- Romanian minimal that comes alive on a big system.
- Most of Vlad Arapașu's production work has been as one half of Dubsons, a duo skewing to the more percussive side of the Romanian spectrum. While Dubsons have been releasing music since 2011, Arapașu's first solo record, last year's Artificial Moves, was a genuine standout, which is a tough ask in a scene marked by restraint. This follow-up, for Priku's Atipic label, isn't as colourful as its predecessor, but it contains some sleeper bombs—unassuming chuggers that might escape notice in a digging excursion but come alive on a system.
The A-side is the sort of tune that creeps into the mix. It wears a stoic poker face, rugged and well executed without being flashy. But a smile creeps in with the central organ motif, which infuses the proggy roll with warmth. You might scratch your head wondering what all the fuss is about when scanning through with headphones, but the effect on dance floors would speak for itself.
The B1's groove is a mirror of the A-side, which is no bad thing. In fact, there are more sound effects and the overall tone is crisper, making it an appealing option to blend with tracky electro or any productions with a high-definition edge. The B2 has us deep in the Romanian chug zone. While its broad, sweeping pads offer more obvious mood than the other tracks, its directness disturbs some of the zen-like restraint that makes the rest of the EP so dependable.
TracklistA1 005.1
B1 005.2
B2 005.3