Scarlett Nina // The End EP [Turquoise Blue]
Having been impressed with my initial forays into the deepness that is Turquoise Blue with Alex Arnout, it was good to see my return to their catalogue well rewarded, this time with 5 slices of audio featuring two originals and three re-rubs.
The title track The End is a sub-aquatic and epic adventure to be appreciated at involved times. There’s gentle guitar stabs and vox bubbling and prompting proceedings well over a well worked beat. There’s also some lovely fab-filteresque effects throwing percussive textures over the languid beat, which is pinned to the floor with a much appreciated subbed bassline – nice.
The Special Case remix raises the heat immediately with a more percussive and techy intro carrying things nicely into a driving and hypnotic groove. This is created with some great cycling synths in the background before a deadly filtering bass-line smacks me around – this one’s serious stuff and seriously good – especially when the synths start to acidize!
Tone of Arc throw in a bundle of cheek in their interpretation of The End, which suits the EP perfectly being the counterpoint to the Special Case mix. It’s a light, flirtatious and joyful rework and all the better for it. Things develop nicely with candy-sweet beats, swirling shakers and simple organ patterns, before we hit an 80s break and the main highway of the track – which is just brilliant fun. There’s little vocal snips, lovely pads and percussive samples flying around the mix, before we hit an irresistible double-bassed finale, which will euphorically raise any room. A real weapon.
Nina’s own Who Am I To Disagree carries many of the qualities over from The End, with swirling percussive effects and low slung vocal work. It’s deep, but with a drive and purpose that’s easier to catch in the ear than the End. There’s some funky synthplay in the air here too, which acts well with the bass which is also catchy, with both prompting neatly.
This one is just a layer short from the final break to make it, admittedly, irresistible for my taste. However, this one will well deliver for many, especially in the early hours of a set.
David K Marabunta compliments things off with a thoroughly stripped and percussive workout of Who Am I To Disagee. The mini-percussive samples work the monitors well, especially some of the spiked fills which are a delight. Then we hit the wonky finger-bells, driven bassline and a bubbling staccato synth which metamorphasises brilliantly into house stabs at the break. Clever, clever stuff which really raises the mix brilliantly – ideal!
So, some cool Original work here from Nina and a special mention to the choice of remix artists by Turquoise on this one. It’s been a well thought out package which certainly delivers across the spectrum well – genuinely, at times, excellent stuff.
Release Date: Out Now
