VA – Austerity Cuts Vol 1 [AUS007]

It’s been some 10 months since the last release from the Austere imprint. Here, the label re-boots with a split EP featuring a variety of sinewy deep house gems. There’s something particularly delicious about Gradul Lashton’s “Summer Solace”, a sweet mixture of darting acid lines, jaunty rhythms and dreamy melodies. Fat Dog’s “All That I Own” is a fluid, bluesy delight – with a little dubbiness about the drums, naturally – while Life Recorder’s “From Above” sounds like a long lost Detroit techno classic – all stargazing pads, intergalactic synth bass and relentless cymbals. Best of all, though, is Arnheim’s “Late Night In The Loft”, a bittersweet fusion of mournful pianos and shuffling, ultra-deep grooves.

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VA – Austerity Cuts Vol 1 [AUS007]

Laak – Obsessive Compulsive Desires [AUS006]

LAAK return on Austere with four cuts, only available on vinyl as usual. LAAK are on point with the opening track Unbalanced, an intensely gritty track. There is also a remix of an archive LAAK track by DJ Spider who completely dismantles the original to create a dark menacing remix. The B side kicks off with Mental & Emotional which continues the theme along with the more laid back track, the Rituals.

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Laak – Obsessive Compulsive Desires [AUS006]

Laak – The Beyond EP [AUS002]

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The second offering from Laak on their Austere imprint is another defined four tracker. “Back of Beyond” kicks things off, a sincere heads down jam combining Latin percussion elements with a killer bass line and warm chords. The second track, “Don’t Ever Leave” is a heartfelt lament on the feeling of loss, slowing the tempo down. On the flip, “Cosmic Causeway” offers something a little different although keeping with the warm pads, this time the use of a spaced out trumpet keeps things flowing. The remaining track “Cantankerous Emotions” is a little different as regards to the beats, but loses none of the soul and profoundness of the other tracks.

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Laak – The Beyond EP [AUS002]

Laak – Negatively Seductive [AUS001]

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The first EP on Austere is coming from Laak, underground music for the deep heads, with a sound palette of warm pads, discreet analog melodies and vintage drum patterns. The tracks give a huge nod to Chicago, Detroit and the forefathers of the genre but remain contextual and fresh.

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Laak – Negatively Seductive [AUS001]