Like the preceding release by Chicago Shags, the latest missive on Crème’s offshoot label invokes the classic house sound of Chicago. It’s not just an artistic direction favored by the Dutch label — a place it has been referring back to for many years — but a destination that countless others are now seeking out. The key difference between the output on Crème and that on other labels is that TLR’s operation manages the difficult balancing act of capturing the essence of the music that inspired it and stamping its identity, whereas most of its peers offer mere pale jacking house replicas.
This is audible on the title track of Beyond This Life by a “mysterious UK producer” (according to the label). Invoking the darkest, most moody end of Ron Trent or Adonis’ catalog, thundering claps roll in and break over its predatory bass line, an eerie synth looms in the foreground and snare drums crash ominously throughout the groove. The title track is an exception here, though, and the rest of the tracks focus on the dreamier, more esoteric end of Chicago house. “A Hazy Memory” is just that; although powered by a throbbing acid line, the mood is evocative and the tone atmospheric with seductive, shimmering synth lines overlaid to create a flawless paean to classic Larry Heard material. The tributes don’t end there: on “Keep On Searching,” the mysterious producer lowers the tempo and introduces celebratory cowbells to create an even gentler approach. For the last track, Myriadd wears his/her colors less blatantly: “The Outer Limits” succinctly and accurately describes its own trajectory, as a less rigid groove and dreamy soundscapes deliver a more offbeat approach, like Dimension 5 attempting a cover version of Virgo Four. This parting salvo is as important as the others because it demonstrates that Myriadd is just as capable of independent creative thought as he/she is of worshiping at the Chicago altar. It’s something that other, similarly inspired labels would do well to learn.
loving this one
Such a solid release, been on high rotate