‘Transatlantic’ (meaning it’s based both in the UK and the US) dance music label Motek specializes on the deeper sounds of house and techno with a dance floor-ready edge.On its third compilation since its 2014 launch, the label begins a new series called ‘Motek Journeys’, which will showcase electronic music tracks and artists from around the globe.
In this occasion, Motek shines the spotlight on US producers with 12 tracks that reveal a rich variety of sounds, tones, textures and rhythms, shifting and mutating with every new cut. Ranging from lush, melodic soundscapes (like opener ‘Elysian’ from Saand, as well as Medicinne’s ‘Lost’ and Martin Aquino and Ryan Pamatmat‘s ‘Two Thirty One‘); jittery rhythms and synth stabs (Speaking in Tongues‘s ‘Motion in Colour’); low-end workouts (Smeed and Suspence‘s ‘Drive’); driving beats and hypnotic effects (Nicolaas Black‘s ‘Galaxy Play’); to tribal, techy fare (Steve Leroy‘s ‘Secrets’ and Jason Bay’s ‘4AM’), this collection has a bit of everything for everyone (provided their taste in electronic music sways toward the deeper and more underground end of the dance floor spectrum).
There’s one track I’d like to single out: Slumber‘s ‘Temple’, a deep, slow burning scorcher with a relentless bass line, featuring bewitching vocals from Amunet Shah. It’s an unique contribution that gives a dark touch to the compilation.
Production and mastering quality on all cuts is excellent, the sound is crisp and clear but still retains all the punch of the lower frequencies, allowing for each individual track’s strengths to shine through.
In all, this is an impressive collection of tunes from a 2 year-old dance music label that shows great promise, mainly due to track/artist selection and overall quality. Here’s hoping it will continue to set itself apart from the flock and keep bringing us more of these engaging and enveloping dance floor gems.
Tracklist:
01. SAAND – Elysian
02. Slumber feat. Amunet Shah – Temple
03. Nicolaas Black – Galaxy Play
04. After Touch & Beatrax – Windwalker
05. Medicinne – Lost
06. Speaking in Tongues – Motion in Colour
07. Smeed & Suspence – Drive
08. Steve Leroy – Secrets
09. Artur Nikolaev & Ashwin Khosa – Broadway Groove
10. CompleteJ And RazV – Hemispheres
11. Martin Aquino & Ryan Pamatmat – Two Thirty One
12. Jason Bay – 4AM
