I skimmed this too fast and thought this release from Jerome and Sonya Zlo was actually a record from Jerome Sydenham. But no: The Night We Had is by Jerome, the Austrian DJ who is one half of Foehn & Jerome and Perfumed Freedom Records, and Sonya Zlo, the vocalist that appeared on their previous EP Macho Madness.
But it’s an easy mistake to make even after you listen: tracks like “Storm” are subterranean gems, mined from that same vein of deep house with a bit of minimal and (early) tech house polish. Vocals and synths spin around arm-in-arm — I can’t understand a word of it but it’s one of those tracks where you don’t need to. These are extremely dancefloor friendly, with deep chords and accents like short vocal clips and acid bubbles that pop over basslines spread luscious like butter.
It gets techier on the flip, with B-side tracks “Dreams” and “Solstice” wringing out the soul in favor of a more industrial sound. That doesn’t work as well for me and the people who like it probably think the same of the deeper tracks on front. It’s distinct enough that I actually thought it was a split EP at first, with a different producer taking each side.
The Night We Had is the first vinyl release from Gabu, a label based in Saudi Arabia named they say after “the Arabic word for basement” and I’ll take their word for it.
⚪️ The Night We Had Tracklisting
Jerome featuring Sonya Zlo: The Night We Had EP (Gabu / 12" Vinyl)
1. Storm (06:50)
2. The Night We Had (06:51)
3. Dreams (07:15)
4. Solstice (06:36)
⚪️ Disclosure Statement
This record was submitted as a promo.
5 Mag Issue 224
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The Heart of House: First published in 5 Mag Issue #224 featuring Juliet Mendoza, Ron Allen, PBR Streetgang and more. Become a member for $2/month and get every issue in your inbox right now…
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