- Matthias Tanzmann's Moon Harbour label based in Leipzig has been releasing deep, minimal and tech house for the last 5 years. 'Bad Ass Mixes' is the label's twenty-third release as Tanzmann and Daniel Stefanik again fuse both of their studio abilities to produce a trip which goes deep into obscure territory.
Stefanik gets us rolling with his remix of 'Them People', a groovy, minimal house piece that builds with a gurgling bassline and plenty of hi-end. There's an element of audacity as it kicks along with an insistent, stabbing synth that receives a little tweak every now and then, as if to emphasise its cheeky nature. An interlude that makes use of some strings breaks up proceedings for a brief moments on this set-building track that's useful for getting the crowd into a groove and in the right mood.
On the flip, things take a slightly different route with Stefanik showing his love for all things Detroit on his own 'Move Me'. This is the live mix of a track that has received props from Villalobos, Andre Galuzzi, David Duriez and John Aquaviva to name but a few. Subdued drums allow the formation of an almost tranquil cadence which creeps along and loiters about until 2 minutes in, when an old-skool synth, sounding like something from Nexus 21, rears its head to give us that 'back in da day' vibe. I like this one best and it really grew on me by building the
anticipation without losing that underground feel.
This latest offering from Moon Harbour will get plenty of play from anyone leaning towards the minimal house sound in their sets but also those of you who like that old-skool Detroit flava. It's a case of East meets West as Tanzmann and Stefanik combine their penchant for underground European house with those early influences that first got them 'bitten by the bug'. One for the track heads out there and one I'll definitely have in the bag ready for the right moment.