exclusive | St. David – Essential Grooves EP | Chiwax

If you’re looking for a slice of vinyl which will lift your spirit, fill your soul and put a smile on your face, then please introduce yourself to the latest EP from St. David, namely his “Essential Grooves EP”, courtesy of the formidable Chiwax label. Written back in 2022, the four tracks here showcase the breezy dancefloor vibes that St. David brings, with all the cool Italian swagger you should expect from the Theory Of Swing main-man.

So let’s get into the EP; on the A-side we are greeted with “The Groove Goes On“, which is best described as “slinky“ House music at its finest. The bassline is one that the finest funk jam would be proud of, here it’s layered with neat percussive elements and lively keys and synths, interwoven for a deeply enriching dancefloor experience.

The A2 jam, “Summer Nights Fall“, also has an extremely tidy bassline, this time a more 80s-sounding affair, and as with the A1, the warmth floods out of the speakers, with delayed keys and little riffs coming in and out of the groove, percussive knocks panning to add space and a xylophone-esque riff as the track motors along. Both tracks on the A-side are winners, oozing class and depth, these could (and should) be dancefloor staples for all House-heads this summer.

Flipping the wax over and things head into Fred P/Zepherin Saint territory on “Tech-no Peace“. Off-beat percussion gives a marching style to the rhythm, while the floating spaced-out synths are held together with a wriggling acid line, low-resonating pads also weaving their magic. The Acid line opens and closes, giving way to panned delayed FX, working back up to a superb break, after which it’s all-systems-go. This is a truly excellent piece of pure-dancefloor-driven music and worth the price of purchase alone. Bravo!!

To close the EP, the vibe slips back to that of the A-side, with a gentler, live-keys led groover, namely “Touch Of Jazz“, featuring the silky playing of WB. The bassline here is set back into the track, allowing the flow and rhythm of the keys to be the main focus which, as with the A-side cuts, gives the track a gorgeous vibe, leaving you feeling uplifted and buzzing once the vinyl has reached its closing runout crackles.

“Essential Grooves EP” is, without doubt, a wonderful and timeless 12″, one which any half decent DJ or House music fan simply must check out and add to their collection.

Words by Al Bradley

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Published by Al Bradley

I got my Technics 1200s in 1991 and what was expected to be a short-lived bit of fun has gone on to be the central thread in my life. Starting out playing at parties around my home town of Manchester, I like to feel I have progressed to become an established vinyl DJ, regularly playing around the UK and Europe, playing sets of up to 8 hours, showcasing my love of all things electronic. Moving into production in 2006, I have featured on both vinyl and digital labels worldwide, with a reputation for eclecticism and creating tracks and remixes which cover a broad range of sounds, never wanting to repeat a style or stick to a set formula and taking in influences absorbed since starting to buy electronic vinyl beats in the mid-80s. I also have run the label 3am Recordings since 2003. Inspired by the Northern UK house and electronic scene and particularly labels such as 2020Vision, Paper Recordings, Toko and Glasgow Underground, I have always aimed for 3am to be a showcase for artists with no boundaries. This is because I have always felt the artists provide their best work when left to do what they feel is right, with no attempt to go with whatever is currently fashionable – fads will always appear and then disappear, but the central thread running through house music always remains the heartbeat of deep bass, solid kicks and a dancefloor-focus, regardless of the tempo. Over the years, the label has supported a wide range of producers, some whose debut releases were on 3am, while others have been well-respected artists whose music has featured in sets and on dancefloors for many years. This combination has allowed the label to remain truly underground and equally on-point, a case proven when the label was asked to host its 10th birthday event at fabric in 2013. Since 2003, the label has been booked for events around the world, including Berlin, Chicago, Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Helsinki, alongside regular events throughout the UK. In the digital age, where everybody is battling to bombard people with a constant flow of information, 3am remains true to its roots by simply and quietly pushing fantastic electronic music on vinyl for DJs and dancefloors, no constant fanfare required. Quality is the key; I believe that is what gives a label longevity and integrity, allowing it to stand out from the noise. For all 3am Recordings label parties, or to book Al for a gig or track/remix, email al.bradley@3amrecordings.com

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