Drum machines, electric pianos, and catchy vocal samples take center stage on Georgi Barrel’s “Rhyme Goes On,” a nostalgia-soaked 12” on the Istanbul/Barcelona-based record label Petra. Joining a catalog of quality releases by Niclas Kannengiesser, Ugur Project, and label owner, Eren Erdol, PTR018 fits nicely into the label’s ethos of releasing timelessly-good music with little care for the boom and bust cycle of passing trends.

On both “Rhyme Goes On” and “Recycle,” Barrel works to reinterpret tried-and-true sounds and combine them in new and exciting ways. Its mission accomplished in our minds as both originals (and their remixes) hold their own in our crates next to recent favorites and re-discovered classics. Smart, swift arrangements keep things interesting as sampled raps repeat over jazzy chords, dusty drums, and rolling bass lines. On remix duties for “Recycle” is German veteran Hodini, a Bolting Bits favorite with standout EPs on Money$ex and Wolf Music and previous remixes on Toy Tonics and Tenderpark. Stretching out the original arrangement, Hodini turns “Recycle” into a DJ’s dream that rides out a brilliantly simple groove that does away with the original vocal in favor of sultry chords and steady drums.

[soundcloud url= “https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/georgi-barrel-rhyme-goes-kerem-akdag-remix” /]

For the rework of the title track, Petra stayed in-house, tapping up-and-comer Kerem Akdag to add some synth-laden goodness to the rough and raw original. By subduing the original vocal sample, Akdag lets his synthesizers do the talking. Lush pads, subtle bass, and delay-soaked leads come together in a compelling arrangement that begs for a replay after its reasonably quick runtime. The various elements weave together to make every changeup feel like a familiar surprise as they take turns leading the track.

Rhyme Goes On drops next month exclusively on vinyl. Pre-order the release and check out the rest of Petra’s releases on their website here.