Artist: Pashka Feat Ijeoma
Title: Island Breeze
Label: Sumsonic Recordings
By: Simon Jones | 15 December 2005
Tracklist:

• A: Dirty Birthday Mix
• B: Trentemoller Mix

Pashka Feat Ijeoma "Island Breeze"

Producers Benjamin Pederson and Andreas Jørnvil's Pashka project has been a favourite of John Digweed, Satoshi Tomiie, Danny Tenaglia and many others over the last two or three years. With a number of releases on Danish label Insatiable Society under their belt, 'Island Breeze' was somewhat of a departure from their normal sound when it was originally released on Danish label Peach back in the summer of 2003. Working with vocalist Ijeoma, they created a track that has never faltered and has remained etched in the DJ sets of Roger Sanchez and Miguel Migs to this day. Now licensed to Sumsonic, the track is given a new lease of life with this first set of new mixes.

'Dirty Birthday' is a collaborative project between the label's Mark O Brien and new boy Alex Drury who's work as Metric has been causing waves within the nu skool breaks scene over the last few months. Already this production duo has been signed to Underwater, and their mix of 'Island Breeze' goes for a dub electro approach, with a solid bottom heavy groove and filtered vocal sections holding it all together. It may not be the most dynamic or impacting piece of production, but it's an effective mix that holds its own all the same.

It's the 'Trentemoller Mix' that is the star mix here though, which having appeared on the original release holds it's age surprisingly well. Built around a subtle, swaying acid-electro hook, the whole mix is underpinned by laid back pads and summery melodies, leaving the vocal to float in all it's splendour, and when you hear the mix you'll understand why it's been a Miami and White Isle favourite for the past two years or so.

Sumsonic have been quiet for much of 2005, as the group have focused on other projects, but with new Darko, Sleepfreaks and solo material from Paul Rogers, not to mention from new boy Alex Drury and further mixes of 'Island Breeze', should ensure a strong start to 2006 for one of London's best labels.