[Smallville Records]

Compared to the year before it, 2012 was a relatively quiet one for Lawrence. In fact until December, a summer EP on his own Dial imprint was all we were privy to, with the man from Hamburg eventually rounding off the year with an airy affair on Mule Musiq. Smallville Records, on the other hand, had a tremendous year, with Julius Steinhoff et al. putting out some of the most heart-wrenching house music of recent times. Come 2013, and both parties align for the first time in 24 months, bringing forth a two-tracker of typical extended depth.

At just under 10 minutes long, “In A Rush” feels anything but, with feather-light pads and delicate stabs resting gently over a fleshy, tireless groove. Faint, spacey synths sparkle in the background, barely audible over the thump of the kicks and the claps. After a short interlude of bare percussion, a thin, ethereal film is draped over the rolling bass line, no doubt intended to intensify proceedings and further entice the listener. As it happens, it achieves neither, leaving the listener unsatisfied with its flatness. Light though Lawrence’s touch is, there’s not enough on show here to immerse oneself; and “In A Rush” ultimately feels, in fact, almost unfinished. Whether by comparison or not is unclear, but B-side, “Tangled Track,” feels instantly meatier. Well-rounded kicks and crisp claps support a sub-aquatic bass line, with a set of rippling synths prancing merrily atop. A sharp raise in pitch transforms the latter into a tweeting version of their original self, ducking and diving in and out of the mix to offer up some bright patches of variance. And so it continues for a full seven and a half minutes, making this not only the shorter of Lawrence’s two profferings, but also the simplest and most accessible. All in all, a bit of a slow start to the year for two consistently earnest contributors.