Tuesday 15 September 2009

Das Volt


Late Night Audio is a club night that's well placed to take advantage of the on-again, off-again love affair between house and disco. The brainchild of respected disco producer Toby Tobias and London scenester Danny Clark, Late Night Audio has been bringing heroes of the house scene such as Radio Slave and Jimpster to play alongside disco stalwarts such as Bill Brewster long before many other parties were inspired to jump aboard the glittery disco bandwagon. It should come as no surprise, then, that the label's first forays into the record business see the release of a slick hybrid of discoid house coming courtesy of French/US producer, Das Volt.

Eschewing the prevalent trend in the disco/re-edits scene of recycling large chunks of '80s rarities and applying house grooves; Das Volt has produced "Gestures" using only analogue equipment. The result is a warm, mid-tempo groover that's reminiscent of early '80s Prelude material and production touches that are reminiscent of Metro Area's best work. "Fantasy," meanwhile, slows down the tempo slightly but keeps the funk ever-present. Staples of '80s boogie such as live bass, groovy clav's and triangle rides all feature but are mixed with modern touches like white noise washes and reverbed wood block hits. With a laidback vibe but a clearly dance-influenced structure, both "Gestures" and "Fantasy" are likely to find favour with fans of Lindstrøm and other producers who have been lazily bracketed together in the "cosmic disco" section.

The remixes of "Gestures," although not radically different in style and tone to the original, are also undeniably worth a mention. The Toby Tobias mix simply beefs up the drums and extends the bassline to good effect, making the record more palatable in a club environment. However, it's the Fabrizio Mammarella mix on this package which makes the most lasting impression. Following up from his stellar work on labels such as Bear Funk and Tiny Sticks, Mammarella continues a run of form that has seen him gain plenty of plaudits from underground disco tastemakers in recent months.

Taking the electro funk influences found in the original mix, Mammarella ramps them up tenfold. Analogue bass growls, Patrick Cowley-style flicks of cowbell and Chicken Lips-influenced bleeps make this record perfectly pitched at those who like the more sleazy and electronic side of disco. With enough grunt to get dance floor's moving but enough groove to keep those attuned to soaring melodies interested, "Gestures" should be a welcome addition to any collection that flirts with the more down-tempo areas of club music. Click On Right Hand Arrow To Download...

Das Volt - Gestures (Fabrizio Mammarella Remix) by Piece Together

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