After a first incursion on Stuart Leath’s [Emotional] Especial last year, the mysterious Alphonse returns with ‘Smokey‘, a four-track transmission featuring reworks from in-fashion French duo The Pilotwings and sure-handed junglist DJ Normal 4.
Actually a well-known London based producer under guise, Alphonse here interlards the pared-down devoutness of tribal chants and primitive percs with the blazing lustre of synthesized disco from outer space on ‘Smokey‘. On the flip, ‘Glint AM‘ veers off into spaced-out rave mode, flexing supple synth stabs and chromatic pads up and under roaring breaks onslaughts.
Melding both vibes in one, The Pilotwings‘ revamp of the lead-track acts as a straight-up meditative uplifter, aligned with the spirit of their own productions. Meshing the classic put-putting drum programming and stretched-out synth spans of early atmospheric jungle with the African richness of Alphonse original’s earth-revering canon, this one hits the pleasure spot on several levels. Hypnotic.
Smokey is out now, order a vinyl copy from Juno.
TRACKLIST
A1. Smokey
A2. Smokey (The Pilotwings’ Future Sound Of Lyon Remix)
B1. Glint AM
B2. Glint AM (DJ Normal 4 VibemixX)
Discover more about Alphonse and [Emotional] Especial on Inverted Audio.