MATHIAS KADEN Vinilo y CD

Review: Radio Slave's Rekids label welcomes Berlin mainstay Mathias Kaden for a new single that features Zoe Xenia and remixes from label regular Ian Pooley. 'Blackbird' is a big tech house cut that is defined by its scintillating synth work which dances a busy dance over metallic, synthetic drum sounds. The vocals are the fiery finish that will make this a real club anthem. It also comes as an instrumental while the Ian Pooley Pooley main remix brings a little more funk and nuance to his well swung house drums. His basic dub then ups the bas weight and drum intensity to make for a fine finish.

Review: Following the release of his 2009 debut album, Studio 10, Mathias Kaden seemed to disappear from view, re-emerging at the tail end of 2013 with a trickle of new 12" singles. Here he finally delivers his sophomore set, Energetic, which seems largely focused on inserting some soul and melodic warmth into the often dry and metronomic world of European tech-house. For the most part, this achieved by the use of sparkling synthesizers and quirky vocals, both of which add a level of looseness to Kaden's otherwise tight grooves. Highlights are pleasingly plentiful, from the skittering late night pump of "Korokana", to the twisted electronics and mangled textures of "Tangerine".