parisian dj and producer kiddy smile embodies the lifeblood of house music past and present. his music flashes with nostalgia for those mid-80s new york basements where house music first came alive. ‘teardrops in the box’ pulses with the intoxicating energy of a ball in kiddy’s native paris, with its deep-rooted traditions but its intensely forward-focussing culture. following up on his fearsome debut ‘let a b!tch know’ on defected, kiddy smile has deployed the well-established remixing capabilities of mystic bill, a house champion from the underground schools of detroit and chicago. his ‘jersey dub’ eases back on the tempo for a syncopated strut to the garden state, while the ‘vocal mix’ is a bulkier prospect, emphasising kiddy’s growling vocal with some serious attitude bass. finally, his vinyl-exclusive ‘acid mix’ is specifically designed for getting twisted on dark, underground floors. cowbell and raw synths give ‘teardrops in the box’ unadulterated dancefloor credentials but this is more than a club record, the layers to this track run deep.