Solomun - Love Recycled

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  • Pretty much guaranteed to rekindle the ongoing debate about the merit of the edit, Solumun takes a short break from rolling tech-house productions for this, the debut EP on new vinyl-only imprint 2DIY4—an offshoot of his own Diynamic. Apparently, enthusiasm from Damian Lazarus on a similarly-themed effort was the catalyst for Solomun to produce this EP, so we all owe a debt of gratitude to the Crosstown Rebels selector, as at least two of the three tracks are nothing short of sublime. It kicks off with a beautifully crafted re-rub of Michael McDonald's soul slow-jam "I Keep Forgetting," (as famously sampled in the seminal hip-hop anthem "Regulate"), and while some of the production is fairly rough-and-ready—the warping of the vocal to pick it up to a suitable dance floor BPM is clear in the way McDonald's voice warbles and jitters over the beats—this feels suitable for the overall texture of the track; something raw, visceral and entirely emotionally uplifting, despite the relative solemnity of the vocals. Next up is the EP's true moment of genius. Layering Curtis Mayfield's pleadingly sincere vocal over a lazy, incessant, wandering bassline and with beautifully restrained use of a soft, electric guitar lick, Solomun has crafted a deeply satisfying love song that pulses with unrequited longing. But if that's all a bit too warm and fuzzy for you, the next track robs a few of Janet Jackson's "Go Deep" vocals (previously used by Robert James on "Sleep Modes") and lays them over dark, metallic twisted synths, changing the tone from pleasantly cuddly to fiercely intimidating. Arguably the least "original" EP of 2011, it also happens to be one of the most enjoyable.
  • Tracklist
      A Love Recycled 1 B1 Love Recycled 2 B2 Love Recycled 3
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