- Glistening electro on Will Saul's label.
- Tom Ruijg is currently releasing music at a level of quality that makes a rise in profile seem inevitable. The Amsterdam artist's highlights so far include "Skyfall," the lead track from his debut release under the Tracey alias; "Testarossa," which appeared on the followup EP for Voyage Direct; and, well, everything on his EP last year for Midland's Intergraded label. He sometimes sounds like Larry Heard, other times its Drexciya or E.R.P. But whether he's making house, electro or something more freeform, most of his music is united by a feeling of warm reverie, even when the beats have some bite, as on Metamorphosis for Aus Music.
It would be easy to miss just how robust some of these tracks are amidst the sunny panoramas. The title track is at once a highlight of this EP, one of the strongest tracks Ruijg has written, and the toughest beat he's laid down. It has one of those perfectly compressed kick and bassline combos, which plays off against three dreamy melodies of varying timbres. It's perhaps a shame for some DJs that "Mind Powder" is so fast (150 BPM), because it's also one of Ruijg's better efforts. Imagine Detroit In Effect with less sleaze and more poise and you've basically got it. Electro rhythms and firm drum programming also power the other two tracks. "Blue Invasions" is warm and sincere, while "Helix" has a playful acid lead and '80s undertones. After four EPs, it seems that Tracey is less interested in ripping up the house and electro rulebook than writing fond tributes and subtle updates. It's a formula that, for the moment at least, is really working for him.
TracklistA1 Metamorphosis
A2 Mind Powder
B1 Blue Invasion
B2 Helix