In many ways, James Silk is a perfect fit for Swiss label HIVE Audio. If you’ve already copped his tunes for example, you’ll know that they’re consistently fresh, intriguing and full of guile, and it’s an approach that’s brought him to the likes of Get Physical, Nervous and Defected over the years. His HIVE debut is another outstanding addition to his discography too. Entitled Language, it sees the Brit unleash three new originals on our senses – all of which are worth their weight in gold. Opener Amante is a razor-sharp wedge of clean house music. Engulfed in elongated, elasticated bassline, it snaps, crackles and pops with a real distinction throughout. The sensuous vocal line adds a real gloss to proceedings, and by the time the intensity is brought up a notch over the second half of the EP, we’re drawn in hook, line and sinker. ‘’Danza’’ is a stringent throwback to old-school methods, and is imbued with a keen sense of purpose thanks to its mound of reverb and its spine-tingling bells. ‘’Hassen’’, however, is my pick of the litter. An unashamed synth-based gem that takes its kudos from the ‘80s, it wraps the package up in an epic glean that can’t be disputed. A Balearic beast, it sees out the summer with a real gusto.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ian Fleming
