"Wons Around EP" (Review)
Leave a commentAugust 25, 2011 by DJ Elroy
Artist: Random Factor & Gareth Whitehead
Title: The Wons Around EP
Label: Lost My Dog (UK)
Cat No: LMD049
Style: Deep House/Tech House
Release Date: 19th September 2011
Random Factor & Gareth Whitehead – The Wons Around EP (LMD049) by Lost My Dog
New house music from Random Factor and Gareth Whitehead on the Lost My Dog label. The ‘Wons Around EP’ has been hailed as “a melting pot of underground house sounds — deep, techy, acidic, trippy and soulful”, so there’s something here no matter which direction you’re taking your set.
Up first is ‘Age Old’, a driving tech-house track. The vocal sample is a bit overdone, but as far as keeping the energy level on the dancefloor this will works. The breakdown is great, but other than that, some percussive changeups and a few quirky layers are what make this one worth playing.
The Jacked Out Mix offers a different vibe for ‘Age Old’, but those damn repetitive vocals are back. This time however, they’re run thru a variety of different effects, giving this one a bit more character than the Original.
On the flipside is ‘No Matter How Far’, a bit of a deeper tech track. Really love the groove this one brings to the mix, and the slow build and progression give it a distinct vibe. The melodic layers and stuttered female vocals add some sexy flavor. The song nearly hits the 10 minute mark, and while the basic idea doesn’t change much, the flow, filters, and subtle changes keep it relatively fresh, but…
The Jacked Out Mix takes ‘How Far’ and gives it enough energy to keep my attention the entire time (nearly 9 minutes!). Like the Original, the subtle changeups, filters, and melodic grooves give the track its personality, but it’s the jackin’ flavor that compliments the bones and makes this my pick of the release.
Rounding out the EP is ‘Face It’, a techy cut that takes two minutes to finally get started. And then? Not much. Another minute of the same… But the song does have a great twist and does manage to carry itself through the breakdown and beyond. It’s repetitive, but sometimes a hypnotic beat is something you can build a set around.
