Warm, comforting, yet slightly melancholic, Hector J Rodriguez’s You & Me is the House music equivalent of a sad movie you really enjoyed. Maybe it makes you feel slightly less alone in the crushing maelstrom of simply existing as a human being. Falling, I suppose, into the Lo-Fi House sub-genre (but enough with the subgenres already, right? Follow me for more highly original hot takes), the chords here are full and round, the percussion minimal and the overall sonics dusty and loose.
Opening cut “Deep Late Nights” feels like the perfect accompaniment to driving on an empty highway at night (or maybe taking the Mars Rover out for a spin on an alien world), with its heart-rending chords and spine-tingling, yet somehow unintelligible, lyrics.
Title track “You & Me” has more of a swung groove, alongside choppier vocal snippets, resulting in an overall effect that’s like stumbling across a half-detuned pirate radio station on an AM radio. Emo House. Is it a thing now? Have I been peppering my reviews with the term over the last decade in an attempt to make it so? The answer to at least one of these questions is Yes. Regardless, grab this lovely two tracker and listen to it when you wanna feel stuff.
Hector J Rodriguez: You & Me (Underscore Recordings / Digital)
1. Hector J Rodriguez: Deep Late Nights (05:02)
2. Hector J Rodriguez: You & Me (04:51)
⚪️ Disclosure Statement: This record was submitted as a promo.
The High Life: This was originally published in 5 Mag Issue #205 featuring Orlando Voorn, Mira Ló, Victor Simonelli, Carly Wilford, Maxime Dangles, Turbojazz and more. Help keep our vibe alive and our shine bright by becoming a member for $2/month and get every issue in your inbox right away!
