- Few dance floors didn't belong to Paul Woolford at some point in 2013. Between his prodigious Special Request output and omnipresent "Untitled" single, the multifaceted UK producer had himself a banner year in both underground and mainstream circles. So it's understandable that he'd want to follow the streak with a likeminded 12-inch, even as it undermines his reputation as a shapeshifting innovator. Orbit / MDMA offers two burly floorfillers that split the difference between Special Request's limber, weighted drum machines and Woolford's knack for simple but effective pleasures.
Woolford buries the lead track here, tossing "MDMA" and its triumphant piano on the B-side. "Orbit" isn't necessarily a lesser track, but it pushes a stomping, predictable churn that seems focused on gaps between big-room payoffs like its counterpart. But there's no doubt that "MDMA" will get the most attention, and simply because it asks for it. Sticky vocals, big piano hooks, crunchy beats, and even subtle acid touches—Woolford laces his techy jaunt with just about every trick he can reach. The results feel surprisingly fresh for a tune with so much in common with its immediate predecessor, though it won't replace the timely and unexpected adrenaline shot that was "Untitled."
TracklistA1 Orbit
B1 MDMA