Artist: Shlomi Aber
Title: Inspiration / Something New
Label: Alternative Route
By: Darren Rhys | 23 October 2006
Tracklist:

• A: Inspiration
• B: Something New

Shlomi Aber "Inspiration / Something New"

Hailing from Israel, 24-year old Shlomi Aber is certainly one of the fastest rising stars on the scene. Having established his own label 'Slow and Low Records' with some excellent pieces of music, a release on Desyn Masiello's highly reputable Alternative Route Recordings certifies his place amongst the elite new generation of producers. 'Inspiration' and 'Something New' are pieces of house music in it's purest form, absent of gimmicks, yet tough, danceable and packed with musicality.

'Inspiration' kicks off with a dubbed out vocal rising to prominence alongside a funky yet punchy percussive groove. The initial break unleashes the first hint of what is destined to be a huge piano led piece, with some fantastic chords working in tandem with a low filtered bassline. The vocal returns, revealing the title of the track, before a huge build unleashes the mother of all peak-time house records. The piano harks back to the days when many a house record utilised the instrument, yet 'Inspiration' sounds fresh and original thanks to it's sublime production and superbly executed arrangement. If we didn't already know from Shlomi's previous works, this track dispells any doubt that the young Israeli is not only a talented studio producer, but also a highly accomplished musician. An excellent start to the package.

'Something New' begins with a slightly more reserved, yet equally optimistic groove. An arrangement of strong pads and an arpeggio style lead line form a stunning, emotive mood. The bassline grabs hold of the track at this point, which is powerful yet outrageously simple. Bearing some resemblance to the French house sound that has contributed substantially to the more commercial end of the dance music spectrum, the bass-led groove continues throughout, with some distorted, erratic sitar-style elements adding a further source of interest. It is undoubtedly the bassline, cutting through the track like a hot knife through butter, which dominates proceedings though, and this is no bad thing. Typically of a Shlomi Aber track, it is highly musical, has a terrific groove and is executed impressively from a production viewpoint.

While tracks of this nature rarely secure any significant longevity in underground circles due to their lack of subtlety, both 'Inspiration' and 'Something New' are stellar pieces of house music. Shlomi Aber's music has temporarily restored my faith in this genre, with today's customary electro-style sounds making way for carefully crafted, positive melodies and strong production. For fans of this sound, be sure to check Shlomi's alter-ego 'Gamma Rox' for future house cuts, with forthcoming 'Shlomi Aber' material taking a more minimal/tech route on labels Ovum and Cocoon.