Axon boss Che Armstrong returns to the label with two techy cuts, while Axon-regular Frank Maris follows up a cluster of strong originals with his first remix for the label.
โGlockโ has a rolling sound, cool looped vocal samples, and lovely melodic touches that lift it above the average tech-houser. Che Armstrong wisely resists the urge to overcomplicate the track, and the killer bassline and gentle chimes are a totally winning combination.
Iโve been a big fan of Frank Marisโs tracks on Axon to date, though for those of us used to his melodic take on deep house his version of โGlockโ offers a surprisingly dark vision of the track. Maris twists the vocal sample, stabs and an unnerving looped melody over a bass-heavy techno core. Itโs good to see Maris stretching himself beyond the sound that we might have come to expect from him, though in this instance I preferred Che Armstrongโs original.
The second original here is โKermonโ, which is similar to โGlockโ, but slightly lighter in tone, with some dreamy pads and disco-tinges keeping things interesting throughout. I slightly preferred โGlockโ of the two, but not by much.
This is a really solid release from Che Armstrong and Axon, showcasing just my kind of tech-house: melodic and engaging without compromising an inch on groove. Great stuff. 8/10
