To say that Demi Riquísimo’s uber-tasty Semi Delicious label is on a roll could possibly be the biggest understatement of 2023 so far. The imprint goes from strength to strength, now onto release number 16, with no sign of slowing down. Six cheeky club cuts are served up here, all following the usual Semi Delicious ethos of chunky and fun, but also deep and grooving.
Krywald & Farrer with Seize The Source opens the EP in no-nonsense style; razor-sharp bass leads the way, with sizzling synths working their magic as the track develops. There’s a sense of fun here, but with a moodiness in some of the keys, meaning the track bridges both the deep side of things, while retaining a full-on club vibe too. Excellent beats to start the vinyl off.
An artist whose name has risen massively in recent years is Gallegos, so the A2 cut, Asylum of Love, is a real treat, both sonically mind-bending and original. Spoken vocal samples fly from the speakers both left and right, the drums drop out, crash back in, distorted alternative live-sounding drums come into play, synths work their way in too, then are off again, the whole thing is a musical mish-mash which lifts your head off. Add to this the rumbling bassline which comes and goes in sections and you’ve got a genuinely brilliant, left-field electronic workout. You need to hear it to appreciate just how original it sounds!
The tempo soothes down on the A3 track, For My Niece, courtesy of Tatie Dee. Warm chords, well-rounded bassline action, some lovely gentle acid and live piano riffs are the order of the day here. It’s the musical equivalent of lying on the grass on a summer’s day, looking up at the blue sky with the clouds floating by and feeling serenely floating, such is its hazy beauty. A gorgeous close to the A-side right here.
The B-side kicks into action with what would have possibly been called ‘progressive house’ back around 1993: breaky drums, a rolling bassline, some ragga-esque vocal samples and stabby rave-like keys, all held together with a warm and sumptuous pad. Regardless of genres, this is a superb club vibe, it’s wonderfully deep and the staccato riffs as the track develops are supremely tasty. Omri Smadar & Dj Gear Check One – take a bow!
Following on from Check One we’re greeted by Scarlett O’Malley, whose Hey Party People also has something of a nod to the 90s, with some hip-hop vox clips giving extra energy to the bouncing bassline and tinkling percussive vibes. This is a real “up” track, one of those which draws people onto the dancefloor and hooks them in, no hands-in-the-air style needed, just a wicked groove with a smile on its face.
To close this fine EP it’s label boss Demi Riquísimo, bringing some serious heat with Rocking You Internally. Punchy percussion and a sublime bassline are to the fore here, with swirling pads, occasional vocal clips and some excellent synth workout action creating yet another winner, proper heads-down-into-the groove vibes going on right here. There’s so much to love in this track: warmth, depth, fuzziness, swing; it’s an absolute deep beauty and rounds the EP off in sensational style.
Asylum Of Love is out on Semi Delicious.
Words by Al Bradley
Torture the Artist 