EP Review: Adjustments - Benoit & Sergio

Following releases on DFA, Hot Creations and Visionquest this new EP is Benoit & Sergio's debut for Culprit. It is the result of some extensive bonding with Culprit founders Droog, following some long sessions discovering shared loves as broad as Paul Simon, Talking heads, Michel Gondry's video work and Kurt Vonnegut's literature. In other words, good shit.

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Adjustments - Benoit & Sergio

The Adjustments EP is very much a release with two halves. First up, "Shake Shake" is the duo at their most playful - a coy polka piano melody scattered across their trademark semi-gymnastic bass work. Filtered and vocodered vocal snippets try and add to the track's upbeat feel but in comparison to much of their previous work this feels flat and disposable. Benoit & Sergio are best when angelic and wrapped in swirling melodies, but they can equally create fun and lively records such as "$100 Bill", as featured earlier this year on their Hot Creations release. Sadly "Shake Shake" has none of the ridiculously effects and filters of the latter.

Thankfully the title track is significantly more interesting. "Adjustments" recaptures that spectral, delicate and emotive sound that first brought them to my attention. What Benoit & Sergio do so well is make tracks about DJs and dancing that just make you want to cry. "Adjustments" acts as an instruction to whoever is playing the tunes to "make adjustments" but it may as well be about saying goodbye to your best friend - it feels that raw. A gentle melody is plucked out on a piano against a soft electronic chord sequence and a stylishly simplistic rhythm sequence. You'll probably struggle to dance to it, but that doesn't matter - it deserves your heart all the same.

Adjustments is released through Culprit now. Preview "Adjustments" via Soundcloud below: 

CP039: Benoit & Sergio - Adjustments EP a. Adjustments b. Shake Shake release date: October 7th, 2013 Culprit's 39th EP release is an altogether special affair. The masters of epic underground pop, one of the most exciting and respected songwriting/production teams in dance music, Benoit & Sergio enter the label's artistic canon in emphatic fashion.

EP Review: Bahamas EP - Luca Bacchetti

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​Bahamas EP - Luce Bacchetti

​Luca Bacchetti's Bahamas EP represents his debut release on the Culprit label and here he takes an analogue, retro-inspired path.

A-side 'A Night In Nassau' is a real sunset turning-point type track. It starts off beach soundtracking disco with a funky head-nodding bass (think Alan Braxe & Fred Falke's Running / "Intro") with some silky vocals. Laid back piano contributes to a warm, house vibe. There is a dark, grimey break halfway through though and the sudden stark percussion and acid bass lines create a nice contrast to the body of the track.

Two remixes of 'A Night In Nassau' feature. The 'A Late Night Mix' is a lower, more obviously house influenced affair - deep electronic bass line, cow bells and a clearer vocal turn this into a very different, but equally strong, version. The final dub version is very similar to the original, less some extra touches - gone are the muted guitars.

Also featured is a second original track - 'Such A Dreamer'. The massive drums and analogue synth work immediately give this more of an eighties vibe Italo vibe. The backing may be hard and fast but there is still a warm disco softness to the melodies that break through in the middle section. I wouldn't play it indoors - it just might blow the roof off.

The Bahamas EP is released​ through Culprit on Monday - preview 'Such A Dreamer' on Soundcloud below:

EP Review: Dance With The White Rabbit - Ahmet Sisman

On this, his debut release on Culprit, Ahmet unleashes some tech-house that demonstrates the impact of his German residence at the same time of hinting at an earlier influence of Sisman's youth spent growing up in Turkey.

The title track is big room stuff, a vocal skittering across big, warm synths and a building melody. It's actually the opening where this is best though, the clattering freeform drums that feature there giving the track a more lively, soulful vibe.

Sisman's other original track on this release comes in the form of the darker 'Hello To Alice'... Spotting a theme yet? It's a deeper sound than we get on 'Dance With The White Rabbit' and edges it as the more interesting of the two, opening with sexy gasps and climaxing with the clean, refreshing chords in the middle break.

This package comes with two remixes of the title track, one from Nico Lahs and the other from Audiofly. The former is more progressive, removing the looping big room feel and riding a thick bass line. Audiofly's mix goes deep and low, giving the track a tighter feel and some slightly chaotic cosmic keys.

Dance With The White Rabbit is out 4 July through Culprit.

Stream 'Hello To Alice' below: