Kez YM: Tokyo Connection EP
Yore

One of the things that makes Yore such an on-point label is its casual indifference to trends. The latest thing out of the UK has little chance of gaining ground amidst the classic, old-school style Yore's promoted throughout its short existence. The four funky and warm house tracks Kez YM drops on his latest Yore EP represent as strong an argument as could be found in support of the label's sensibility.

The strong opener “Rodenion Never Let The Flames Die Down” lays out five minutes of deep house delirium in a soulful mix that pairs a looped vocal wail (“keep the fire burnin'”) with a bass-powered shuffle. “No Milk Awake” appears to draw from Kez YM's jazz fusion library when its showers its hypnotically stepping swing with electric piano showers and a slinky funk bass riff; the song's middle section could even pass for Kez paying tribute to Return To Forever—albeit a far funkier and song-focused incarnation of the band. One of the ways Kez YM invests his tracks with a high-spirited party vibe is by adding crowd babble to the music. The sounds of people talking and laughing (as occurs throughout “Dull Me”) make the cuts feel like they're playing at a club or in someone's living room during a house party. The exuberance and joy that also pours forth from the tracks (just check out the grooving bass pulse that powers “Natural”) only magnifies their appeal.

July 2010