With France's long-fallow club scene back in international resurgence as Paris storms back into fighting form, Europe now has found a new source for yet-unheard music. It was a long time brewing, but names like Concrete, Katapult, Zadig, and Society of Silence, have begun to appear in the international clubbing circuit, and the growth is not limited to the capital. Further south in Lyon, a city quickly gaining its own renown for busy club parties booking bigger names, there exists a smaller circle of energetic operators whose name is also spreading rapidly and whose recent accomplishments include Nuites Sonores, Boilerroom and more. Spearheaded by Kosme, a DJ and producer of quickly increasing notice, the provincial powerhouse has already turned heads throughout France as Kosmo's Caramelo Records was snapped up by legendary Parisian distributor Syncrophone; he has a new label set to launch in 2014. It is with this background in mind that THEMA proudly offers Kosme's international debut, the 'April Moon' EP.
Kosme comes to the table with six tracks of low-slung Detroit-referencing house music laced with extra grit. 'Fondamental' rides shuffling hats and a building acid line to dramatic heights. 'Ever Shake My Mind' is slower and dirtier yet, with crushed hats and a bottom-lurking bass between Theo Parrish-esque drum-machine-down-the-stairs breakdowns. After an interlude, 'Mothafunka' resumes the beatdown with a talkover house track that escalates uncontrollably in intensity as drums shuffle before breaking down in congos & pads. 'Deep Function' dials down to sexier sounds with sultry vocal samples and sampled hiss, but it doesn't lose the drum kink. Finally the digital bonus 'A Thought for Yvonne' is the most subdued and skeletal of all with echoed drums and a lonely bassline tumbling over each other in slow motion.
Following the explosion of new sounds from the capital, it is no surprise to find the movement spreading, and THEMA arrives first with the freshest France has to offer.
