The new release from The Juan Maclean, out now on DFA, picks up somewhere between the deeper house experiments John Maclean has embarked on through his excellent DJ Kicks compilation and the slick eighties techno-pop of second album The Future Will Come.
Long-term collaborative vocalist and ex-LCD Soundsystem band member Nancy Whang is back on vocals and the start of You Are My Destiny sees her accompanied by the sort of clean minimal techno that Maclean usually keeps reserved for his isolated 12" releases and DJ sets.
You Are My Destiny feels tight and locked down, Whang's vocals a clean and simple reflection of the mechanically pure music. Things open up in the final three-minutes, Whang's vocals soaring over a more driven, progressive set of sounds as Maclean noticeably kicks things up a gear. It isn't as beautiful as his best moments (Dance With Me still makes me melt) but Maclean sure knows how to create a sophisticated and cool track to party to.
Remixes come from Saved Records head Nic Fanciulli, who winds the track into an intense techno groove across two mixes (one straight-up, one a more restrained dub) and ditches Whang's vocal on both. My money's on the original, but if you like your music druggy and introspective then you can probably take your pick...
You Are My Destiny is out now through DFA, available as a digital download or on vinyl. Check out the edit via Soundcloud below: