Quarion – Moons around Jupiter – RTR08

More than a year after his last EP, Quarion returns to Retreat for a fantastic expedition: a journey to the »Moons around Jupiter«. Consisting of four tracks dedicated to the four Galilean satellites, »Moons around Jupiter« is a sonic masterpiece that blurs the lines between House, Techno, Broken Beat and Disco. A certain Detroit mystique (the futurism & outer space themes) also surrounds this mesmerizing ep which Quarion himself ranks as possibly his best work to date … come and take a ride!

We may share the ultimate bond with the moon Europa: the presumption of oceans underneath its crust of ice as well as an atmosphere that is mostly filled with oxygen make this satellite a good candidate for possible extra-terrestrial life (more micro-organisms than 3-eyed aliens though). Quarion’s »Europa« hopes to reveal the secrets underneath the ice layer: beginning with a skippy beat and a tinkling piano, the track evolves rapidly as subtle keys and a cosmic choir appear from beyond. The voices morph into pure excitement during the breakdown while gorgeous new chords are being introduced. The bassline drops and an irresistible groove settles in, soon followed by a catchy synth melody. The song rises to its apex only to be brought down immediately with a new set of Boogie drums. Extra analogue synths make a welcome entry while the main chords rise again from the background. That is until the reappearance of the Boogie beat which tones the music down and brings the mysterious »Europa« to its conclusion.

The moon Ganymede has much in common with Europa but scientists agree that it is impossible for the former to harbour life. This is why »Ganymede« is the beatapella version of »Europa«, a short but effective rework with only the basic drum elements…

The moon Callisto is the furthest away from Jupiter’s radiation. It is said to be highly suitable for a human base, in case we intend to explore this part of the solar system one day. »Callisto« is therefore Quarion’s ode to space travel in the form of lush organ chords, heavy drums and ethereal pads. The track is a deep and dreamy journey that flows effortlessly as cosmic rhodes melodies and detroitish synths move around the stereophonic landscape.

The moon Io has over 400 active volcanoes and its atmosphere is made up of sulphuric dioxide. A very, very dangerous place indeed, which inspires Quarion to show his rougher side via a raw and heavy 110 bpm workout. The sounds are kept to a minimum (weird pads, strings and a heavy bassline) but »Io« is full of surprises, the best of all being a minute long break where the listener feels suddenly lost in deep space … before »Io’s« gravity pulls him back on its perilous grounds.

A1 – Europa
A2 – Ganymede
B1 – Callisto
B2 – Io

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Release: December 15th 2010
(Releasesheet)

Iron Curtis – Stumbled Across – RTR07

We’re thrilled to welcome IRON CURTIS as a new character in the retreat saga! Hailing from Nuernberg but now based in Berlin, Mr. Curtis is known for his contemporary take on the classic Chicago House sound and has been making waves for the past two years with quality releases on Mirau, Morris Audio, Mule Electronic and Jackoff. However, we strongly believe that Iron Curtis is presenting a different aspect of his personality with »Stumbled Across«, an EP that ventures in weirder territories with the help of Hip-Hop, dubstep and techno influences. A definitive statement from a blossoming producer who brings the element of surprise back to the dancefloor!

»Cover Me« provides the tone for this EP, starting off with a distinctive un-straight kick drum that underlines a pad motif and a percussion build-up. The aquatic bassline lures you in the track while new chords are rising up from the background. The whole song breaks down after 3 minutes only to start again with renewed energy. Shuffling hi-hats, vocal snippets and quirky synths provide an ecstatic groove and lift the track to new heights of bounciness. No doubt that »Cover Me« would become a Co-op classic if the party was still happening in London …

Flip the record over and »Stumbled Across« introduces guitar stabs, crowd noises and reversed chords until the whole thing crashes down into a House beat that is jacking beyond comparison. A tribute to one of the founders of the Chicago sound, “Stumbled Across” is that seldom tune that manages to feel 100% classic yet 100% fresh at the same time: the 808 & 909 sounds are familiar but the arrangement and overall vibe allow the track to stand proudly on its own two feet. A masterpiece!

»Creeps« clocks around 90 BPM and showcases Iron Curtis’ talent in leading music into unexpected directions. The track begins with melancholic chords but evolves quickly into a fascinating journey, complete with strings, organs, bell-like sounds and bizarre interjections from what appears to be cocktail aficionados in an upper class party! The beat alone is definitely not your average Hiphop drum track (with a gated snare that Phil Collins would die for!) but excels in providing depth and consolidation to the whole structure.

The Ep concludes with the mind-bending »All My Friends«, a 2 minutes, 80 bpm neck-breaker whose wonky synth could make your body want to perform krump moves. Lethal!

A1 – Cover me
B1 – Stumbled Across
B2 – Creeps
B3 – All My Friends

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Release: November 10th 2010
(Releasesheet)

Session Victim – On The Roll – RTR06

After their hot contributions for “Treats Vol. 2”, SESSION VICTIM prove indeed that they are « On The Roll » with a funkafied and no holds barred EP that pays homage to their Hip-Hop Roots.

