Creta Kano – ‘Skyway Motel’ 12″ [Happy Skull]

Really gotten in to this plate the last few weeks, it seems to just keep popping up on the deck when I don’t know what I want to put on next. Creta Kano delivers the sixth release on the Happy Skull label, with a pretty straight-forward plate of blissful house, really well balanced throughout.

Three cuts totalling seventeen minutes of semi-joyful floor tunes; lazy and laidback with enough attitude to keep people moving. It uses the classic sounds from the machines that sound tracked the ‘80s, battering out intense drum patterns that are in turn severely softened by the dreamy synths.

As much as we dig the title track, the highlight for us is what comes on the b-side. ‘False Water’ is tough enough to pass muster with Detroit’s new generation, reminding us of the early FXHE offerings, but even more worn down and raw, as if the master tape is on it’s last legs of rerecording. Absolutely spot-on with attitude and executed perfectly.

‘Skyway 81’ is on a similar tip but driven by washed out synth instead of the beat machines. Here’s where the soundtrack aspect comes in, as the samples (if any) could’ve come from an old VHS tape of b-grade horror.

Discogs reveals that this is the second Creta Kano release, though 2013’s Shinjuku 12″ on Pinkman passed us by unnoticed, despite a Legowelt remix closing it off. Not sure what he’s got next but keen to check it out, as the overall filtered down sound tying these cuts together is something pretty special that we’re always on the hunt for, rarely done well, and almost never done this good.

Title track below, complete with a dope Max Kelan directed video that captures the spirit perfectly. Gotta say, big ups Happy Skull for keeping the costs reasonable. In a world where singles are increasingly costing £9 or more, I was pretty happy to pick up three quality tracks for £6.

via Happy Skull
Happy Skull’s first release of 2015 comes from UK based artist Creta Kano, who first impressed with his 2013 debut on Rotterdam’s Pinkman Records. He showcases his highly melodious and deeply textured sound across three tracks for the Bristol imprint.

‘Skyway Motel’ is an emotive, Detroit inspired amalgamation of warm chords and rolling drum machine rhythms. The track’s romantic qualities are emphasised on ‘Skyway 81’, a screwed, pitched-down version that re-casts the original as a serotonin fuelled slow jam. ‘False Water’ completes the package. A sprawling trip in to broken techno territory, reminiscent of 90’s era Rephlex.