- Erich Bogatzy's nascent Agora Audio label launched with some fanfare with Italian house duo Lula Circus in January. For their second release they look closer to home, with stalwart German DJ, Carsten Rauch, turning in a trio of house tracks that range from trad to quirky.
Lead track "Somewhere in Between" is a jaunty affair, built on the back of repetitive filtered synth phrases, a stonking piano loop and the merest smidge of a vocal. Increasingly prolific Brit producer Chase Buch toughens the original up with Sneakish sub-bass, although stays true to the original's spirit. Up to this point, so far, so standard. Then Rausch tries something a little different.
You don't often hear a house producer dialing back to the '20s for inspiration. (The last time I can remember is Greenskeepers' "Low And Sweet," a madcap swing house track released on Classic in 2003.) "Dixie Chick" isn't quite as wildly offbeat as "Low and Sweet," but it's parping brass and ukuleles will still stop you in your tracks in a club context. Isn't that what we're all looking for? "Pictures of Now" closes proceedings out and could have been submerged by the previous track. Instead it adroitly locks into a deep house gallop with glittering synths and scrunched up percussion for company.
TracklistA1 Somewhere In Between
A2 Somewhere In Between (Chase Buch Remix)
B1 Dixie Chick
B2 Pictures Of Now