Young Dutchman Guy Blanken, AKA Makam, is on fire. With ashes still smoldering from his bomb "New York Hustler," he landed an apt follow-up, Deep Loving, on Sushitech. Despite being a mere 22 years-old, Makam produces with the kind of natural talent you'd expect from people he has probably grown up admiring. His restrained and low-slung grooves chug expertly along the layers upon layers of filtered strings, keys and lush chord changes, creating unique, soulful tracks that feel as timeless as they do forward-bound. Makam's tracks are a labor of house, the result of many nights not in a studio, but dancing worries away in a club.
Deep Loving is three tracks of bliss, nicely diverse and full of Makam punch. "When You Love Somebody" is a hypnotic big room groover. New York-style deep house vocals smooth out the punchy rhythm as it subtly builds—leaving you lost in a haze of clubbing memories. It's the kind of track that falls and rises so perfectly that it could easily have run on and on without tiring. "La Fem" is more of a DJ tool; a vocal loop and simple Rhodes-style keys play out over a chunky groove. Title track "Deep Loving," meanwhile borrows directly from the funk of The Temptations "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," which is a surefire pleaser for the local disco. This EP, though, is all about "When You Love Somebody" and shows real promise for Makam's forthcoming album, due to hit later this year.
Deep Loving is three tracks of bliss, nicely diverse and full of Makam punch. "When You Love Somebody" is a hypnotic big room groover. New York-style deep house vocals smooth out the punchy rhythm as it subtly builds—leaving you lost in a haze of clubbing memories. It's the kind of track that falls and rises so perfectly that it could easily have run on and on without tiring. "La Fem" is more of a DJ tool; a vocal loop and simple Rhodes-style keys play out over a chunky groove. Title track "Deep Loving," meanwhile borrows directly from the funk of The Temptations "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," which is a surefire pleaser for the local disco. This EP, though, is all about "When You Love Somebody" and shows real promise for Makam's forthcoming album, due to hit later this year.
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Published /
Wed / 16 Sep 2009 -
Words /
Macdonald Ali -
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Tracklist /
A When You Love Somebody
La Fem
B2 Deep Loving
Amsterdam
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