Dusky – Henry 85 / No More

Label: Simple Records

Although Deep House may not be a genre that many associate with the UK dance scene, Dusky (aka the duo of Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick Harriman) have been setting out to change that in the last year with a series of precision-built dance tracks, heavy on mood and movement. Following their debut album Stick By This and the excellent Lost Highway EP earlier this year, the title track of which still sounds like instant-classic material, they’ve taken up residence on Will Saul’s newly resurrected Simple Records imprint to add another great pair of tracks to the catalogue.

Henry 85

This single won’t amaze anyone with originality or blisteringly new sounds, but to search for these things in Dusky’s music would be somewhat missing the point. Each of their tunes takes a stripped-down approach to production; focusing solely on the mood and the groove, and just like on previous releases, here it’s pulled off effortlessly. A-side Henry 85 is a typically low-key burner, with a punchy 4/4 and melancholic synth atmospherics introducing a tight bass loop early on in the tune. A clear sense of space between elements and layers has always worked in Dusky’s favour in the past, and the deep echo of the vocals here, alongside the satisfying precision with which each layer clicks into place results in a track that may be solid rather than brilliant, but should perfectly suit any number of House sets focussing on the deeper end of the spectrum.

No More

Dusky fans shouldn’t worry though, because the real stunner here has been reserved for the B-side. No More is a perfect example of what the duo does best, with swung, pacing beats and rising synthlines creating a much heavier sense of anticipation leading up the drops. Add this to an array of great details; an occasional descending bassline, a vocal line emotive and catchy in equal parts, and that swinging synth note, and you’ve easily got one of the pair’s best tunes to date. This is all without mentioning how they milk that second drop, and how unbelievably satisfying it feels when it finally hits, smoothly re-entering rather than exploding in a display of understatement that really works.

Henry 85 (FCL Weemix)

Remix duties are here interestingly taken by Belgian House duo FCL, known for their superb series of the Vocals For Everyone EPs (if you don’t know Let's Go, you really owe it to yourself). They turn Henry 85 into a House stomper, with high Garage-referencing chimes and a rougher edge. It’s an unsurprisingly expert job as remixes go; the second half opening up to skittering percussion and bright synth bounces over the vocal loop before it really goes all out in the final two minutes. This single isn’t really a step forward for Dusky but it’s another great addition to their deep, moody canon; proving that the UK scene can do Deep House, and rarely is it heard so smooth and with so much soul.

7/10

October – String Theory

Label: Simple

Will Saul, of Aus Music fame and one of the finest DJs I’ve had the opportunity to see this year, discontinued his Simple Records label after the milestone of 50 vinyl releases last February. The story goes that after hearing Julian Smith’s latest creation as October, he decided to pull the label out of retirement just to release these fine cuts of off-kilter House music. It’s a nice background but only worthwhile if the music is up to scratch, and after listening to the two original cuts on String Theory it seems to me that Saul made the right move.

String Theory

Title cut String Theory is a perfect example of sunny-day House vibes, purpose-built for chilling and dancing outside on a summer’s day. Rich percussion lend the meandering track a lazy but clear momentum, paving the way for sampled bird calls and a satisfying bass loop. As the track gets under way these features are joined by a fantastically jazzy Rhodes sample that steals centre stage and makes this track a rather unique proposition, not to mention an essential listen. The second original cut, Tension Point, harks back more to October’s Bristol roots, with a much darker edge to the kicks and beats. The looped vocal sample – ‘I need to get away from all this tension’ – conjures a strong mood before being swept away by a striking bass bounce, later supplemented by smooth synth twinkles accenting the sound to lovely effect. It’s a great set of original cuts, each presenting a different mood while remaining mature, well-crafted and exciting.

 

Tension Point

On the flipside are two remixes courtesy of Danny Wolfers, under two different aliases. The first, under his most famous Legowelt guise, is more faithful to the original, pushing it into spacier territories with a strong synth loop establishing a nice groove. The second, as Polarius, is a much darker Techno cut, referencing moody Detroit sounds with strangely-treated synths rendering the original recognisable only by its beat and bird sounds. Both are interesting takes on the original, and while neither quite tops it, the first is a worthwhile listen in my book. If you check this EP out, it’ll be for the two great original cuts, the first of which will definitely be topping my plays when summer finally comes.

8/10