+ Remixes from ISSA / Soledrifter / Callvin / WillowMan / Thea Austin
With the tell-tale signs of summer easing their way into everyday life, attention turns to the inevitable soundtrack; with song-writing maestro ISSA – whose recent releases have seen her join the ranks of iconic labels like SIMMA Red and Madhouse – collaborating with the legendary Thea Austin on what might be the coolest groove of the year so far, you may not have to look far.
Sweet is a blissful showcase for deep house done properly: playful piano keys fuse with a rolling groover of a bassline, funky guitar licks and of course Thea Austin’s inimitable vocals that transport you to any sun-kissed paradise. You’ll recognise Thea Austin as the unmistakable singer behind 90s dance classic Rhythm Is A Dancer, but here, the song-writing and production expertise of both ISSA and Thea proves to be a collaborative dream team with both parties sharing the song-writing credit on this particular track. Taking inspiration from the genre’s classics, Sweet has everything required to entice even the most relaxed sun-worshipper to the dance floor; house music has always had a close affinity with a strong vocal and Sweet captures the tenacity of Thea’s entire range perfectly. This is a release for the house heads, delivered just in time by this summer’s freshest production talent.
“We created ‘Sweet’ in Sedona, Arizona which is well-known as a high energy, spiritual vortex and as a result, it’s got so much energy and a high vibration which translates perfectly to the dance floor” – ISSA & Thea Austin
Not content with delivering just one standout track, Sweet comes packaged with several ready-to-go remixes which expand on the original mix. With a keen ear for talent, ISSA has drafted in Callvin, Soledrifter and WillowMan, and given them the platform to present their own unique take on the track, as well as encouraging the incredible song-writing and production talents of Thea Austin herself, who as a result, has stepped into the studio to deliver her first ever remix – another reason to mark this EP for standout success.
Those eager to hear Thea’s production debut won’t be disappointed – pushing a stripped back, deep house vibe that entwines her seductive vocal with horns and a real summery, tribal feel, this is a seriously strong start for one of dance music’s icons. Next up, Brazil’s Callvin takes the tempo up a notch on his mix with a focus on the extended vocal and a variation on the keys that takes it into late night territory. Following this is long-time ISSA collaborator, Soledrifter, whose mix steps the bassline up with some serious funk and takes us on an effects-laden journey through the night to the earlier hours of the morning when reality is starting to get lost in the groove. And finally, WillowMan brings things back down to earth with his synth-led version that reigns in the bassline and lets Thea’s incredible vocal do the hard work – expect a rolling, funky take on the track which is just, well – Sweet.
Often, a vocal can feel forced when reimagined from the original track, but such is the power of Thea Austin’s voice, every track on the Sweet release feels like it was written with this exact vocal in mind. ISSA has spent years honing her craft, and the results pay off – with three consecutive #1 Dance Chart singles under her belt already, it’s not hard to imagine that Sweet will be taking that total to four.