ASTROVIBE by RETRO ACTIVITY

Enrico Mantini and Pepe Villalba already made a sterling start with the Purism label, and now it's time for Retro Activity to step up with some striking diversions from the standard minimal house template. Drums are the order of the day on "SK-1", and what drums they are - loose, limber, expressive rhythms in a funked up, breakbeat style but certainly not any of the over-familiar breaks you're used to. "Venera 8" is a cosmic trip laden with spaced out FX wobbles and a rubbery bassline, and "Astrovibe" takes things in a stellar techno direction with sumptuous arpeggios and classic Detroit-flavoured drum machine flair.