[Cécille Records]

One of Nick Curly’s best A&R decisions since founding Cécille Records was providing a vinyl home to Burak Sar (who produces as SIS), an artist who operates in his own orbit. It’s just as well that there’s a dearth of information about Sar (excepting his documented passion for Che Guevara), as his music speaks loudly enough. Latin musical roots snake through his long-tailed loops, transforming otherwise banal samples into the basis for peculiarly engaging house tunes with few recognizable peers. And while comparing him to Villalobos is a stretch — SIS tunes are considerably more direct and snugly arranged — being the lone artist released by his Sei Es Drum label suggests feelings of admiration run both ways. With all that on his side Sar continues to top himself, and his latest, “Nesrib,” is a potential watershed for Cécille and himself.

Despite its inexplicable exclusion from the digital release, the title track is sure to be the focal point of this three tracker. SIS boldly fits slivers and slats of incomprehensible female vocals together to form the track’s body, only a bare swing beat with metallic accents to give the quivering mass of disembodied humanity a dance floor-ready shape. Once you’re caught in its hypnotic loopy tendrils, fuller phrases and soulful outbursts release some of the dizzying tension. For something so obviously manicured and assembled, the effect of “Nesrib” is one of insouciant joy. “Dim Dim” is a more restrained counterpoint formed by micromanaged ticks and pensive, reverberating melodies, though its simple sweetness gains lurid appeal when a man’s voice drools, “Lace, mmm….” Raising bpms and heart rates, closer “Holly Bolly” is a study in shimmering textures, rife with stinging guitar strums, tingling overtones and percussion, and bright handclaps. Favoring a tight cadence over development, this brief track seems destined to be looped by advantageous DJs. Burak Sar’s range is so wide, his skills so adaptable, that the concept of a comfort zone seems quaint; the determined energy and fine craftsmanship which defines the “Nesrib” EP, however, is anything but.

[Cécille Records]

Cécille Records, a new label from Nick Curly and Marc Scholl, has managed to put itself on the map after only three releases, each more enjoyable than the one before it. First recruiting Markus Fix, then the semi-mysterious Sis (who recorded for Curly’s other label, 8bit), Cécille now courts Andreas Wiegand, better known as Andomat 3000. “Cognitive Dissonance,” Wiegand’s latest, finds the experienced producer working minimal house grooves into warm-blooded movers and shakers that cannot be ignored.

Listen to “Vertical Smile”:

Opener “Vertical Smile” weaves in and out of patches of reverb, almost as if being dunked under water as the track tries to cut through the refracting depths. Wiegand spares no nuance, opting for percussion that compresses/expands like tiny pistons and pacing pitches awash in viscous timbres, suggesting the track could take place as easily in a lap pool as in a club. He moves to more traditional house ideas with “Cicl?”, a piano-driven cut that’s ripe for the mixing in today’s ivory-happy environment. His rambling piano chords are cut to slivers by jacking claps, all operating under the muted glow of warm pads. Definitely a cut above a lot of piano-heavy tracks these days. Closing out the package is the rattling “Hominid,” a bare bones number whose only melody is the subtle squeak of its joints. Those favoring Andomat’s material with Jan will latch on to this skinny one.

It might be a little early to call Cécille a buy on sight label, but with “Cognitive Dissonance” as the knock out punch on a 1-2-3 combo, it seems safe to say Curly and Scholl know quality when they hear/release it. And if any of these tracks are an indication, 2008 could be a hot year for Andomat 3000 as well.