He’s been called the baron of the beats, a ‘knight of life’, the ‘life of the night’, or even occasionally plain Mike Gamwell, To you and I though, he is only Knightlife. Long considered to be Cutters Records’ secret weapon and he’s back with an EP release, featuring 5 originals and 3 remixes. For the first time as well, 4 of the originals now feature live vocals, provided by his mysterious angelic muse, credited only as AP.
The EP takes off with Serves You Right, a whole other level of regal sophistifunk. It’s a workout of vigorous percussive energy, classic clav shapes, and AP in full effect. The title track I Want You takes the foot off the accelerator just a shade, a classy strut built around an effortless vocal refrain and perhaps his most “pop” production yet. The following track, Otherway is an altogether more bombastic affair. Taking queues from classic techno and early sample-based house, Otherway builds a beast out of the bones of dance music, a looping, building up and breaking down, finely tuned slab of sample stabs wonderfully attuned to a timeless dancefloor. These Eyes push things out into deep space, with spiralling synth delays and a swirling mid-section and hypnotic bass that’s quintessential Knightlife. Then finally Maybe It’s Better; comes as a kind of downtempo, cosmic palette cleanser to conclude the EP.
On the remix tip, outback wanderer BOBBY BOOMERANG gets so cosmic up in Serves You Right, while fellow Melbourne producer WEEKEND EXPRESS keeps things classic and deep. Meanwhile THE EMPEROR MACHINE takes to Serves Your Right with a massive lance and slays a giant bubbling analogue dragon of a remix, as is his wont. It’s all golden, and we can’t stop playing it. If this EP doesn’t find a place in your record bag, then we give up… Seriously.
TRACK LIST:
1. Serves You Right
2. Otherway
3. I Want You
4. These Eyes
5. Maybe It’s Better
6. Serves You Right (Bobby Boomerang Remix)
7. I Want You (Weekend Express Remix)
8. Serves You Right (The Emperor Machine Remix)
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