January. Beyond redemption; a grey, gaping vacuum in which normally, all things of joy fail to thrive. The traditional comedown month of salads and staying in, of drizzle and fiscal woe, the odd bit of forgotten festive frippery – a few cards left up here and there, the fairy lights hanging limply on a dying spruce outside Tesco which only 3 weeks ago heralded such yuletide gaiety – have suddenly become as tragically inappropriate as a stripper at a funeral. Put it away, love.
For all January’s failings (and there are many) I do need to fall back and give the miserable swine a reluctant handshake and patronising pat on the back because as a result of its wretchedness, I’ve found my musical leanings take on a slightly darker tinge. Usually an enthusiastic cheerleader for breezy chunks of feel-good bounce, most of the music I rambled on about here last year more often than not exploded from a glitter canon of shiny synthy disco . Yet suddenly I’m craving something deeper and more soulful to warm up this bleak, bland, snoozefest of a month, and I seem to be gravitating towards producers that are whipping up a certain strain of emotional house that somehow weaves the melancholy with the uplifting. I’m thinking Storm Queen ‘Look Right Through’, I’m thinking Azari & III (standard), but most of all, I’m really excited about Maceo Plex.
Techno heads may already be familiar with producer Eric Estornel under the aliases of Mariel Ito and Maetrik, but as Maceo Plex he takes on a warmer and more subtle flex with his new album, Life Index. Released on pioneers of cool Crosstown Rebels next month, he describes the record as “…my baby…all the soul music I’ve been holding inside and have been wanting to write” and is a superb lesson in quality, dynamic house. The album’s stirring lead single ‘Vibe Your Love’ stealthily kidnapped me and has been holding me as a co-operative hostage for the last few weeks with no sign of release on the horizon from the clutches of my captor, Stockholm Syndrome well and truly activated and gleefully embraced. Starting as an atmospheric, hypnotic deep house chugger, almost from nowhere Peter King’s heartbreaking version of a classic Stevie Wonder vocal pitched, re-pitched and promptly batted straight out of the park, creating a soaring groove that encapsulates the bittersweet, emotional sound I’m greedily devouring right now.
If 2011 will yield more of these rapturous, emotive noises then I will make my peace with this godforsaken month and move on. Oh, January. Come ‘ere…I’m sorry. How can I stay mad at you when you’re inspiring me to seek new music as rich and searing as this and thus melting my icy core in the process? No hard feelings, yeah? Just try to be a bit less shit. Cheers.
Stream: [wpaudio url=”http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12066362/Vibe%20Your%20Love.mp3″ text=”Maceo Plex – Vibe Your Love” dl=0]
Support: Maceo Plex – ‘Vibe Your Love’ available exclusively at Beatport.
