If you like your house music bumpy and soulful then we are certain you will have heard of US label Nervous Records. The eponymous label is drenched in dance music history and while the main label is still home to the biggest names in house music, they have recently launched a vinyl-only sub-label _NRV that caters for underground sounds. Since launching they have welcomed a rather impressive clutch of artists including Jay Tripwire, Alexis Cabrera, CHKLTE, and Miller continues his hot streak with his “Liquid Realm” EP.
We head straight to B-side juice where “Hydrate” offers the perfect balance between soul and tech. Punchy drums and live sampled drums are mangled through all manner of processing before being propelled forward like a metallic rocket. The undulating bassline keeps things funky while dusty key stabs offer the musical highlights to offset the techy grooves. There is a rather satisfying break where the beats and bassline all but completely fall away revealing the room-filling keys before the beats come crashing back into view.
Completing side B is “There Are Tribes Out There” and Miller is on full minimal flex here as he works in several tribal vocal phrases but in true Miller style he feeds them into his vast array of processing units. A much more darker and organic workout he really pushes the boundaries of what _NRV is capable of. Circling back to the beginning of the release we find lead track “Liquid Realm”, and in a style more befitting of the current Nervous Records sound he employs crunchy breakbeats but with the undeniable Miller touch sprinkled all over it.
His use of vocal samples is second to none throughout this release and it is easy to see why he is in such high demand at the moment. This is most definitely not a passing phase as Miller’s star has been steadily rising for some time now.
Miller’s “Liquid Realm” is out now via Juno, but you better be quick as it has already started to sell out in other stores.
More info on Miller
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More info on _NRV
Instagram | Soundcloud | Discogs
