Artist: Cafeaudio
Title: Cafeaudio EP
Label: WithinEXP
By: Chloe Harris | 6 July 2004
Tracklist:

• A1: Control Me (Aural Imbalance Bounder Mix)
• A2: Control Me (Original Mix)
• B1: Time (Aural Imbalance Mix)
• B2: Time (Original Mix)

Cafeaudio "Cafeaudio EP"

Café Audio debut their release for Within Records new offshoot label, WithinEXP. After a few years hard work and a string of quality music, Within explores new artists and sounds for 2004. Gino Tonico and Bob Riflo are two Italian based musicians who first met while working on the instrumental production for a hip-hop promo, and quickly started building their own sound. The 'Café Audio EP' is a strong release of what Ginotonico and Bob can do, with their smooth slow house groove of 'Control Me', to their downtempo breaks track called 'Time', both featuring the vocal talents of another Italian, singer Laura. Aural Imbalance provides his watery atmospheric sounds to each track, remixing them as only he can.

The 'Aural Imbalance Bounder Mix' of 'Control Me' opens the 'Café Audio EP' up. Moving in with a snip of Laura's light voice and water dropping sounds that hide in the background. A slow kick drum and mellow high hats build with stabs creating a nice grooved out percussion. Warm pads wash over while a bouncy synth goes up and down keys, pulling the song deeper into the thick spacious atmosphere.

A slow head-bobbing house beat warms up the 'Original Mix' of 'Control Me'. Analog bass hits and slicing synths move increating a nice slow-moving percussion. Water drops dribble down into the beats, while two separate layers of her voice play together with her words. A low gnarly bass tears under the percussion, creating a massive rocking ending that crashes down.

'Aural Imbalance' reworks 'Time' into a dreamy bubbling soft house tune. Light popping beats filled with light rolls and patterns; follow a washy ambient layer deep into the heart of the mix. Laura's voice lands in a dreamy bubbly tune with its swirling tilted tones, and grooved out bassline. Soft analog lazer zaps drop in, while sparkling synths cascade into a break introducing a nice arpeggiation and lush swirling synths that drift endlessly till the end.

Finally, we slow down into metallic sounds, the 'Original Mix' of 'Time' a slow breaks rendition with a melancholy vibe that never loses its ease. Laura can be heard in the background; slowly making her way through the smooth head bobbing beats while a cool synth hides beneath the squishy analog bass. Orchestral sounds start building and creating movement, when her voice comes clean and into the forefront. The sounds all peak together, as she reaches the limits of her beautiful voice, which fades off into the end.

WithinEXP is off to a great start with their first release from Caféaudio EP. Gino Tonico and Rob Riblo are two talented musicians who are creating more then just downtempo or dance music, they are building a nice vibe with their songs.