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Listen to the tracks :
A1: The Rhythm
A2: Oh Baby
B1: Can’t Live Without Your Love
B2: Night Drive
C1: House Head
C2: Oh Baby (Instrumental)
D1:Losing My Edge
D2: Excess
Info:
Realness: if there was one word you’d use to sum up Parisian house dealer Phil Weeks that would definitely be it. He’s never kowtowed to trends or hype. He’s never compromised. He’s never lost focus of his primary goal: to make undiluted, straight-up house music that physically moves you.
Nearly 20 years deep as a DJ, artist and founder of the impeccable and super-consistent Robsoul imprint, Weeks’ dedication to house music is up there with the best; solid, unwavering and true to the craft. Case in point: the straight-to-dancefloor beat bounty album ‘Raw Instrumental 2’.
Starting the New Year with a serious statement of groove intent, the eight track package is the follow up to his successful 2012 collection ‘Raw Instrumental’. His fifth studio album in total, the title says it all: rawness and full focus on both the dancefloor and the best creative DJs. No messing around; each track is tailored for total mix and party pleasure and covers every shade of the night.
It’s peaky business from the off as Phil lights the fire with ‘The Rhythm’ an incendiary burner that sp Flexing a classic Blaze sample, all the elements build with the bulldozer drums and subs pushing relentlessly. ‘Oh Baby’, meanwhile, slips us into a something slinkier with its bumping deep drum shuffle and optional instrumental.
Elsewhere ‘Can’t Live Without Your Love’ plays a long teasing lead before erupting with a timeless disco groove that comes out of nowhere and lights, lifts and vibes up the entire room before we get back to basics with the naked funk of ‘Night Drive’. Here the loose stringed bass plucks between the swooning filtered chords, setting the scene for the most forthright track of the album… ‘House Head’.
‘House Head’ ignites with a poignant spoken word flashback to a time when house was regarded by some as dirty word and the mass exodus to electro and minimal began. Explaining his f**k-free zen with clarity and humility, a warehouse-shaking arrangement kicks in and builds to organs so broad and warm they’ll knock you off your feet.
Gradually bringing the collection to close, Weeks climaxes with the perfect contrast; the smooth unhurried filtered clap-happy soul of ‘Losing My Edge’ countered by the feet-first chugging 909 drum thunder and super-loopy walking bassline of ‘Excess’ rolls and rolls into groove oblivion.
Both cuts capturing the stark spectrum and axis which Phil is celebrating here with his lean fusions of primal elements, it’s a closing reminder of another word our favourite Parisian house dealer should be described by: Rawness.
Release Date: January 27th 2017