Hunee – Bobos Alone In Paradise review

With a number of acclaimed releases under his belt already – including one of the most-checked deep house 12″s of 2009 in the shape of the Tour De Force EP – Berlin-based Korean Hun Choi is well on his way to become a genuine underground hero. He should take another step towards the light with this four-tracker for the always-excellent Rush Hour.

So far, Choi’s output has been focused but varied, treading a fine line between sumptuous, soft focus, floor-friendly deep house (see the much-played “Rare Silk’ and bumpin’ “Cut Down Trees”) and quirky, disco-flecked electronica (the slo-mo “Babel 1” and “2”) – with the odd retro-futurist banger thrown in (the rumbling “Took My Love”).

Here, he steps out in a different direction, breaking up the beats in a four-tracker that delights just as much by taking risks as for the quality of its execution. Take lead track “Bobo”. An altogether sweatier proposition than previous excursions, it revolves around a cheeky fusion of pulsating analogue bass, swinging, broken-not-broken snares (think 4/4 with a bruk twist) and stabby vocal hooks that recall Recloose’s epoch-defining “Aint Changin”. Building into a frenzy of progressive synth bass, subtle strings and off-key riffs, it’s the most anthemic track he’s released yet. There’s a dub, too, for those who find the original just that bit too hectic.

The broken feel continues on “Sand Days”, a far-sighted exercise in drum programming that’s as layered and intense as deep house records come. An excellent package is completed by “Like That”, a bubbling concoction that attractively bobs and weaves between far-out marimba samples, star-gazing chords, stuttering bass, stoned vocal samples and a cheeky lift from an old Surface record on Salsoul. There’s a lot going on, but Choi navigates choppy waters wonderfully.

There’s no doubt Hunee has the skills – expect great things in years to come.

Matt Anniss