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Canadian artist Jay Tripwire brings his sophisticated tech-house sound to Berlin’s Natural Rhythm label with two gear driven originals that are top notch. The label also tacks on a variety of remixes that offer subtle shades of the original with few new insights or revelations. Overall, the EP serves up two fine Tripwire originals, always a plus, but could of cut a remix or two for a higher quality release.

Husband and wife couple Horatio and Larisse Van Doorn rework Tripwire’s analog original “Loveage” into the kind of stomping floor filler needed to kick-start the beginning of an EP. This remix has a nice house feel but without much variance making it perfect for the big room at peak hour and not much else.

Popular Romanian producer Negru handles the second remix of the title track and gives it a chugging, Eastern European tech-house makeover. The track is low slung, head down tech house for a rowdy mass of partiers. Again, there is not much to this track so the opportunities to use it throughout the night are limited.

After wading through two punchy remixes, the laidback house percussion of the “Loveage” original feels like a warm, summer breeze in comparison. As always, Tripwire builds the track slowly around an active low end. The musical elements are rich as the track weaves through a variety of moods before reaching its final destination. Scant and haunting melodies meander their way into the picture on the back third of the track and carry things out on a strong note.

French producer Andrade brings a similar touch to his remix of the second original, “True Fist of the North Star”. The analog elements and chiming Detroit meets Continental tech-house feel is on par with both of the originals. It is as if the remix is vibing off of the same root source and conjuring similar results with out being derivative.

The Katoline version tries the murky mid-tempo approach on the second remix. The steppy percussion has an interesting nu disco approach but is saddle to a track that doesn’t do much else outside of a few dramatic accents.

Jay Tripwire’s original version of “True Fist of the North Star”, which follows a similar analog trajectory to it’s a-side predecessor. Once again, the track is built around a classy bass line and adorned in a rich musical adornment of melody and transition. Tripwire is a skilled technician and could have aided his cause here with two fewer remixes in substitute for more of his original material.

Artist: Jay Tripwire Title: Lovage EP Label: Natural Rhythm TracklistLoveage - Original MixTrue Fist of The North Star - Original MixLoveage - Horatio & Larisse Van Doorn RemixLoveage - Negru RemixTrue Fist of The North Star - Andrade RemixTrue Fist of The North Star - Katoline Remix www.nrlabel.com soundcloud.com/jaytripwire Our rating: 7/10