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Momento
Now into his second decade as a genre-bending producer and international touring DJ, Copenhagen-based Norwegian Mikkas Skulstad serves up his latest release as Djuma Soundsystem - another tech-house gem from Steve Bug's Audiomatique stable. 'Momento' showcases his fine ear for unconventional combinations of tone and texture, as insistent stabs are married to a bassoon-like melody. Testimony to years of experience, its layers build up organically to work a subtle, sinuous, snake-charming hypnotism. On remix duty, Patrick Chardronnet adds a heavy bass wobble and droning layers that buzz with febrile energy. A hands-in-the-air section of scything synths unveils the original's latent power. This is heady, driving, relentless house music, burnished in its final minute by stirring orchestral strings. In 'Beatboxer', a crisp and crunchy rhythm loop underpins a wonderfully inventive high-definition groove. Layers of tribal percussion are added to the reverberating mix on a musical odyssey that more than merits its 10-minute running time.