textura

Albums
17 Pygmies
A Dancing Beggar
A Guide For Reason
Alonefold
Gabriel Ananda
Antonymes
Arborea
Art Department
Baker & thisquietarmy
Bee Mask
Richard Chartier
Seth Cluett
Daedelus
Deep Magic
Dentist
Kyle Bobby Dunn
Dominik Eulberg
Fabric
Fancy Mike
Forrest Fang's Sans Serif
Randy Gibson
Mark Hakonen-Meddings
Hana
Ezekiel Honig
Kode9 and the Spaceape
Akira Kosemura
Logreybeam
Manik
Mokira
Murcof
BJ Nilsen & Stilluppsteypa
M. Ostermeier
Posthuman
Prefuse 73
Pulseprogramming
Quiet Evenings
May Roosevelt
M. Ruhlmann & B. Bailey
Savaran
Simko
Tape
Tokyo Bloodworm
Yamaoka

Compilations / Mixes
Ata
Cloud 11
Echocord Jubilee Comp.
Era One
M.A.N.D.Y.
Nick Warren

EPs
A Guide For Reason
Autechre
Circle Traps
Deepbass
DJ Duke
Finesse
Mokira
Rone
Nigel Samways
Janek Schaefer
Semtek
Tracey Thorn

Finesse: Elevate
Ecstasy Records

Elevate, the sleek debut single from Portland-based deep house outfit Finesse, comes to the masses by way of Ecstasy Record, a new Portland-based acid house label started up by Nudge member Brian Foote and The Miracles Club. The twelve-inch pools the talents of ex-Glass Candy drummer Avalon Kalin and underground dance music diva Susan Ploetz on a pair of originals supplemented by remixes from Jason Kendig (Mr International, Honey Sound System) and C.L.A.W.S. (bar25, tigerbeat6). The disc's title cut starts innocently enough with an unassuming kick drum and synth motif before open-hi-hats and claps kick it wide open, setting the stage for a breathily seductive come-on from Ploetz. Synthetic strings add a touch of elegance to the tune's oversexed vibe (“I want you to come to me… that's when I elevate”) and semi-ecstatic vocalizations. If anything, Kendig's tight “Elevate” remix is more than equal to the original for being so unfussy and club-ready, plus there's a neon-lit, mid-song break that's especially tasty. The second original, “Believe,” gets under one's skin with its enticing keyboard burble and Ibiza-like warmth; the track's as refreshing as a warm seaside breeze, and its low-end bass pulse only adds to the allure. C.L.A.W.S.' trance-flavoured remix brings the release's classic deep house vibe into sharper focus, suggesting that Finesse is less interested on this elegant outing in rewriting the rule book than in refining it.

May 2011