Rauchereke: Malibu EP Label: 200 Records

Berlin gets a lot of credit for electronic music, but more often than not, something fabulous comes from a German city that isn't Berlin. In this case, it's Rauchereke, from Cologne, who delivers with an EP of four lovely synth-laden house & club beats. The tracks all feature very well-produced melodic synths over a variety of beats ranging from chill to groovy to punchy. The warmest track is #1 "Malibu", the moodiest is #2 (remixed by Till Kruger), and the the best for club drama is #3 "Red Rubin". But my favorite is #4, "Gekko", which is simply gorgeous and builds up beautifully. All four are eminently listenable and fun to play. Do try #4 for sure!

1. 8:21 "Malibu" - Like the title inspiration, this has a warm feel, with lush synths and a bouncy dancey tempo. The claps in the breakdown midway are really nice. Kick back on the beach with this one.
2. 7:04 "Malibu" (Till Kruger Remix) - A moodier and meandering remix of title track with slightly deeper synths and assorted effects, bit more spacey & out there
3. 8:44 "Red Rubin" - Thumpy & punchy beats & hi-hats. Layered synths and glassy tone adds to the drama, good midnight track for the club.
4. 7:43 "Gekko" - This track flows beautifully and maintains a nice funky bass kick throughout. Synth melodies build up to a crescendo of lovely goodness. Easily my favorite track on this EP.