For two years LA based 100% Silk has been providing the height of audio luxury. From Sir Stephen's Todd Terryesque jams to Roche's Hacienda nostagliafest, part of the success story of the Not Not Fun offshoot has been its refined vision of dancefloors past; Montreal based duo Ezlv add Francophone filter house to their already startling repertoire of tastefully rendered tropes and trends.
Lead track 'Selfish Beat's saccharine vocals sing-song their way through a party-all the-time-mantra that's just as easily contained in the theramin synth action and the distant funk strains of the break-down. Doubt not, this is party music, more the sophisto-funk of Ettiene de Crecy than the incessant thump of the Kerri Chandleralikes we've seen populate 2012; less flat-peak fire exit clinging, more French frat party.
'Good Feeling's handclaps and budget brass section maintain the good feelings as you'd expect with chunky basslines and enough discoteque bump for everyone, ditto with 'EZ Lees' delightfully 90s choppy guitar lines. 'Inside Out' is a downright anthem - the endearingly European lilt to the main vocals threaten to tug at those MOR heart-strings you never knew you had.
Selfish Beat embodies the ongoing tight-rope acrobatics of 100% Silk; walking the thin line of retro-mania with enough originality and poise to fend off that fatal criticism of the retro-house fad: 'why the fuck don't I just listen to the original?' It's another chapter in this ongoing story of respectful rendition, joyously outdated sounds and just damn good house music.
