Some summer cuts fade like cheap tan lines – but Emi Ömar doesn’t deal in disposable sunshine. Sitting mid-way through “Summer Hits Vol. 1“, the Paris-based Groove To Grave crew’s first digital VA, “Beat a Stick” hits that rare sweet spot where sticky funk, House heat, and playful hookiness all lock arms and swagger off together down the beach.
It’s the kind of track that doesn’t need permission to flirt. A bassline that bounces like it knows it’s being watched, drums that strut just enough to keep the floor honest – and then, front and center, those vocals: “Baby I like you a lot, you’re really hot!” Equal parts pickup line, dancefloor dare, and pure grin-wrapped summer mischief.
True to Emi Ömar’s groove-first philosophy, “Beat a Stick” doesn’t over-polish its edges. It stays raw enough to feel alive, tight enough to stay in motion – the kind of low-slung, sun-kissed roller you’ll want looping through poolside speakers long after the last bottle’s empty.
A sly highlight on an eight-track collection that knows exactly where you want to be when the heat peaks: somewhere between the beach, the booth, and the moment that bassline hits just right.
Words by Holger Breuer
Torture the Artist 