Cologne based imprint Klangkultur Schallplatten was previously associated with stripped back minimal sounds but have recently been showing they are about more than just that: Helping them do so here is ubiquitous British DJ and producer Dale Howard with his 'What Else EP', complete with a remix from Moon Harbour man Martinez.
Howard, previously having released on labels like Morris Audio and Noir Music, is shaping up to be one of the breakthrough acts of the year with his contemporary house sound. 'Get It Straight' is first up and channels plenty of King Street 90's New Jersey sounds with the choppy, cutting percussive scrapes shuffling across the face of the track. Deep looping bass ties the whole thing together once it drops and every element glows with an inviting neon hue.
Next up, 'What Else' operates in a sultry corner with low slung, well-swung drums and nimble, poised bass stabs. Some subtle female "coooo" cries drift in and out of the arrangement and as far as early evening tracks go this one will have the floor begging for more.
It's tech house hero Martinez who gets the nod for the remix and decides to chop it up into bubbling, bristling little loops that scurry about like ants on a hot tin roof. Never settling in one place it drags you left, right, up and down with plenty of glassy found sounds, gloopy bass loops and darting vocal snippets all keeping the energy levels high without growing tiring.
Last cut 'Reciprocate' is another well-poised production that pairs a simple kick clap combo together with tension building synth lines, clever vocal sampling and a monstrous bassline that twists and turns like a snake, pulling you in over and over again.
This package proves then, that Klangkultur Schallplatten is a label with an ever-widening remit of sound & an ear for quality.
Supported by Ricardo Villalobos, Raresh, Mathias Kaden, Dan Ghenacia, Dyed Soundorom & Shonky