Selador follow up their mammoth fourth showcase with another statement of intent for 2017, the wonderful ‘On the Low’ from Just Her & Kieran Fowkes backed by predictably excellent remixes.
Just Her has already been responsible for several of Selador’s finest moments, an ultra-cool remix of ‘Music Makes the Body’ and my favourite version of one of the label’s defining releases ‘I Know Change’ as half of Him_Self_Her, as well a spellbinding reworking of Habischman’s ‘The Way’ last year. ‘On the Low’ is Just Her’s first original track for the label, and it sees her pairing up with longstanding collaborator Kieran Fowkes. The intro is already percussive and hypnotic, with understated pads adding a touch of sweetness and vocal loops adding atmosphere and prefiguring Kieran Fowkes’s presence on the track later. The track empties just after the two minute mark, before the vocals enter, octaves apart but harmonising at the right moments. The breakdown is proper hairs-standing-on-the-back-of-your-neck stuff, with layers of vocals matches perfectly with layers of melody, all building to a punchy and emotional finale. Italy’s Pirupa takes the track in a very different direction, putting the bass front and centre with a relentless groovy growl, while letting the percussion propel the track forward. The remix builds with an effective use of the vocal loops from Just Her’s original, before letting the song come to the fore during the break – though it’s not long before a flurry of handclaps sees the track motor back into life. A chugging, bewitching bass introduces Christian Prommer’s remix, and he builds a tight, sparse but melodic sound, before letting the vocals come to the fore during the breakdown and introducing an abstract hook that gives the rest of the track its focal point. Finally, Knee Deep in Sound’s Athea hits us with heavy, churning percussive and bass work, before gradually teasing in elements from Just Her’s original. It’s works really well – the first time Fowkes’ vocals ring out over that cavernous bassline, you’ll be hooked I promise.
Just Her’s original proves hard to beat here, though that not meant as a knock to the strong crop of remixes on offer here, with Athea’s version probably finding the best balance between the melodic and vocal elements of the track and wall-shaking power. Selador are at it again – thank goodness.
Out now at Beatport
