MARK E Vinyl & CDs

Review: Mark E returns to his own MERC imprint for the first 12" vinyl release in seven years. Though this is a long-running label, the 'Take A Deep Breath' EP is no fanfaring comeback in itself, instead preferring a mood of technical chill and serenity, and building on Mark's unswerving love of deep house. Going by the tagline "understate to intoxicate", the takeaway is that even sedative moods such as this can function as dancefloor intoxicants: 'Transient Neighbour' and 'Deep Breath' are relentlessly smooth painkillers, administered by ear canal only and yet still working as successful deliverers of whatever the sonic entoptic equivalent of light trails are to the depressant dancer. B-siders 'Ultra Violet' and 'Sun Dog' move increasingly exotic, though the fourth track is especially moody and trembly, its fantastic low synth string resembling a prosthetic cello, not of this earth and yet doubly able to affect us.