System 5 - Reflection EP

APL09  (Apollo Music Group)

Release Date: Friday 21 October 2016 

Format: Digital 

01. Obsession 
02. Move With Me 
03. Reflection 
04. Reflection (Rob Mello's No Ears Dub) 

Apollo Music Group is a new audio venture between Chicago’s Dan X, DJ Heather and Bristol’s Lil’ Mark. Many will recognize DJ Heather from her seminal Fabric 21 mix CD and OM Records compilations, as Dan and Mark also come with a proven musical pedigree with releases on labels like Classic and Music For Freaks. 

This new release is the debut single from “System 5” which is a new production alias from Apollo label man Dan X, who may be better known for being one half of both groups "No Assembly Firm" and "Dirty Sole".

Under his other monikers, Dan has worked for an extensive list of the industry’s most premier labels, including Classic, Robsoul, Aroma and Doubledown. Respected for a timeless sound, System 5 delivers everything you would expect from a man with such a proven track record.. 

Also featuring on the release is a remix from Rob Mello, a highly regarded British artist with a career that spans over a decade and a half. Along with headlining many of the world’s top club events, he has also made seminal releases for labels including Crosstown Rebels, Classic Music Company and Rekids. 

First on the EP is “Obsession” that has a master-crafted shuffle to the groove and a stuttering acid line, where the rush of warm pads are off set with piercing synth stabs. Already filled with drama and a sense of epic wonder, the tracks vocal sample and gentle conga hit are the icing and cherry on this sweet and delicious cut of timeless House music. 

“Move With Me" is the second original track. Rising pads played with jerking notation enhance the flutter of a two note melody and bass stabs. Finished off with a tribal percussion and crunching claps, the track is filled with summer vibes tailor made for sunshine and terrace parties. 

Track three titled “Reflection” has a morphing acid line layered between a variety of pads that change as the track develops. Some pads are smooth and gliding, others are dramatic stabs, but each is perfectly placed to provide maximum momentum. Combining this with the tracks jacking groove makes it distinctly individual and tailored to the dancefloor. 

The Rob Mello remix of “Reflection” finishes off the EP as track four on the release, which focuses on the originals jacking groove, has added cosmic flair. With a looped groove, Rob makes subtle use of the originals acid line and focuses things round a breezy synth part. More upbeat with added tension and funk, this is arguably a masterclass in how to put your personal stamp on a remix.