Glasgow-based label Tribal Pulse are back after a few months on hiatus, and they serve up a new track from Khen and Sonic Union, their first collaboration in the studio together since last year’s ‘Introspection’ on Replug. Up on remix duties, we have Pole Folder, who manages to work magic yet again.

Both Khen and Sonic Union have really been on fire lately, with the former’s recent outing with Guy Mantzur, ‘Highway of Regrets’, still making waves, and with the latter  serving up a fantastic collaboration with Chicola in the past few weeks. So you’d hope for something really special here. And it delivers; ‘Driven By Demand’ is a chunky progressive stormer, with a drifting, mysterious central hook that appears during the breakdown and the climax of the track, lending it a melancholy and lost sound. In tone, it’s perhaps most reminiscent of ‘Highway of Regrets’, though there’s an added toughness to the production here that works a treat. Brilliant stuff.

As usual, Pole Folder has been responsible for many of my favourite remixes this year so far, with his interpretations of Mindaugas Jak and Navid Mehr really standing out. His version of Khen and Sonic Union’s track is one of his best pieces of work so far, lifting that great hook from the original, and welding it to a minimal progger with a simple ascending motif, fantastic bass work, and layers and layers of gorgeous Vangelis-sheen. This is emotionally devastating stuff once again from Pole Folder.

Khen and Sonic Union’s original probably has the most floor-wrecking potential, while Pole Folder’s version is best for pretending it’s just been raining on your face again – either way, you can’t lose with this outstanding release from Tribal Pulse. 8.5/10