[Perlon]

San Proper is the latest in a long, long line of dance producers to come from Holland. While his hometown of Amsterdam is often seen as a techno hub thanks to the work of first-wavers like Steve Rachmad and Orlando Voorn, as well as newer talents like Shinedoe, it also has a rich house heritage that stretches back to the early 90’s days of Outland Records. It’s this period that Proper looks to for inspiration on his debut on Zip’s Perlon.

“December 10th” is a stripped back rhythm track, its heavy beats underpinning the kind of eerie synths that used to define Nu Groove releases and a super dark vocalist who sounds like he was trained in the Blake Baxter school of sexual prowess. However, this is not just a retro paean; when the wild whiplash stabs kick in, sounding like a malfunctioning robot screeching its last sounds, the listener is reminded the record inhabits a contemporary setting. The title track is even more effective: sinister metallic riffs hang in the air as an ominous vocal instructs the listener to “keep it raw.” This is the rallying call for Proper to drop a powerful, pumping groove, fueled by a titanium-plated organ bass that will level any dance floor and is sure to occupy a prominent position in the end of year charts. A proper anthem in waiting.