New Jersey man Tony Rodriguez aka Brothers Vibe, has long been held up as a figure of some authority within the house music realm, principally because he keeps coming up with the goods even after all these years. For his latest, he returns to his BV Black imprint alongside Dave Ellesmere for the Black Ops 1 EP, an effort that goes some way to explaining the man’s effervescent appeal. Uncompromising and unfussy, this is an EP that earns its stripes thanks to its heady and intoxicating take on house. The track titles might be deceivingly simple, but if ever there was a time not to judge a book on its cover, then this one is surely it. Opener ‘Black 3a’ for instance is a razor sharp wedge of atmospheric house that’ll help the night move along at a furious pace, such are its unrelenting mannerisms. ‘Black 3b’ is my favourite, however. This time, the house master lets an air of dreamy, cosmic sheens into the equation, the end result being a melancholic number that also packs a serious punch thanks to its breezy kicks especially. Dave Ellesmere then remixes ‘Rblack 2dc’. An anti-government protest lingers throughout thanks to its spoken word vocal, and this one has a strong political edge that we rarely encounter in contemporary house music. Closing the EP is the original mix of ‘Black 3c’, where we’re reminded again of the brother’s sensitive side. The most supple and serene of the lot, it sees us out with a gliding sense of purpose that’s hard to match.
4 out of 5
Reviewed by Ian Fleming
{http://soundcloud.com/brothersvibe/snippet-black3c}
