Artist: Afrilounge
Title: Lux Dementia / Gene
Label: Connaisseur Recordings
By: Nick Williams | 27 November 2007
Tracklist:

• A: Lux Dementia
• B: Gene

Afrilounge "Lux Dementia / Gene"

Afrilounge have been a bit quiet on the production front over the last couple years since their massive remix of M.A.N.D.Y. & Booka Shade’s ‘Body Language’ back in 2005. However, Afrilounge are back in action as the three man group of Eduard Hartter, Markus Liefke & Richard Rotfuß throw down trumps with an impressive release for the German label Connaisseur Recordings. Licensed to Steve Bug’s Fabric 37 mix compilation, the title track ‘Lux Dementia’ brings the deep house back into the minimal tech realm, while the flip side, ‘Gene,’ is a mellow tech-inspired track that everyone can groove out to.

‘Lux Dementia’ steps out in true Afrilounge style with their signature minimal percussion accented by a simple, round bassline that builds in intensity. The track builds a solid groove around a wispy, eerie synth stab that moves and shakes its way around the soundscape. The atmosphere is broadened with synth rises and subtle key changes that sport a very housey feel, complete with your stereotypical, yet impressive sounding piano chord movements. The song still manages to keep a solid underlying tension reminiscent of techno and minimal music of today, allowing this song to fit in a variety of sets. This track builds very well in the breakdown and comes back into the groove with a very striking yet subtle drop. This track is extremely effective in a slowly building set, and the house influenced cues will give your dancefloor something to relate to.

‘Gene’ takes off in a more subdued direction, taking influences from minimal and older progressive house music. This track is definitely more of a percussive affair, slowly building in energy with airy synth stabs taking center stage throughout the track with subtle fills allowing for a song that grooves itself along. Another wispy, eerie synth complements the groove well, adding a certain funk that takes ‘Gene’ in a different direction than anticipated. The track is really meant for the early or late late sets, as there is really no energy shift or big rises throughout the track, yet still maintains a high amount of emotion.

This EP is a real testament to the talent that this group possesses in the dance music world. While these guys have not been the most prolific of producers over the last couple of years, they have had some excellent tracks come out on 8bit and Kassette, a couple smaller labels, in the last year. Expect more to come, because a sound this good can’t be held back forever.