The Melbourne underground house scene has a bright new voice in Loure. With his latest EP, Outta 106, dropping on his own label, Nothin Personal, Loure establishes himself as a radically inventive house musician who leans as much into neo-soul and free-form jazz as deep house. Tapping into a stunning, kinetic livewire of soul-infused, effusive house-jazz that incorporates live instrumentation, Loure’s music cuts straight to the heart and burrows itself there with warm, gentle ease.
Across 6 gorgeous tracks, Loure displays his innate ear for swooning melodies and improvisatory instrumental jam-outs. On penultimate B-side track, “Heavyweight Sinner”, Loure dials down the sky-razing intensity of the previous 4 tracks and lets listeners be carried off on a more relaxing vibe. Coming off the heels of the drum’n’bass and sax-filled B-side opener, “The Walk Home”, this track fades in with a warping synth and delicate keys that then segue into a drum pattern and warbly bassline that would fit right at home on a Herbie Hancock record. This track comes as a welcome respite from the EP’s pervasive, soaring emotional catharsis. However, this is not to say the track feels lifeless or is any less impactful. Even as it gains momentum with a sublime bass-solo at its peak, the track never gets ahead of itself, perpetually keeping the listener in a tranquil state to luxuriate in.
Loure’s music, and this track in particular, represents a subset of house music that transcends a merely vibe-setting idiom. Utilizing key elements of this style, Loure imbues this track with so much personality, dexterity, and soul, it feels essential in the context of the EP, and moreover, for anyone looking to explore a more jazz-inflected strain of house.
Gilad
