The title track from Lumberjacks in Hell’s latest EP is one of those highly sought-after weapons, played out for years by just a handful of jocks, including Hugo H himself, Rahaan, Jamie 3:26 and, lately, Soul Clap. Reportedly recorded 14 years ago and never intended for release, it’s a simple stomp of clattering percussion and wiggling bass lifted from a James Brown record, slapped with a yelping 90′s Chante Moore accapella. Straight-up Chicago house fun.
Once the in-your-face wow factor of ‘Chante vs James’ has subsided, it might be ‘Wanna Get Next To Me’ that wins out in terms of pure dancefloor prowess. A big, joyous bassline bounces about like a retro platform video game, and yet more rattling Chicago drums rub up against a catchy female vocal hook.
The finale is a little more intriguing and a little less floor-centric, with what sounds like xylophone melodies, strangely wistful despite a relatively upbeat tempo of rapid-fire percussion.
Em Vee’s fledgling disco edits imprint had a great 2012 (the recent Jamie 3.26 and Olivier Boogie record another highlight), and their first release of 2013 might just be one of the most downright danceable records of the year thus far.
Lumberjacks In Hell | Released: March
