philippe quenum returns to cadenza music with ‘solitaire’, some thirteen years after helping kick start the swiss label with the 2003 release ‘orange mistake’/ funky dandy’. this groundbreaking single, co-produced with luciano, has since become a landmark release, not just for the label, but also as the benchmark for the micro-house and minimal tech-house genre that developed over the decade. with a music career than spans back to the mid-80s (dancing in nyc as part of the breakdance troupe, the magnificent force), quenum found his forte with house music, both as a dj, and as a producer and label owner. setting up the access 58 label in 1998 as a platform for his music and collaborations, quenum has consistently released over the years for labels like crosstown rebels, soma, alphahouse, thema and trapez ltd. ‘solitaire’ finds quenum on fine form, on the lead track, dubby fx and bass shaking shots roll out over an urgent disco beat, muted brass and technoid stabs fire from all directions as the tension building pads flourish. shadowy forces are at play on ‘mystic’, discordant sounds echo and bellow over reverberating percussion and a dense back beat that fire into life with shuffling hi-hats. wrapping up this welcome return to the label is ‘mystery’, whipping snares and industrial clangs rumble over the urgent drums for more hypnotizing dancefloor work from philippe!
