Always Remain vinyl

Absolutely sick return to the game for Erdbeerschnitzel after an extended period in the record releasing wilderness. Arising on regular haunt 3rd Strike, the German producer reveals a hitherto hidden talent for working with vocalists on "Always Remain", a stupendously bouncy collaboration with The Drifter. Now the term future boogie gets thrown around far too easily these days, but "Always Remains" is definitely that, the yearningly soulful tones of The Drifter effortlessly riding a day glo procession of multi layered luminescent synths and live drum fills. Subsequent to this, the Strawberry flavoured one indulges in some suitably murky explorations of house music rhythms via "Same Same" which ascends from its dusty beginnings into a deliciously off kilter groove garnished with a suitably pots-and-pans approach to percussion. The point where a soaring piano arrives and the track swerves into some kind of subaqueous treatment of classic Chicago House invocations is pretty much perfect. Check the flip where "A Merchants Lament" switches up the tempo again, bringing intricate MPC manipulations around chewed up vocal samples that unfold with soulful intent - again it's the disregard to sit with one direction across the length of the track that smacks you for six. "Devotion" begins in calmer fashion as delicate female harmonies float in over the rhythmic marriage of swerving piano flutters, cleverly chopped beats and what might be deft sampling of the Seinfeld intro. Just when you think matters will remain calm, the mother of all electric organ lines comes in and signals a huge rise in dancefloor impact.

The Idiots Are Winning, Jacques Renault, Toby Tobias, Mike W - Kolour LTD, Jay Simon (Must Have Records), Francis Inferno Orchestra, Lwazi Koom, Andy Hart, Erdbeerschnitzel, Djs: Most Charted - Deep House, Iron Curtis, MATTHEW KYLE (IN THE WOODS)