VA: Reverence
Soiree Records International

True to form, the always superb Soiree International imprint delivers the goods on its latest EP. Despite contrasts in tempo and dynamics, the quartet of cuts on this go-round favour a kind of warm, Ibiza-like vibe that makes one long for summer's arrival.

An entrancing example of Drivetrain's customary house goodness, “The Greatest” works Fender Rhodes, vocal sighs, and bubbly synths into a, yes, driving flow of jazz-inflected moodscaping. The smooth tune goes down as easily as a cocktail on a summer patio, and the vocal's assertion that “today is the greatest day” is a sentiment convincingly conveyed. As smooth is CloudMaster Weed's “Sweet & Delicious,” whose simmering groove receives a nice energy boost from the vocal presence of Goddess Stephanie. Her drawl adds a cool sensuality to the cut, even if the delivery at times almost sounds too laid-back.

More aggressive by comparison is Rennie Foster's “Low Boxing,” whose acidy, synthesizer-speckled pulse is enhanced by an ear-catching hiccup in its rhythmic flow and a luscious covering of hazy washes and electric piano chords. The EP's other animated track is J. Garcia's “Lost,” which works a tight, jacking groove into six minutes of physical splendour and achieves its goal as effortlessly as the EP itself.

March 2013