- Anthony Naples' latest EP for his Probito label comes at the end of another impressive year, rounded off with his Body Pill LP landing on RA's Top 20 Albums poll. Where that record featured a lot of short, sketch-like pieces, Smacks indulges in lengthy compositions. Clocking in at 35 minutes, these four tracks surpass the time of Body Pill's eight, but Naples does an excellent job making sure they're pleasantly stretched out and never overlong.
The title track and "Bonobo" both land on the same dusty, glimmering house textures that made 2012's "Mad Disrespect" so appealing, and both nail the combo of airy instrumentation and club-ready kicks. "Smacks" is the poppiest thanks to an addictive vocal loop, where "Bonobo"'s humid groans and string plucks give it a meditative atmosphere.
"Zitronen" is the straightforward banger here, a ten-minute ride of revving bass, claps and a simple but effective melody. But the best of Smacks is saved for last. All nebulous, liquid high notes and warmly driving groove, "Dopes To Infinity (4DM Mix)" is a heavenly deep house cut, serving as a memorable end to both the EP and Naples' year.
TracklistA1 Smacks
A2 Zitronen
B1 Bonobo
B2 Dopes To Infinity (4DM)