- The appeal of The Maghreban's 2014 debut, as well as the Zoot records that followed, was the wild gestures. But you can only use that energy for so long. These days, Ayman Rostom's house music is smoother and sturdier, and better for it. However much his music has changed, though, there's still one thing Rostom keeps in place: an instinct for suspense and humour. It gives his tracks a dramatic touch, even when he's going for laughs. On Brooklyn / The Carpenters, Rostom is in heads-down mode, and yet it's hard not to smile about the tribute to his dead cat, Brooklyn, or the reference to "sci-fi bachelor pad lounge" synths on "The Carpenters."
What sets "Brooklyn" apart from typical Maghreban material is that, even at eight minutes long, it sounds focused and concise. The vocal doesn't outstay its welcome, the soul horns are used sparingly and the clinking percussion keeps the beat supple. The jazzy synth solo only enhances the track's knockabout fun, as does the killer bassline. On "The Carpenters," Rostom's synth work is more ominous and sleazy, but the track's emotional range sometimes goes further. Shuffling percussion gives the music a bubbly, hedonistic edge, and the closing minute, as the synth melody winds down, is unexpectedly poignant. Rostom continues to surprise.
TracklistA Brooklyn
B The Carpenters