Music Reviews
‘Three’ Sampler Maya Jane Coles/Shenoda remixes by Huxley – 1trax
Sneaking ahead of his debut mix on the UK house stalwart 1trax, boy wonder Huxley hand picks two of his exclusive remixes from the compilation to whet the appetite of the house music cognoscenti. A DJ and producer of restless energy, the Londoner has already enjoyed admirable success on a host of essential labels from Cecille, Leftroom, Tsuba and Fear Of Flying, and alongside his brimming productions are DJ sets that cross the house and garage spectrum and have seen him play everywhere from Eastern Electrics to Ibiza and Fabric to Australia.
It’s no surprise to find that 1trax, the baby brother of MN2S, has chosen him for their third mix after Subb-an and Matt Tolfrey, and this pair of secret weapons show just why he’s in such demand. Taking on Maya Jane Coles’ Dazed, he keeps the sultry vocal in the centre, wrapping it in a swathe of choppy hats, warm keys and pads, giving it a retro colour, but injecting all of his vigour into its seven minutes. Shenoda’s deepness in Moments gets a darker, moodier re-rub, concentrating on the low-end’s analogue grooves and echoing the vocal amongst sinuous synths and spooky notes in a late-night workout. Excellent.
Crying Over You by J Cub feat Bibi – Saints and Sonnets
As if plying his trade as a DJ and red-hot producer isn’t enough, another string to Huxley’s bow comes from helming the Saints and Sonnets imprint with long-time mischief-maker Jimmy Posters. In its short lifetime, it’s already shown itself to be a purveyor of fine house music, with previous releases from Detroit Swindle and Ethyl and Huxley. Its third EP lands from Baker Street main man J Cub, with a sublime cut of deep house that gains much from two classy remixes from BNJMN and RNDM.
The trio opens with the prolific BNJMN’s remix, slicing the vocal over the dubby, glowing embers of a warm bassline, its insistent kicks and enveloping pads punctuated with echoed hats that lend a teasing feel to a track that forever threatens to drop. The original’s near-beatless beauty is centred around Bibi’s pleading vocal, trading in soulful licks and soft keys that build to a crescendo without ever needing kick or snare to assist its progress. Closing out, Dial man RNDM’s effort is a superb submarine journey that pitches smouldering sub-bass, wandering notes and subtle atmospherics alongside the looped vox in a remix that takes it from the morning after to the small hours.
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