Lush house music for fans of the style's deeper shades.
Francis Harris is among the most consistent modern deep house producers. Every track the American artist makes, whether solo or in collaboration, is loaded with a feeling, pushing moods that alternate between bliss and melancholy. The tracks are delicate but powerful, blanketing delicate percussion with dreamy pads and vocals. Hafendisko, a Hamburg label that's been exploring similar zones since 2011, has tapped Harris to remix three tunes from its catalogue. Reduced but colourful, these reworks should appeal to anyone with a taste for house's deeper shades.
For my money, the more percussive tunes work best. The rework of Kasper Bjørke's "Cloud 9," an electro track from 2016, is the EP's highlight, a shuffling rhythm track with a bubbling low-end. It's the most minimal track on the disc, not much more than shuffling hi-hats, atmospherics and a deep bassline. But the feeling is strong, buoyed by soft piano touches and pads. The remix of "Where I Wait" by Null + Void is similarly sparse, but its vocals add an extra dimension. Anyone after a bigger vocal dose should reach for the remix of "Hatefuck" by Ticktock, where an abstract, crunchy beat is paired with sung lyrics. It rounds out a refreshingly varied remix EP that Francis Harris fans will find easy to love.
For my money, the more percussive tunes work best. The rework of Kasper Bjørke's "Cloud 9," an electro track from 2016, is the EP's highlight, a shuffling rhythm track with a bubbling low-end. It's the most minimal track on the disc, not much more than shuffling hi-hats, atmospherics and a deep bassline. But the feeling is strong, buoyed by soft piano touches and pads. The remix of "Where I Wait" by Null + Void is similarly sparse, but its vocals add an extra dimension. Anyone after a bigger vocal dose should reach for the remix of "Hatefuck" by Ticktock, where an abstract, crunchy beat is paired with sung lyrics. It rounds out a refreshingly varied remix EP that Francis Harris fans will find easy to love.
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Published /
Thu / 6 Sep 2018 -
Words /
Matt Unicomb -
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Tracklist /
A1 Kasper Bjørke - Cloud 9 feat. Urdur (Francis Harris Reform)
B1 Null + Void - Where I Wait feat. Dave Gahan (Francis Harris Reform)
B2 Ticktock - Hatefuck (Francis Harris Lightbluemover Reform)