» Move Me So « starts rather simply, with just a guitar and a vocal, but you can hear a moving bassline and distant rhodes chords creeping up from the background. Two minutes into the track and there’s still no kick drum, although the level of excitement produced by the magnetic groove is almost unbearable. A filtered drum break finally gives way to a four to the floor beat that should turn any dancefloor into a frenetic party. The track builds with high energy, as the pounding bassline seems to be directly lifted from an early 90’s Hip-Hop classic. The breakdown sees the vocal/guitar loop being played differently until the second part shifts gear and brings more surprises in the mix with the intro rhodes chords coming in and out. But just as you think this jam will stay on the same vibe until the end, the now-famous “Session Victim twist” appears and this time the boys conclude the track with gorgeous keyboard chords that slowly mellow the whole thing out, as if the song has reached serenity after so much action.

» A Wooden Mind«  begins with a rather off-beat percussion and bass loop, but a very comfortable analog groove sets in after a while. You’ve just embarked for a fantastic voyage…until a quirky rhodes motif steers the song into a somewhat more hypnotic direction, with a catchy but faint melody playing from a distance. A new part reintroduces the chords found at the beginning while the quiet melody gets pushed to the forefront in its full pop glory. “A Wooden Mind” finishes rather splendidly with elements of the melody appearing at will while the chords gently fade away…

» Secrets « is the EP’s closer and the first 100% Hip-Hop instrumental ever released on Retreat! Starting off in true old school fashion with only a drum workout, the track then releases a Leslie-fuelled organ loop as well as scratchy guitars. Enhanced by vocal snippets emphasizing the importance of being original, “Secrets” is a veritable showcase for Session Victim’s ever-evolving talent and a perfect conclusion to this well-crafted EP.

A1 – Move Me So
B1 – A Wooden Mind
B2 – Secrets

[audio:http://www.retreat-vinyl.de/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/RTR06-A1.mp3,http://www.retreat-vinyl.de/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/RTR06-B1.mp3,http://www.retreat-vinyl.de/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/RTR06-B2.mp3|titles=Move Me So,A Wooden Mind, Secrets|artists=Session Victim,Session Victim,Session Victim]

Release: June 30th 2010
(Releasesheet)

Session Victim/Quarion – Treats Vol.2 – RTR05

One year old and four releases deep, RETREAT present its first 2010 offering with the long awaited second volume of the »Treats« series. Featuring 3 exclusive tracks from Session Victim and Quarion, »Treats vol.2« showcases the producers’ ability to move beyond the traditional House sound, incorporating more Soul and Disco influences as well as coming up with a few surprises! Continue reading “Session Victim/Quarion – Treats Vol.2 – RTR05”

Hunee – Barrio Payment – RTR04

RTR_Label-04After a split 12” and two eps from its founders, your favourite vinyl-only label welcomes an exciting new artist for its fourth release. Hailing from Berlin, Hunee is a true music lover, a passionate dj and an amazing producer (not to mention a top notch friend). His recent productions on Feel Music, w.t. Records and Drumpoet Community have caught the ear of many key players and made him one to watch in 2010. Needless to say, Hunee takes it to a whole other level with his Barrio Payment trilogy: from soulful House to slow-mo Disco via Afrobeat, the producer holds nothing back and that’s exactly how we like it at Retreat hq.
Continue reading “Hunee – Barrio Payment – RTR04”

Quarion – Dusty Fingers – RTR03

RTR_Label-03Just in time to conclude a bittersweet summer (at least in Berlin), Retreat brings the heat with a soulful EP from one of his founders, hotshot producer Quarion.

As the name implies,  Dusty Fingers sees the beatmaker return to his Hip-Hop roots and dig in the crates for a sample-based deep & dirty 3 tracker! Continue reading “Quarion – Dusty Fingers – RTR03”

Session Victim – Out on Love – RTR02

rtr_02Welcome to the 2nd chapter of the RETREAT saga!
Contribute was just a teaser for Session Victim so with Out On Love, Hauke Freer and Matthias Reiling show their true potential through three tracks of undiluted funkiness. Continue reading “Session Victim – Out on Love – RTR02”

Quarion/Session Victim – Treats Vol. I – RTR01

rtr_label-01Is there a better way to introduce a label than by releasing 2 exclusive tracks from its founders? Quarion and Session Victim (featuring Hauke Freer and Matthias Reiling) show what RETREAT stands for with this pancake-hot split EP!

A Night At the Zukunft was inspired by the marvellous club in Zurich and has been a standout during Quarion’s live sets in the last months: shakers and dubby stabs introduces the track that gets later anchored by a tuff beat. You’re already hooked on the floor when the sub bass drops and you’d be happy if the track stays that way… but wait! Rising from the background, Detroitish chords respond to the initial pads and before you know it, you find yourself screaming as the track breakdowns with THAT vocal sample! And since we’re all about the fine things in life here at RETREAT, the A-side ends with a bonus in the form of Zukunft Beats

As you flip the record and the needle hits the first bars of Contribute, you instantly know you’re listening to a floorfiller: the funky guitar and flipping hi-hats make up an exciting intro that leads to a perfect disco loop, featuring counterbeat rhodes chords and a drunken triangle! The groove is just infectious and could convert any non-believer to the power of the ONE (as in the Godfather Of Soul’s meaning of the word). Staying on the JB tip, Contribute then breaks down to the sweetest of bridges, with analog synths and all, before resolving back to the main pattern with a vengeance. Irresistible!

A1  – Quarion – A night at the zukunft
A2 – Quarion – Bonus beats
B1 –
Session Victim – Contribute

[audio:http://www.retreat-vinyl.de/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/rtr01-a1.mp3,http://www.retreat-vinyl.de/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/rtr01-b1.mp3|titles=A night at the Zukunft,Contribute|artists=Quarion,Session Victim]

Release: April 15th 2009