Laszlo Dancehall – Gave Up

Label: ManMakeMusic

Following the success of his superb Gold Language 12” on ManMakeMusic, Leon Vynehall makes a welcome return to George Fitzgerald’s tasteful imprint alongside collaborator A1 Bassline under the guise of Laszlo Dancehall. For their debut, the pair offer a set of crunchy house burners perfectly attuned to 2013’s lofi house trend. The title track is the winner here, as a colourful synth melody leaps ecstatically over a chugging kick-clap combo. It’s no wonder this number has turned up in a lot of DJ’s crates over the last few months; the clipped loops make for a restrained euphoria, never overstated, delighting in repetition alongside the delicate touches of clipped vocals and subtle filter play.

Second cut Ain’t No Time digs deeper, with an insistent whirring taking the place of melody, strung over propulsive claps and hi-hats. While it lacks the breathless hook of Gave Up, this track's propulsive energy would prove irresistible for the 4am crowd. Unfortunately final track Manley Harrison comes somewhat undone by its 8-minute runtime. The slo-mo percussion and low-key vocals make for a subtle ride that ultimately isn’t quite substantial enough to justify the track’s length. Yet still listeners are unlikely to feel let down by another on-point release from ManMakeMusic, and the joyous title track should be worth the asking price alone.

7/10