Unknown Artist
ACEXP02

Prolific Colombian producer Felipe Gordon returns to RNT to deliver his first offering in a two-EP and album project series. The records kicks off with the swingy Strings of the Afterlife, evoking classic Chez-N-Trent vibes and moves to the sultry emotive tones of The Fall of A Withered Empire. On the flip, Felipe takes us into high gear with the hypnotic looped synth groove and relentless beats of Clásico, and lets us down easy with the jazzy lilt of Julia y Luis. A truly standout EP, even for Felipe who delivers quality time and time again.credits

Inspired by an Ecuadorian upbringing, percussion is at the heart of how Nicola operates, with his style finding a natural home on the London label. Presenting 5 expansive efforts equally indebted to traditional drumming as they are to contemporary club sounds, ‘Subtropique’ remains sonically cohesive without feeling the need to settle to a definable style. The tracks are tied together by a lucid psychedelic thread, which despite challenging the expectations and fundamentals of electronic dance music, demand movement at a time where we yearn for it.

Popping The Cherry of 2020’s latest modern-contemporary record label; Step Ball Chain, is Roza Terenzi with “Stylish Tantrum”. Suggestive title to set the tone; the 5 track EP insisting sharp, sassy, high-tempered bombs with full bodied bounce. Unexpected tempo and timing variations, flared-up bpms, half time drum cuts and slicked modular flourishes, Terenzi’s signature cheek ramps up to an extra twisted club climate, atmospheric and evocative in texture as always. Featuring collaborations with D. Tiffany and Saoirse, the release covers extended dancefloor territory, assertive anthems delivering femme finesse, choreographed to perfection.The A side fires up with an exuberant 4-by-4-2-the-floor routine, Cosmology. Vocal cuts from the queen Fiorella, billowing bells and dramatic synthetic sweeps to form fluidity over the tight bouncy low end. Whilst flirtatious melodic notions come and go, zip-lock percussion and commanding drumwork hold it down; squeaky steeze not-so-politely letting you know what’s to come. Deceivingly dubwise introductions soon furiously interrupted with Stylish Tantrum. Ricochet rhythms and bone breaking clap backs echo around your head, electrifying percussive fills and vocal spills snatching your attention before the everything glues together vicious harmony, baseline pulsating underneath a whiplash drum display - one for the dangerous deejays.Chosen Family Feud opens the B side, a collab with seasoned associate D. Tiffany, showing off a bossy stomping brigade. Mumbling voices, waspy sirens and spooked out synth lines haunt the beginnings of the track, stripping back to a bassline breakdown before wailing vocals and clattered percussion take over, cymbals bursting. B2 is a moment to reflect, Illusions brings the energy down, low slung metallic backbeats thrown over encompassing, effortless pads and soaring resonance. The downtempo atmosphere crept up on by a double time d’n’b re-jig, softly gliding in over the growling sub, chopped breaks reflecting and falling. Closing out the record is another joint effort, recorded in Melbourne with Saoirse; Sxc saloon dashing back to the dancefloor, hot and deep. Throbbing bass married with slick galloping drums, sensuous fleeting whispers looping to draw you into hypnosis before a climactic tempo plummet intended to turn heads.STEP01 is kicking its heels up, stomping, strutting and trailblazing for what’s to come.