On Panorama Bar 05, Steffi chose to showcase the smoother side of her DJing, a seductive and distinctly low-key journey that hinted at the long night ahead rather than plunging you straight into the action. Of the 16 tracks featured, six were exclusives, and this EP Ostgut showcases three of them. Much like the mix itself, a sense of adroit solidity graces proceedings here: two low-down rollers that echo Panorama Bar’s concrete commitment to the groove eternal, alongside one certified belter.
Cult U.S. favorites Fred P and Big Strick are natural choices for this series, and here both patrol ably the fertile border where purist house meets tripped-out cosmic funk. Fred P opens with “Project 05” — all Tokyo rain and robot seduction. Bird call, hiss and shuffle, velvet synths, and off-kilter claps — all underpinned by his trademark hazy mastery of arrangement — leave you pleasantly disoriented. Juju & Jordash provide a bona fide anthem in the form of “A Stab in the Dark,” a track of total drive, leading towards truly golden horn stabs that punctuate an elaborate hat-and-clap pattern. The Studio 54 moon would no doubt grin and refill his spoon.
Big Strick does his easy-rolling, hallucinatory thing to fine effect on “Hayday,” a waking dream of a track that hinges on notably sparse percussive sections alongside gorgeous strings. It’s an effortless and seriously elegant turn from one of the most underrated producers around. The overwhelming feeling on this EP is one of laid-back quality; and while there is nothing revolutionary on display, that has never been the point with this series. These three tracks are low-lit builders one and all — the real thing.
great review
great review
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