Orlando Voorn - Heist Mastercuts EP [Heist]

Heist welcomes scene veteran, late-80s DMC World DJ Championship contender, and all-around house royalty Orlando Voorn to the label with his ‘Heist Mastercuts’ EP.

Orlando Voorn is a man who needs little introduction. He has played a pivotal role in the development of the electronic music scene in the Netherlands, as well as in the US, where he now lives. Under countless aliases, he has released everything from old-school hip-hop to sample-heavy breaks, all the way to Detroit techno and soulful house music. His recent outings as ‘Frequency’ on Clone, as well as his latest EP on our sub-label Transient Nature, are proof that even after more than 30 years, the man is still very much at the top of his game.

The Heist Mastercuts EP sees Orlando digging into his archive for some of his undercover hits from the nineties that have been remastered for this EP. On top of that, he delivers a brand new track in the form of the soulful house stomper ‘Be with you’.

‘Be with you’ kicks off with a hazy groove and distant pads. The steady beat and funky electronic chops set a solid foundation for an adrenaline-inducing string sample that works alongside looped diva vocals for maximum dance floor emotion. There’s no need for heavy drum rolls, special effects, or other tools here: it’s smart sampling and Orlando’s soulful touch that make this track work.

Next up is the vinyl-exclusive track ‘Love Feelings’, originally released in ’96 on Urban Sounds of Amsterdam. Think vintage 130+ bpm house grooves with hazy pads and you’ll get an idea of what’s coming. Love Feelings is a fast-paced dream house track that, even though it’s almost 25 years old, still ticks all the boxes of a contemporary festival stomper.

On the B-side you’ll find 2 versions of ‘Tenderness’: the original mix and the Late Nite Dub, both originally released on Clubstitute Records in ‘95. The original version is a 90’s garage groove with male vocal chops, keys, and old-school house strings. The late nite dub is exactly that: a dreamy, ethereal deephouse groove with warm synth stabs, introverted percussion, and some very well-placed sax loops.

The Heist Mastercuts EP is Orlando Voorn’s first EP on Heist Recordings, but considering the connection we’ve built with him over the last year and having heard the music he’s shared with us, we’re sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of him on Heist in the future.