Scirocco EP

Santorini (The Flame Recordings)

Release date: 10.11.2011

Music Style: Minimal House

Article No.: 1732512 / FLAME5

€7.49

After the excellent ‘Eternal Jazz’ EP by Simone Gatto and Argenis Brito Italy’s The Flame Recordings, distributed by the bastion of quality output that is Diamonds & Pearls Distribution, returns with the ‘Scirocco’ EP by Santorini.

Otherwise known as Andrea Santoro, Santorini has clocked up releases for Upon You and Little Helpers in recent months and as a result has established considerable support for his unhurried, modern deep house.

The ‘Scirocco’ EP leads with an eponymous low-slung houser. The groove is incredibly simple, consisting of solid drums and a rumbling and static sub, and the top line take two filtered chords and stretch them to the maximum. Intelligent use of the cut-off filter on the lead hook creates a fluctuating sense of aggression in the sound throughout.

‘Summer In Salento’ is an organic percussive track with bright piano chords layered with additional keys to accentuate the melody. Heavily filtered white noise sweeps help to create impact at transitional periods whilst the constantly evolving percussion draws in your attention with jangling percussion, hi-hats and shakers creeping in to keep it exciting.

Lastly is ‘Irene’s Groove’ comprising of a pacey 909 style swinging groove and a Detroit techno sounding stab cleverly automated to echo wildly yet still managing to sit tightly amongst the other elements.

Santorini’s less is more production is show off to it’s fullest here and the result is a superb, restrained EP of modernist house music.