Bwana / LOR - Cin Cin 004

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  • So far, Fort Romeau and Ali Tillett's Cin Cin label has brought together like-minded but unlikely partners. Newcomers split wax with more established artists: Todd Osborn with Church affiliate Laurence Guy, Ripperton with a producer known only as V. The fourth Cin Cin EP pairs Bwana, AKA Nathan Micay, with LOR (Lunar Orbit Rendezvouz), a Northern Irish producer who works with the same kind of bright arps and thick basslines. Bwana, who is an unabashed fan of classic trance and progressive house, starts things in indulgent fashion with "Generation Nostalgia." It's got a space-disco glide, but the boogieing bassline is pure trance, as is the honking synth lead that busts in about halfway through. (Even better is the spoken word monologue taken from Mental Miracle's "Trip To Fantasy," the kind of thing only Micay would be brave—or foolish—enough to sample.) The airy "Annex, 90" is even better, with playful drum rolls and pads that hit like a warm breeze. Far from a trance pastiche, it's built like a modern techno track, elements moving in and out of the mix so it never becomes too indulgent. LOR slows things down to 116 BPM, which immediately feels sluggish. On his two "Factories" tracks, the sound palette is similar to Micay's: earnest synths, spiky basslines and well-produced drums. But the gloss feels anonymous, the melodies syrupy. Just when "Factories 1984" feels like it'll start an epic build, it plateaus into a melody that sounds like "Love Will Tear Us Apart." It feels like LOR can't quite figure out which mood he's going for.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Bwana - Generation Nostalgia A2 Bwana - Annex, 90 B1 LOR - Factories 1984 B2 LOR - Factories 1979
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