Out of the lo-fi crew, DJ Boring seems to be the one that is not content with playing to type, this is despite arguably defining a movement through his iconic 'Winona'. Recently he delivered a mix of wall to wall anthem house music for Crack Magazine, and is then to shift gears entirely as he heads up an I Love Acid event alongside Luca Lozano and John Heckle. Now, he inaugurates the Vienna Records imprint - alongside co-owner Stanley Schmidt of Rivulet Records fame - with a trio of uplifting breaks tracks.
The pair combine on the A-side track 'Stay Young', which is one that deserves to start a million mix tapes over the course of the year. It flips from dewy moments, most significantly in the elongated intro, into bass shaking drops and warehouse bleeps. The juxtaposition meshes perfectly, resulting in an emotional rollercoaster that will have you wanting to both stand still with a tear in the eye and drop shoulders for a shakedown on the floor.
Over on the flip, the B-side tracks see the producers take a spotlight each. DJ Boring continues in a whimsical nature on 'Butterfly Walk', bringing in a four to the floor kick and a piano riff that is bright, yet springtime delicate rather than summertime anthemic. Schmidt ups the tempo for a slice of frayed electro on 'I Neva Said It' that gives the release a little frown to finish.
Their future in their own hands, Vienna Records sets off on the right foot. With the lo-fi scene being accused of aesthetic first in the past, there is absolutely no evidence of that here. There is levity without ever resorting to dropping in nostalgic references that forcefully wink at you, nudging with pointed elbows. If anything, this is serious. Seriously good.
Stay Young is out now, pick up a copy from Lobster Records.
TRACKLIST
A1. DJ Boring & Stanley Schmidt - Stay Young
B1. DJ Boring - Butterfly Walk
B2. Stanley Schmidt - I Neva Said It
Discover more about DJ Boring, Stanley Schmidt and Vienna Records on Inverted Audio.
This review was written by myself and published on Inverted Audio on 29th March 2018.