Move D – Hydrophonics review

David Moufang has long been one of electronic music’s most underrated producers.  Over the years, he’s released on such acclaimed imprints as Warp, Philpot, Compost, Workshop, Modern Love and Shanti, run his own acclaimed label (Source Records, not to be confused with the French label of the same name) and happily skipped between raw techno, jackin’ acid, minimal grooves and high grade deep house, never once putting a foot wrong. It’s some record.

The Hydrophonics EP sees him in typically fine form, laying down another intoxicating blend of deep house moods. As you’d perhaps expect from someone of Moufang’s experience, all three tracks are immaculately produced, with sophisticated use of melody and little compromise to the rules of deep house. Make no mistake, this is house music for the heads – and all the better for it.

The EP opens with “Your Personal Healer”, a loose and languid composition that lazily ebbs and flows from the speakers like a mountain stream. There are pianos, a whisper of guitar (collaborator JuJu providing the licks), reverb-laden vocal snippets and beats that manage to sound spacious despite their rhythmic density. “Things Will Come” is a short exercise in glitchy, off-key deepness; unassuming but quietly impressive, like the best of Moufang’s work. You feel like you’re squinting towards the light whilst listening, as if emerging into the weak morning sunshine after a particularly heavy night out.

Then there’s “Sur Beateau Avec Eric”, an underwater exploration of half-heard deep house beauty that boasts both naggingly weighty low-end wobbles and heavenly melodies that appear to have been beamed down from the furthest reaches of the cosmos. Throw in some whispered sweet nothings from Eric D Clark, and you have some next-level late night business. As usual, the heads will rejoice at Moufang’s mastery. It’s about time everyone else found out what they’re missing out on.

Matt Anniss