The next release on an increasingly impressive International Feel Recordings comes from the multi-talented DJ and producer Steve Cobby, appearing here alongside vocalist Trudie Dawn Smith. If the former’s name sounds vaguely familiar to you then it will be because of his stint as Fila Brazillia alongside David McSherry.
With Fila Brazillia dropping in profile as the 2000’s rolled on and Steve recently making moves with more solo orientated work, International Feel’s aim in tapping into choice established talent at precisely the right moment in time appears as steady as ever. As part of Fila Brazillia, Cobby had a prolific career with albums such as Maim That Tune and Power Clown being multi-faceted essentials within downtempo circles. In addition to this, the pair were often drafted in for choice remix work, gracing the likes of Radiohead, Moloko and Lamb with their touch.
While best known for downtempo wares, Fila Brazillia also knew how to cut a trippy house cut on occasion, with Slacker being the track that quickly comes to memory in this instance. It is this sort of vibe that We Start Over hits upon. It moves with the same motion as a summer breeze drifting in through a window. One that makes curtains suddenly animate with the swell of an ocean, dappling the room in translucent pastel shades to the chirrup of wind chimes. Over the backing, Trudie Dawn Smith delivers in restrained and soulful fashion, welcome in steering away from bombastic vocal acrobatics, hearkening back to the oh-so-British soul sound of the early nineties.
Astute remix curation again proves to be a forte of the label with Tuff City Kids and Apiento & LX drafted in for interpretations. The latter opt for Balearic electro-disco in relatively straightforward fashion, it functionally chugs with perhaps just a little lack of sparkle. However, it is Gerd Janson and Lauer who steal the plaudits here, as they often do. Offering a pair of remixes, it is the Private Acid Mix that is the key. Full of drama, held disco strings, rumbling low end and shrill acid notes, it roughs it up against the more restrained, but also very good, Garage Dub. With the past years being dominated by techno and then ambient, International Feel are truly heralding the year of Balearic. Lower those tempos, widen your scope and break out the smiles.
We Start Out is out now on International Feel Recordings, order both copies of the vinyl edition from Juno (Part 1 / Part 2).
TRACKLIST
1. We Start Over
2. We Start Over (Apiento & LX Remix)
3. We Start Over (Tuff City Kids Private Acid Mix)
4. We Start Over (Tuff City Kids garage Dub)
Discover more about Steve Cobby, Trudie Dawn Smith and International Feel Recordings on Inverted Audio.