Smallville sub-label, Fuck Reality, have welcomed back Oslo based producer Frantzvaag to express the “fuck reality” sentiment through four lush cuts of classy Norwegian deep house. Having premiered an understated little groover (Saile – ‘What I Feel’) from the other Smallville offshoot Down By The Lake last week, it’s fair to say we’ve fallen victim to the label’s emotional pull. Hailing from Hamburg, Smallville prides themselves on a coherent yet eclectic aesthetic, manifested in everything from eccentric artwork from illustrator Stefan Marx to memorable sloganeering, and of course the signature sound of shimmering deepness. Naturally, the Fuck Reality releases are no exception: EPs that are quirky and refined all at once.
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Fuck Reality 05 is as exceptional and varied as we dreamed it would be, a credit to Frantzvaag who has been increasingly noted in the Oslo scene. Frantzvaags music breathes life into the dancefloor, sanding down the traditional Chicago deep house sound with crush filled samples and lush pads. Deservingly, his debut EP, Fuck Reality 03, yielded support from reputed names like Session Victim, Move D, and Jacques Renault. Something tells us that this EP will do the same.
On the A1, ‘There Is No’ lifts us straight out of mundanity and into a world of melancholic kicks and dreamy vocals. The A2, ‘I Skyene’, is arguably the track of the record. Fittingly, we’re premiering it today. The track has all the components we know and love: warm, downy pads; a groovy bass melody; crisp 808 and vocals draped loosely over the top. But the the contrast between textures ensures that nothing about it feels ‘done before’. With a kick that gets you itching for a boogie, this is the kind of jam that keeps you on the dancefloor in true Fuck Reality style.
On the flip side of the 12”, you’ll find even more vibey goodness. The more subdued but just as club ready ‘Goodbye’ is a perfect testament to the immersive nature of deep house and the groove filled B2, ‘Once Before’, leaves us wishing we could escape to the atmospheric land of Smallville, wherever that may be.
This forthcoming treat is an essential: pre-order it from Juno now.
Lily
