- The return of Break SL (aka Sebastian Lohse) is long overdue—it’s been a year since his debut ‘Flow/Trombone’ on Philpot. Still, anyone who heard that skewed and melancholy first EP won't have forgotten about Break SL in a hurry. Here he brings a four-track EP that exposes more of his distinctly jazzy style, and it’s mostly worth the wait.
On the A-side, ‘Laguna Seca’ is a fusion of disco and Chicago house with a deep expansive sound, built around a quintessentially Chicago bassline and organ stabs. It's seriously heavyweight deep house, and it has a real musicality to it, though thankfully the focus isn't sacrificed at that hallowed altar. Next up is ‘Be Strong’, a monolithic slab of dub house that carries a real punch to it. This is classicism at its best—deep, stern and uncompromising.
On the B-side, ‘Robur’ is the housiest thing on offer here, looping Detroit strings over skipping percussion and slow soft keys that fans of ‘Flow’ will be used to. At times it threatens to descend into easy listening, perhaps due to Lohse's immaculate production techniques. Last up is ‘Witness’, which begins with a deep dubby bassline and expands slowly and sadly over nearly seven minutes. It's the sound of house music boarding a train and drifting off into the night, with a locomotive beat and wistful ethereal synths hanging in the air like smoke.
All in all, this is another excellent EP from Break SL. It's also a release that suggests Mr. Lohse may have a great album in him yet to come.
TracklistA1 Laguna Seca
A2 Be Strong
B1 Robur
B2 Witness