[Future Classic]

Sydney-based producer/vocalist Jamie Lloyd didn’t make much of a splash with Trouble Within, his 2006 debut album, at least in part because of distribution troubles. But his label, Future Classic, figured out a way to sidestep these issues by letting a raft of producers remix some of his best tracks. Last year I was impressed by Zwicker’s subtle retouch of “What We Have,” and this year Quarion’s “May I?” rework is making the rounds, giving Lloyd a profile outside of Australia. I have to admit Quarion’s Drumpoet debut left me underwhelmed, but seeing Lloyd’s name around again caught my attention; now, I’m rather glad it did.

Quarion’s production unfolds in several stages, tucking away deep, mood-setting vocals behind sonar-esque beats which grow more and more reverberated and dubbed out. But as the backbeat dissipates and the brusque chords decay, a frisky tech-house beat takes the stage. The way he interlocks dub atmospherics and the more agile, bittersweet progression is sublime and befitting of the remix title “Morning Rave Mix” (so it’s call on Beatport, anyway). It’s a real “sunrise at peak time” moment. Hopefully Jamie Lloyd’s own tracks make this much of an impression when an already tuned in audience gets to hear them.