Aptly entitled The Collective, the EP features three cuts from Cowles and one from Harden. The former first came to the attention of dance music lovers via a slew of high-octane techno releases back in the nineties, notably for the Djax-Up-Beats imprint. Although having clearly mellowed since those early days, on the evidence of his trio here Cowles has lost nothing of his power and drive even if the emphasis has now shifted more to melody, mood and the funk. Fierce, sassy and outrageously uplifting is the only way to describe paean to ‘my man’, Joy Of My Life. The Power is similarly brash and bold though lyrically darker, whilst Jazz Juice is a fantastically punchy percussion-drive workout.

Harden, who grew up on a staple diet of jazz from the likes of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock coupled with the sounds of the burgeoning house scene of his hometown during the mid-80s, did not cut his teeth on labels such as Relief Records, Moods & Grooves and Nite Life Collective for no reason. His contribution here, The Drive, shows us exactly why; infectious, groove-heavy, jazz-inspired house of the highest order.