Past KOTJ Radio contributor Venice Calypso has finally dropped his debut solo excursion ‘Trapezoid’ on Senseless Records, home of the ongoing ‘Synesthesia’ series (the first volume of which Venice Calypso contributed to). A slightly darker effort than we’d expect from the funky-infused selection we saw in his mixtape for us, Warsaw-born Sebastian Bartz brings the deep house and rumbling techno to the fore.
The opener of this record, ‘Trouble’, is a passionate ode to classic Detroit Techno; deep and dark basslines brood beneath a minimal synth pattern as handclaps and other such flourishes breeze in and out. Bartz is quite vocal about his love of such early shining lights as DBX and Underground Resistance and it shows in an EP that says “this man has done his homework”.
There are definitely echoes of Boddika and Pearson Sound (and the rest of the Hessle crew), but in a positive way. If you thought Instra:mental’s ‘When I Dip’ was heavy, wrap your ears round this little beauty.
Included in this six-track package are remixes from Reilly Steel (whose ‘ICU’ EP destroyed dancefloors the world over in August), JTRP and Deville.
