Lee Van Dowski & Dean Demanuele – What’s Up Doc?

Label: Dazed & Confused Score: 7.5/10 

Lee van Dowski & Dean Demanuele have proven themselves to be a seriously expert production duo over the course of their past few releases, with the general consensus seeming to be that they’re getting better and better with each passing release. After EPs on Intacto and Mobilee, their latest comes at us courtesy of Dean’s own label, Dazed & Confused, and it’s clear from the first beat that this is an effort that means business.

The release itself is called ‘What’s Up Doc?’ and the original is a teasing monster of a track that makes clever use of a mound of white noise and a bassline that’s dark, menacing and sure to cause the proverbial consternation on the floor. The low-end frequencies are expertly executed, and if this is the sound of the boys in the techno domain, then this change in direction is one that gets a firm thumbs up from us.

‘Mine O Mine’ is a more considered effort, with only a few parts vying for attention. Zippy and nimble, it follows a path that takes on new sounds along the way, and while it’s more of a tool than anything else, its chords unsure it’s a tool of some potency at the same time. My pick of the litter, is culminating effort, ‘Shove it Up’, a gem of a track that harks back to vintage Chicago. Classy and refined, it showcases the many sides of the EP with a real zest that’s tough not to admire.