last summer during an evening spent with my friend dj topha, we came upon the everlasting subject of old versus new. i m finding so much great music right now, and not just digging back in time but exploring our own timeline geographically too, he said, the level of production these days is rising fast. you have to check out these snippets from a new label based in casablanca. not long after, in an interesting twist of fate, driss bennis and i began to exchange music: i shared his soundcloud for the first casa voyager release, and he sent me a promo copy which i played out a lot. it seemed only logical to ask him for music for basic moves. later that summer we met in paris for a convivial back to back at dawidu s shop, te iubesc records and sapology. it was as simple as that, and in a few weeks basic moves 04 was ready. night train and overseas blew me away by their quality - the tracks are retro-esque yet fresh, and stem from a loose approach to electro. their arrangements are very smart, not everything is revealed the first time round. the more you listen, the more you understand that the power of the tracks lies in the details. together with ailsa s artwork, stefan s cut and chris mixes the release fell so smoothly into place. i have come to realise how important it is for the scene to release recently produced music as well as treasures from the past. you can t build a community by only playing old records. it s about a combination, about finding gems that glide together. old and new. and for that, i think both these dj booth tracks really fit the bill.

uabos, aka matteo pepe, is a young and rising start from the fashion capital of europe. this milan musician melts the mediterranean with 707 attitude, connecting his homeland with the iconic floor grooves of chicago. warbling acid warmth gives way to spiralling female samples as dusk sets in. the track is pure golden sunshine. tweaked bars are woven through clean drums to form an energy-filled track of explosive properties. polished rhythm patterns scaffold the ep. from this solid base flow clever melodies and dancefloor subtlety. 303s trickle against thick and rich chords for the textured tones of abc dream . uabos grabs his audience, holding them with hypnotic harmonies and an entrancing elegance. but with that is an intoxicating funk, one epitomized in the drill . toms and pads introduce. snares snap as a deep and dense build is constructed, layers bubbling arpeggios support cascading chords for a chitown streaked disco romp. the finale, squash , is living musical liquid. a syrup of synthesized squawk squirms under soaring notes and crisp beats for a jackin infusion.