Dj Deep - Fosph EP [Tresor]

DJ Deep returns to Tresor with his new EP 'Fosph', his first release on the label since 2015. In the time since then, the Deeply Rooted boss has been particularly active, from b2b sets with Jeff Mills, his work as part of the duo Sergie Rezza, to his newly-released jazz-house remixes of Cotonete. Listening to his mixes, which regularly swing from the essential sounds of Chicago and Detroit house, through to afro-percussion and dub combinations, reveals an ear sensitive to seeking out stories through music.

'Fosph' proves to be an EP of authentic mastery that distills techno, with its drive, phasing patterns and melodic minimalism. 'Swamps' opens the record with a jungle cacophony, with rhythms that rise and fall in a ritualistic sequence: judiciously stark, biting and expressive. 'Tommy' is an exercise in solo TR-909, machine repetitions with a ‘less is more’ approach that advance endlessly, making sure to be a crucial percussion tool. 'Utrecht' hints at an expansive 90s ambient sound, permeating analog static with screams and synthetic ramblings. 'Escape' takes these sonic points and goes even further. Its resonant drums propel a pendulum of organic expressionism into action, rising from its dusty origins. The EP closer, 'Demonstration', is a clear example of DJ Deep's love for machine funk. A classic old-school beat, with playful off-beat excursions and an effective single-word sample that evokes a certain Midwest bluntness.