Newcastle Upon Tyne (UK) based Turquoise Blue presents a very special release featuring four original tracks from non-other than Kostas Tassopoulos - better known to many as Ekkohaus.
For those unfamiliar with Turquoise Blue, the label has been causing quite a stir ever since its first release in 2011, featuring music from household names including Laura Jones, Kris Wadsworth, DJ W!LD and Djebali, among many others.
It was clear from early releases on heavyweight labels including Morris Audio, 2020 Vision and Liebe Detail that this was a man with a big future but, to many, it was Ekkohaus' album release in May 2013 that defined him as a major player in the game. Released by Matthias Tanzmann's Moon Harbour Recordings, the album topped many a download chart and was a firm favourite with DJs around the globe.
This is a landmark release for Turquoise Blue, which started life as a digital only label but after starting to press vinyl in September 2012, the label has gone full circle with this, their debut vinyl-only release. A limited run of 300 will be pressed on heavyweight, clear marbled vinyl. Not only does this release sound incredible but it looks sublime and is as much a collector's item as it is a DJ tool. Although all four of the tracks are originals by the same artist, the EP is full of variation and a prime example of why Ekkohaus is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting names in electronic music. Appropriately picked to be the EP's opening track, 'Squared' is centred around a solid square wave bassline and the use of a simple but effective female vocal sample, which says 'Hey' as a single word as if stating: 'hey, I'm here mother f*cker why aren't you dancing' After getting your attention the second track on the A side is 'Je Parle A Mor', which sticks to the same theme of using female vocal samples. This time in French and the sample's sophisticated tone is the perfect accompaniment to the understated analogue acid of the bassline. Stripped back and full of class, this track helps cleanse the pallet and bridge the varying styles on the release. Track three, entitled 'Rough Case', is a classic example of Ekkohaus trade mark sound. The funk-infused baseline provides the energy, while the delay on the dubbed-out pad rattles round the track, making it feel like a cavernous space big enough to engulf any dance floor. Although marked as being the B side, such a solid deep house cut will no doubt have listeners questioning if it should in fact be a double A side.
Ekkohous saves the best for last when he presents 'Words On Plastic' as the grand finale. Simple but effective, the track focusses on a softly spoken but perfectly textured female vocal that's blended with mellow synth stabs and gritty snare roles, all layered on top of a walking bassline that takes you on a toe- tapping stroll of delight.
