Dea – Fairlight [RH-STOREJAMS030]

Precious Bloom producer Dea returns on the Rush Hour Store Jams imprint with a fresh four tracker. The idea for Fairlight began shortly after Aradea Barandana purchased a Yamaha DX1 synthesizer. While exploring its presets, one sound in particular—called Fairlight sparked the initial concept for the EP. From there came the desire to create an Italo wave inspired track that would feel fresh to contemporary ears while still referencing the character of early electronic music. Rather than following the traditional structure of dance music where drum machines and synthesizers lock into repetitive synchronized patterns the EP approaches composition more like a narrative. The music gradually unfolds, allowing melodies and harmonies to evolve so the listener is encouraged to stay with the piece from beginning to end. Some of the harmonic ideas draw inspiration from Baroque music, particularly chromatic ascending progressions and voice-leading techniques. In contrast, other moments introduce playful bubblegum-inspired synth lines, adding lightness and color to the overall sound. The result is a small collection of tracks that sit between nostalgia and experimentation where vintage synthesizers meet a compositional approach that values movement, surprise, and a sense of musical journey.

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Dea – Fairlight [RH-STOREJAMS030]

VA – Blackdisco XI [BD011]

DEA/ALBION/SPACELEX - Blackdisco XI (Front Cover)

Blackdisco Volume XI pushes forward into new territory (and with a new aesthetic) by welcoming a group of three deep diggers who shun musical trends and their inherent fakers. Dea, Albion & Spacelex combine their vinyl-mining efforts to unearth some real diamonds from the rough. Dea’s cut Malaka its a floater with a funky sailboat vibe, while his complimentary cut Taubat takes the tired jungle disco vibe to new level with its triumphant synth-led chorus, an absolute stunner that could be extended for 20 minutes. On the flip, Albion spoons water over the coals, steaming up the joint with an uptempo percussion bomb as if Santana had a disco secret, and Spacelex rides us out with a sexy rock groove complete with mysterious male voiceover, almost as if someone lowered the volume to whisper in your ear.

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VA – Blackdisco XI [BD011]