PREMIERE: Leon Revol – Far With A Van (Admin Remix) [Secret Reels]

Secret reels - leon revol

After a brief wait between releases, UK-based deep house label Secret Reels is back with a new record. The imprint bears a sound that is often both bittersweet and pensive — a shout to the aesthetic of the now defunct Purple Velvet — and has a serious nose, err, ear for talent. Bordeaux producer Leon Revol (soundcloud) is at the helm for SR007, after showing promise with releases on the likes of Pressed for Time and Monologues. It’s a five track EP (four originals and a remix) – aptly named Astral Plane – that delves into flavors of the cosmic variety.

The A1 slot is occupied by “Far With A Van”, which our friends at Sleazy Beats gave us a peek into a short time ago. It’s an airy and smooth jam, layered with synths, perfectly tuned drums and smart samples. The title track, “Astral Plane” accompanies it on the art-side, in all its dusty, spacey glory.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/leon-revol-far-with-a-van-admin-remix”/]

On the flip comes our premiere – Bolting Bits favorite Admin‘s remix of “Far With A Van”. The Bristolian beatsmith managed to find the sample used in the original mix (or something in the exact same key and vein), flipping it into a warm, organic version. Thick and crackly drums hold up the track as melancholy strums and angelic horns adorn the arrangement above a bouncing bassline. Ultimately, the track builds to a nicely executed climax; all samples smartly cued and positioned.  It’s a deft re-imagination of the perfectly delicious original take, and repurposes the cut for more sombre, late hours play.

Rounding out the B are “St. James” and “Outside”, two heady synth-led deep house groovers that nicely continue the vibe of the effort. Followers of Secret Reels and their polished deep house sound will not be disappointed by this 12″ in the slightest. Moreover, young Leon has displayed some serious skill here and will surely be a name to watch in the near future.

The Astral Plane EP is available this week at all good record stores. You can preorder it from Juno here.

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Martín Miguel