The Berlin based family that is named Dirt Crew takes up new infants with every release and is ever growing while celebrating ten years of quality releases this year. In 2004 James Flavour and Break 3000 launched the imprint after releasing their first EP’s “Cleaning Up The Ghetto part 1+2” as the identically named duo Dirt Crew.
The list of releases they built up in the meanwhile is impressive. A grasp of the last couple of months includes artists like Detroit Swindle, Downtown Party Network, Waze & Odyssey, Chimera and Tigerskin amongst others. Quality after quality house and deephouse release sees the light of day. The label offers a place for new talent but also also favours the established order as written above.
Speaking about new studio talent, Dirt Crew got hold of Nachtbraker for its newest cut: “Janus EP”. Maurits Verwoerd aka Nachtbraker used to have some small releases as Mousique but now solely focuses on his Nachtbraker project. And with success, with previous releases on Detroit Swindle’s prolific Heist imprint, Apparel Music and Piekup records, his trademark sound is starting to grow.
This four-track EP plus one bonus digital marks Nachtbrakers’ trademark slow funky and jazzy deep house sound. The first track ‘Alright’ is a perfect mood setter. A warm and easy piano riff combined with 707 claps and hats, the track takes you on a short fantasy travel where around 4:30 minutes you are forced in some dreamy turns only before getting back to the original loop and giving you that old school house feeling.
Follow up is ‘Braun’, again a fine house cut. Sunshine and positive vibes in an infectious and spacious groove with small shoutouts to Nachtbraker’s love for Detroit synths and chords. Title track ‘Janus’ is the first-class beauty on this release, a true gem. Downtempo, superfunky, a catchy baseline that builds up towards the middle of the track where Nachtbraker stops the drive for a couple of bars before hitting it two gears up, getting you straight up to house music heaven.
Next up is ‘Warme Kachel’ (Hot stove translated from Dutch), a deepified low key synth that opens up throughout the track and giving you more funk bit by bit by a another perfect base riff. The track is indeed full of warmth, no stove needed here at all actually.
Final of is a digital bonus track named ‘I Rest My Case” the deephouse sound like it feels familiar in 2014, long chords, easy baseline, oldschool feel and a tough kick.
Keep an eye out for Nachtbraker during one of his shows at ADE in October!
Janus EP – Snippet Minimix
