Alexis Raphael - Kitchens & Bedrooms

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  • It begins simply enough: a driving beat, a far-off voice, some quiet chords. And there's admittedly nothing all that revelatory about the big bassline this swirl of everyday deep house sounds builds up to. Yet "Kitchens & Bedrooms," the first solo record from Alexis Raphael and one of only a handful of vinyl releases from Lower East, is difficult to deny, a modest anthem that doesn't overexert itself but may raise the collective heart rate of the dance floor a few clicks as Raphael slowly unpeels the sample. The track's remixers all seek to further complicate things, and none can manage nearly as good a look as the original. Lee Foss adds a good deal of chunk and thump, but the track limps under all the extra weight. Richy Ahmed & Volante's transformation throws the VST kitchen sink at the original in the name of making it suitable for bigger rooms, but it misses the mark considerably. The digital-only mixes actually do a bit better, with Raphael's own "Sunset Mix" infusing the original with just a bit of extra romance and Russo's "Slip The Touch" mix notching up the bass for a little extra bounce. But try as all these remixers might, "Kitchens & Bedrooms" is probably best left as that tasty little tune Raphael began with.
  • Tracklist
      A Kitchens & Bedrooms B1 Kitchens & Bedrooms (Lee Foss Remix) B2 Kitchens & Bedrooms (Richy Ahmed & Volante Remix) Digital: Kitchens & Bedrooms (Alexis' Sunset Mix) Digital: Kitchens & Bedrooms (Russo's Slip The Touch Remix)
RA