as rewarding: Rose strips away the musical elements, locks onto an effective dance floor groove and lets it pan and jack its way through a seven-minute workout. While there is nothing inherently wrong with it, it lacks an identity or a flair that so much of Rose's music boasts.
Tracklist A Hard Boiled VIP
B 28_5