The latest release on Or Two Strangers welcomes Luis Bondio to the label for a brand new single.
The Argentinean artist and sometime studio partner of label boss Antrim is a veteran of the progressive house scene, both in his home country and globally. Luis’ music has been showcased on Nick Warren’s Hope Recordings, while Sudbeat label boss Hernan Cattaneo continues to be a loyal supporter. Now making his much anticipated debut on Or Two Strangers Luis presents his latest studio creation entitled ‘India’ alongside a remix from Jamie Stevens.
Luis has always managed to capture compelling moments in his music, of both the dramatic and emotive variety. On ‘India’ we get the best of both worlds with a near nine minute journey into playful motifs and mystical atmospheres. Backed by slabs of rolling bass the piece moves forward with a powerful momentum. Sparkling melodies and crisp drum work complement the groove perfectly before hazy atmospheres and indistinct vocals initiate the main break. Swept under a trail of sonic decay, the melodies give way to a wave of white noise as the thunderous groove returns for a magic dance floor moment. A gorgeous production from Luis and a welcome return for the Argentinean artist.
The lone interpretation of ‘India’ is provided by Jamie Stevens who is making his first appearance on Or Two Strangers. Much revered, the Australian artist has a career spanning over two decades, highlighted by his work with Infusion and a solo career which includes releases on Bedrock, Lost & Found, microCastle and Sudbeat. His borderless approach to production has made him a favourite amongst both techno and progressive DJs alike, with John Digweed and Guy J being two of his biggest supporters. Jamie’s ‘India’ interpretation has been much anticipated and it’s techno inspired direction complements the more traditional sounding original perfectly. Anchored by an electric groove the foundation is warm and inviting. As percussion fires, metallic hits and alien-like designs tantalise the senses before a storyboard of feedback and distortion brings the ultimate in harmonic magic. Perhaps one of Jamie’s most inspired remix productions to date and one which certainly tells a compelling story, as he describes, “Knowing how much the original personally meant to Luis, I felt I owed it to him to spend a lot of time to create something powerful. After a few false starts of ‘trying too hard’, I finally found a raw groove and a feeling based on some crazy processing of the original parts. At last I had a firm base to allow myself to get even more creative, run on instinct and expand on the atmospheric energy and tell an interesting story.” It’s been a sensational beginning for Antrim’s Or Twp Strangers imprint and this might be the label’s finest offering to date. Highly Recommended.
