Workshop, 2008
For the perfect companion to Newworldaquarium’s The Dead Bears, look no further than the latest 12-inch on the consistently great Workshop label. The A side, by Move D featuring Fragment, is a ten-minute downtempo jam with funky samples and a chunky beat. The bass ramps up, as does the cowbell until crackling eighties groove vocal snippets take over. Is this Berlin’s reaction to Omar-S and Theo Parrish? On the B side, Even Tuell contributes a slow house dub. Vocal echoes softly stutter beneath a simple synth line. The result is deep, beautiful, and hypnotic. Finally, Sascha Dive’s untitled track seems simple on first listen, but it is subtly catchy after repeated play. I’m really enjoying the recent surge of tracks inspired by old disco and house. I hope they provide jumping-off points for even more distinctive styles.