Kyodai – Moving

Label: Local Talk

A lot of people seem to agree: there’s something a bit special about Sweden’s Local Talk imprint. Drawn together by the blissful, unifying vision of great house music, pure and simple, Mad Mats and Tooli have been working away since 2011 releasing an unstoppable series of warm, powerful house cuts, each release bonded by its distinctive high quality and unabashed love of feelgood house music. Two months into 2013 and two releases strong, not to mention the imminent arrival of their stellar compilation, Talking House Vol. 1; it looks like Local Talk are set to pursue their unstoppable winning streak well into the new year.

The Scene

So we get to Kyodai. The German duo’s first release on Local Talk, Breaking, was the imprint’s biggest seller to date; an infectious fusion of jazz-inflected live drums,  gliding piano chords, whirring synths and perfect vocal chops. It was a bit of a masterpiece, actually. So the news that not only were the duo returning to the imprint, but that it was with an actual sequel, was very exciting indeed. The package doesn’t disappoint: B-side Moving (Breaking Part 2) is a classy update of the original hit; the original elements returning with an intensified vitality: those synth whirrs now slamming into the speakers, the live drum samples a little more frantic. It’s still good fun, but there’s a new urgency to the track taking the place of the original’s more relaxed atmosphere. It all bodes well considering the announcement of their debut album this year for Local Talk

Sounds good so far, but we wouldn’t blame you for not wanting to shell out for a slab of wax that only contains an update of an old track. Luckily Kyodai have taken this into account, offering the stellar The Scene on the A to make this 12” a ferocious package. Building over languid piano chords and some snappy syncopation, the intro takes it’s time to get to the first big drop, which is more than worth the wait. After two minutes of relaxed groove, the beat and piano fade to absolute silence. A new chord sequence emerges before the emergence of a searing diva vocal line, ramping the anticipation to the max before finally dropping into a jackin’ groove. It’s one of those moments that make you sit back and realise how re-energised the house scene has truly become in the last few years. Like all the best upbeat house releases, here Kyodai are able to fluidly meld the vintage with the modern, to twin a propulsive dance drive with relaxed vibes, and they do it all without ever taking their eyes off that most crucial of elements: the groove.

7/10