[The Gym]

So far in his brief dance music career, it seems wherever Paul Frick goes his pals Daniel Brandt and Jan Brauer are sure to follow. The pair, who record together as the ambiguously named Scott, have been remixed by Frick, appear on two compilation EPs with Frick (for klamauk and 30porumalinha), and round out the trio Brandt Brauer Frick (whose excellent “Iron Man” single and attendant Lee Jones remix have been unfairly overlooked). So don’t expect to win points guessing who’s on the flipside of the Paul Frick-fronted single from the brand new imprint The Gym.

If this pairing is predictable, the sound of Paul Frick’s A-side, “Would You,” is only somewhat less so. In this case it’s hardly a bad thing, as we find Frick has grown even better at integrating his classical background into nimble house tunes. A plucked double bass line struts through a whirling atmosphere thick with effervescent, pitched up female vocals and chunks of marimba runs, all carefully sliced and arranged to pull dancers onto the carousal. Light and fluffy like meringue, “Would You” is a sweet treat that doesn’t linger. “What You Got” by Scott is earthy in comparison, nailed to the ground by an obstinate vocal sample demanding answers to the titular question. Scott’s retort is a two pronged, with pointed organ chords on one side, creamy, spaced out pads on the other, and live sampled cymbals and hand claps in-between. After the uplifting “Would You,” Scott’s side is sort of a drag, offering a relaxed vibe and decent tailoring but not much else besides. Frick, Brandt and Brauer’s magnetic relationship is sure to bring them together on wax again in the near future; perhaps their next meeting will be a more balanced affair.