Premiere: Yamen & EDA – Retrospect EP (MSMR001)

Known for a series of stunning releases for the likes of One Records, Earlydub and Laate, Yamen & EDA are a France-based duo whose music regularly perks the ears of some of the scene’s most respected names. Their latest release arrives courtesy of their own recently launched label, Maison Mere – and is the sort of intriguing release that’s sure to cement their reputation for polished grooves amongst discerning heads.
Featuring four dubby, dancefloor-flavoured tracks, the Retrospect EP sees the duo in vintage form. Always lively, never boring and perfectly suited to the dynamics of the ‘floor, the release kicks off with ‘Pay Ad’, a perfect tool with which to notch up the night’s intensity. Warm and inviting, it makes for an auspicious start.

‘Pasteis’ sees the boys go deeper still, before the B side gets going with ‘Machine that Thinks’. A zippy, microhouse-inclined track, its subtle nature is matched only by a heady, intoxicating vibe. A trippy insight into how Yamen & EDA operate, it’s bound to turn a few heads whenever it’s unleashed.
Closing out the release is ‘Breakfast Cereals’. A whimsical voyage into the deep, its rich, analogue grooves bare all the hallmarks of two confident producers who’ve been rewarded here for their approach. Ambient but foreboding, it’s a serious battleweapon that is best handled with caution.

For Yamen & EDA, Maison Mere is the culmination of many years work, jamming together and gaining a deep understanding of how the other works. The great thing about the new label, they say, “is the ability to release our music and our friends’ music without any limits, Conceived as a platform to create and experiment, it will be divided in two sides. On one side, the music will be crafted for the dancefloor and on the other side, the sounds will be more personal”. All things considered, Yamen & EDA are off to a flying start here.

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Listen to the premiere of A2 track – Pasteis – below.