This doubled-sided EP from Danny J Lewis (Defected, MAW Records, Soulfuric Trax etc.) delivers two quite different tracks. A2 “The Dancer” pairs crisp organ chords, a gentle warm pad and a couple of vocal snippets over Lewis’ trademark skippy garage house beats, resulting in a competent if unremarkable jam. A1 “Life” however, takes things to a quite different place. Channeling the spirit of Kerri Chandler, “Life” sounds like it is two separate tracks edited into one with a darkly euphoric break section in one key and then a Chandler-style-stab section in another, with a tasty cowbell livening up Lewis’s shuffled snares and hats. As is always the case with Lewis, the beats are effective, not flashy and with no extraneous flab, no un-needed flams, fills or rolls and not one single hat or snare wasted.

The chords on the breakdown here are epic and a little rave-flavoured and he’s thrown in a siren over the top too which is rarely a bad thing. The tune alternates between the clarion-call stabs and the rave chords of the breakdown and it’s the alternation between the two that makes this worth playing and that will keep your dance floor on its toes.

Danny J Lewis: Life / The Dancer (Just Underground / Digital)
1. Danny J Lewis: Life (Extended Mix) (08:33)
2. Danny J Lewis: The Dancer (Extended Mix) (07:28)

⚪️ Disclosure Statement: This record was submitted as a promo.

This was originally published in #Expansion: 5 Mag Issue #198 with Louie Vega, Brian Jackson, Beretta Music and more. Support 5 Mag by becoming a member for as little as $1 per issue.