Quantic - Tropics [Aus Music]

Limited edition orange marbled vinyl, catalog number 200.

Musical polymath Quantic kicks off a special series of EPs to commemorate Aus Music's 200th release. Canadian vocalist Laura Roy features on one of the singles.

Whatever you can imagine, Will Holland has done it. The gifted songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer has excelled as a solo artist and high-profile collaborator for the last 20 years. A free creative spirit who is in constant interaction with his environment, he is as likely to unearth unheard wonders from Ethiopia and South America as he is to come up with original sounds of cumbia, surf guitar and folk, downtempo and dub. His love for club music had already manifested on this label with his Heaven Or Hell EP in 2021, and now he returns in style.

This EP marks the start of a series of four releases from different artists to celebrate the 200th outing on Will Saul's influential Aus Music. It's an era-defining label that has platformed some of the brightest stars in the scene long before they broke big. Since its launch in 2006, the label has remained committed to releasing music that is dance-floor ready but with a refined edge, from deep and melodic house to early post-dubstep bass fusions. The lead track, "Tropics," is a fully live disco session featuring some of New York's finest session musicians. This celebratory single kicks off the 200 series with an irresistible groove and funky basslines. The dancing keys are brimming with good vibes, while the chords contain subtle references to a Marshall Jefferson classic. The soulful "Born Again" is a lush, enveloping groove, full of vibrant live musicianship, distant cosmic arpeggios, and shimmering cymbals. Standing tall on top are the beautifully aching and emotive vocals of Laura Roy, a talented Grammy nominee who fuses 70s folk with 90s r&b in her own style. After the instrumental version, the close comes with "Japanese Knives," with its soft kick drum punches and organic percussion, rhythmic fills, and warm chords. It's an elegant house vibe for cozy and loving dance floors.