Nice four track package from Austin Texas’ Whiskey Pickle label featuring two originals by Fresno DJ/producer Jason Merle and a pair of Sean Johnston Hardway Bros remixes. The title track “Fester” originally came out in November 2021 and is here in its original form, a strong, techy deep house affair with an overly loud conga sample that I really like, a pitched down spoken word vocal sample, a simple chord stab and an edgy, pulsing synth drone thing in the background. It’s a US house record but to my ears at least, has something of the early ’90s UK progressive house sound to it. Maybe that’s just me, but anyway, it certainly possesses a general air of anticipation and detachment that I find appealing.
Sean Johnston goes to work on it, turning in a pair of chunky 8-minute-plus mixes. His Dalston Housing Authority main mix increases the techno-ness although it’s not really techno, and the whole thing drives along very nicely, the production feeling much fuller than the original. The Hardway Bros Acid Dub is, unsurprisingly a great big churning acid monster version of the DHA remix. Oh, and you also get a brand new Jason Merle track too, the breezy “Can You Handle It,” which after the UK-heads-down grind of Johnston’s remixes floats along very pleasantly.
⚪️ Fester Tracklisting
Jason Merle: Fester EP (Whiskey Pickle / 12" Vinyl / Digital)
1. Fester (Merle's K-Hole Rework) (08:12)
2. Can U Handle It? (Original Mix) (06:52)
3. Fester (Hardway Bros Dalston Housin' Authority Remix) (08:47)
4. Fester (Hardway Bros Acid Dub) (vinyl exclusive)
⚪️ Disclosure Statement
This record was submitted as a promo.
⚪️ Previous Coverage
⚪️ Mixes: Adam Warped: A 5 Mag Mix #47 (2017)
⚪️ Features: Glo Phase on the Making of Permafrost (2020)
⚪️ New Music: DJ Rocca reboots the future on Tropicale 17 (2021)
⚪️ New Music: Funk Bass & Whacked Out Disco: Hotmood’s Discotheque Dependencies (2018)
⚪️ New Music: Walter Jones: Instant Gratification (2017)
5 Mag Issue 211
Out January 2024
RESOLUTION: This was originally published in 5 Mag Issue #211 featuring Anané, Toribio, Black Eyes, Danny J Lewis, Beppe Loda and more. Help keep the vibe alive by becoming a member for $2/month and get every issue in your inbox right away!
