It's still hard to keep up with all of Burnski's many different labels, but we're not complaining. This one, Constant Black, mixes up things with a tech and minimal twist and next to do so is Daniel Akbar. 'What' soon wins you over with its kinetic and infectious drum programming and smart samples - a phased vocal and a twisted synth lead. 'Retreat' gets more physical - the drums bang with an old-school flavour and hint of tribalism. 'Listen' is a big fat tech roller with low slung bass and 'This One' rounds out with some brilliant drum, hits and brain-frying bass sounds. Pow pow, what a record.

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No-one never quite knows which side of the deep / minimal house divide the latest on Constant Black is going to fall. The one thing you can be sure of, however, is that both sets of fans will find plenty to love in this sweaty, trippy, stealthy cauldron of house beats. We're offered four slices of the Sota sound, and they're quite the quality set, the wonderful 'Lafayette' bringing the jacking glory days of Ferox to mind, while 'At Least 10 Words' has a tactile feel to it that puts it up there with the raw tech of Transmat or other early Detroit. Simply reeks of quality.

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Constant Black is one of the many labels run by the prolific Brit Burnksi aka Instinct aka Constant Sound. Here he signs up Niko Maxen for four deeper house cuts that are designed for small and intimate spaces. There is a trippy sense of melody to 'Denali' that soon has you enchanted as the rubbery drums bounce below. 'Logan' is built on another bulbous fusion of rubbery kicks and gooey bass that is stripped back but characterful. Things head into rather spooky worlds on 'Jaya' with its mysterious leads and swirling pads, then 'Elbrus' rounds out on a slick minimal house vibe that is perfect for the wonky after hours.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
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Germany
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These three offerings from Michael James might fit into the minimal/tech bracket comfortably but there's a free flowing, shuffling sense of funkiness that undeniably runs through them all that defies all the usual 'shoulder twitch' stereotypes about the genre. 'Signal Issues' employs a panther-like bass hovering under the radar, with the briefest of breakbeat snippets adding the growing syncopation. 'Still Waiting' continues the technofunk mission, a sea of underplayed bleepery augmenting the groove, while 'Rush Hour' has a breezier and more open vibe and perhaps a more classic techno feel, proper graceful like.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: gpsr@wordandsound.netMore