- Mak & Pasteman's penchant for UK-centric house and their consistent release schedule make them a shoo-in for the sprawling Unknown To The Unknown discography. Like label boss DJ Haus, the Leeds duo play fast and loose with percussive dance music, though they're often prone to big-room theatrics. Thankfully, their first UTTU 12-inch sticks to the point with two particularly rugged cuts of hardware house.
"PercWerc" and "T2000" are both void of the growling basslines Mak & Pasteman use to beef up their tunes, and the extra space keeps each mix lean and punchy. Hi-hats slice cleanly through synth stabs and vocal stutters on the A-side, while the B-side's nimble organ bass rolls through crisp snares—nothing gets gummed up in overblown low-end or noisy atmospherics. Since Dance Tracks Vol. 1 is said to inaugurate a new series inspired by classic Chicago house, it's unlikely that Mak & Pasteman have ditched their usual flashy production approach. But this record still proves that, for them, less can definitely be more.
TracklistA Percwerc
B T2000