DJ-Kicks: Eris Drew

40周年を迎えたベルリンの名門レーベル〈!K7〉の看板DJ MIXシリーズDJ-KICKS最新作は、シカゴの名門クラブSmart Barで長年レジデントを務め、パートナーであるOcto Octaと共にパーティ&レーベル〈T4T LUV NRG〉を主宰するUSクィアシーンのトッププレイヤー、ERIS DREWが登場!!
彼女曰く「ファンキーでエモーショナル、そしてエクスタティックなハウス&ブレイクスのバックボーンであり、まさに私のサウンドを定義づける要素」を組み込んだ本作。
18歳の時に彼女が"マザービート"と呼称するハウスミュージックとの出会いから、数えきれない時間をかけて集めたヴァイナルから選ばれた楽曲は、レイヴスタブや印象に残るストリングスをはじめとする刺激的なサウンドで彩られた、90年代から2000年代の隠れた名曲から、ムード感のあるディープハウス、CalistoやDJ Garth、DJ WhoといったUS各所のレジェンド、彼女とOcto Octaのエクスクルーシブトラックを含んだ20曲で構成。
スクラッチやバックスピンも入り交ぜつつ、精微なトランジションで紡ぐ79分、オールヴァイナルミックス!!文句なしの傑作!!

Eris Drews volume of the DJ-Kicks series follows a pair of well-received, cassette-issued Raving Disco Breaks mixes on the artists own T4T LUV NRG, as well as a Fabric Presents mix with label co-founder and life partner Octo Octa, not to mention countless DJ podcasts. As with all of Drews mixes, this is a vinyl-only set that reflects a lifetime of deep crate-digging, mainly focusing on obscure personal favorites as well as a few tracks regarded as classics by those in the know. Her comfort zone tends to be highly uplifting, psychedelic tracks somewhere in between progressive house and breakbeat, often with funky organs and entrancing vocals. She made sure that the mastering engineer preserved the static and crackling noises of her well-worn vinyl in order to make it sound closer to an authentic club set rather than a polished studio mix. The session starts with a pair of 2024-issued cuts, respectively by LFU and Kair, but its nearly impossible to tell that theyre from a different era than the majority of the tracks, which primarily came out in the 1990s. These include fairly well-known tracks by Fingers, Eskimos & Egypt (remixed by Moby), and DJ Garth & ETIs West Coast staple "Twenty Minutes of Disco Glory," as well as sought-after rarities like British duo Hoofs "Detroit" and Zen Experiences "People Wont You Come Along." The mix also includes a handful of exclusive dubplates from Drew and Octo Octa, whose "Cabin Dance" nods to the secluded New Hampshire retreat that the two share. Highlights near the end of the mix include a Wink-ish breakbeat gem by Dark Globe that was issued by Leftfields Hard Hands in 1997, and the Soundlords swinging, trancey "Off the Wall (The Soft Mix)" from 1994. The entirety of Drews DJ-Kicks maintains a "good vibes only" mindset, and it would perfectly soundtrack a long road trip in between spins of various United DJs of America volumes and Moonshine Music releases. ~ Paul Simpson