- Anthea's name is popping up all over the place at the moment. Her employment at trendy London record store Phonica (Hector's famed stomping ground) is probably in part to thank for that, but it's also her move into the production arena as well. This particular record has been appearing in various charts for the last couple of months (three times in her own, no less) and sees her team up with Alex Celler to form a partnership the hypesters are calling "house's hottest new talents." On this evidence, though, the jury is still out.
Cyclical claps and whirs clatter from the off, the kick coming a few seconds later to add cursory depth. Snippets of vocodered vocals litter the track throughout, and that's about it really. Very little else happens once the tech-house vibe has too quickly been established. On remix duty is another producer currently garnering props left, right and centre: Frenchman Dyed Soundorom. He steals the show. With less jack and greater restraint, he shows that subtle placement and a more sparing use of the vocal snippets can result in a nuanced track which could well ignite the odd dance floor or two.
Tech-house seems to be a returning fad at the moment. Thing is, it sounds no further advanced than where we left it. So, on this evidence, it seems a pointless revival: Let's hope I'm wrong.
Tracklist A The Playmaker
B The Playmaker (Dyed Soundroom Cougar remix)