German producer Michael Vater, aka Phonique, keeps up his high reputation here with a superb 3-tracker for his home label, Dessous.
The Pump is a very cool track itself. Sombre, minor keyed bass and chords bounce along in a vaguely menacing way, with subby wumps and crisp, clicky percussion filling in the gaps. It’s deep, darkly-tinged tech house for cold winter days – an eerie, cold Detroit feel running through the melody. Very emotive in a subtle way, it's a great piece of music - even if it's not exactly one to set the dancefloor alight.
Bike Ride is the pick of the bunch – a really quirky little tech houser that somehow builds a groove out of weird duck quack noises, soft metallic clangs and a bumping b-line, all jacked along by shuffling disco hi-hats and a hollow, rhythmic bleep. Warm, wiggly, gently trippy, and a whole lot of fun – it’s one of the most original sounding tracks you’ll hear this month.
Tool Time finishes off the EP with gurgly acid bass, and more of those moody Detroit chords. Not a bad track, but the other two are way ahead.