Artist: Stef Vrolijk
Title: First Monday Of The Month / Little Julia
Label: Little Mountain Recordings
By: Simon Jones | 27 April 2004
Tracklist:

• A: First Monday Of The Month
• B: Little Julia

Stef Vrolijk "First Monday Of The Month / Little Julia"

Stef Vrolijk is one of Holland's best known producers and DJs, having played at many of the country's top nights and festivals, and also highly regarded on the International circuit by his fellow peers and club goers alike. Previously he has worked with Sander Kleinenberg as well as Pako & Frederik in the studio, but is more than capable on his own, as this new single for Sander Kleinenberg's Little Mountain label shows.

'First Monday Of The Month' is a cool progressive-edged track with a hint of dutch funk that fans of Matthew Dekay will no doubt embrace with open arms. Sticking to that template, the track builds itself around layered drum percussion, with some big siren stabs gradually creeping in and stamping their dominance on the track as they rise to the top in the centre. Subtle effects fill out the groove nicely, with funky licks sprinkled in at the tail end to give the whole track a bouncing vibe that should work the floors well.

'Little Julia' on the other hand, heads straight for the jugular, as Stef constructs this excellent dirty little breakbeat track for the b-side. Shifting bass leads the way early on, with obscure effects adding to the twisted vibe of the track. A vibrating hook drives through the centre, shoving the beats aside, with a series of atmospheric drops and floaty melodic lines that rise up and over the filthy groove injecting a big room shine to finish.

Pick of the bunch here has to be 'Little Julia' which fuses nu skool and progressive elements whilst retaining depth and driving dancefloor sensibilities. 'First Monday Of The Month' is not a bad track either, but is nothing we haven't heard before. All in all a fair release, but there's better to come for sure.