Session Victim can do no wrong in our eyes. Not only do they run an absolutely brilliant vinyl-only label known as Retreat with the help of fellow Berliner Quarion. Not only do they play an amazing live set which has seen recent fans at London’s Corsica Studios get so worked up they started crowd-surfing. Not only were they responsible for last years’ underground hit Good Intentions which is so good it had Move D in tears as he closed a festival set with it last summer. On top of all this they’re the nicest and most focused couple of chaps you ever did meet. In short, we’re very proud and happy to be presenting their debut LP The Haunted House Of House on our humble label. As with our last LP from the mighty 6th Borough Project, we have made the LP available as both a beautifully packaged triple pack vinyl as well as CD.
Opening track Dark Sienna sets the mood and serves as a good taster of what you can expect from their highly accomplished debut. We’re talking looped up deep-disco territory here with a lovely mid-tempo rolling groove driven along by open hats and a square wave bassline, lush string sections and dubbed vocal hits all adding heat to the mix.
Zoinks continues the theme with the perfect balance of organic drums, dusty stabs and a healthy dose of solid gold machine-funk. Push Comes To Shove follows, upping the pace slightly and resulting in one of the more obvious floor friendly cuts (or should i say as obvious as it gets with Session Victim!).
Next up is the more laid back yet still seriously head-nodding vibe of Alpine Glow on which the SV boys even manage to make a cut-up Mark King-esque slap bass sample sound good! Haunted House dives straight in next with an uptempo jam featuring a heavy disco groove and compressed pads laced with subtle arpeggiating acid lines. Some Balearic vibes are offered up next as things continue with Cow Palace and Bison until we’re hit with a special new LP version of Good Intentions, the original having been only available on vinyl so far.
Time to shake things up a bit next with a definite highlight of the LP - Light Scent of Decay. As the acronym of the title suggests we are heading straight into psychedelic territory with this beautiful 9 minute and 40 second long live jam drawing us deep into its pleasantly off-kilter confines. Next the boys drop it down a bit for Fine, which sees the duo opt for some headnodding hip hop vibes. And finally we have the spellbinding Flying Visit to leave us on a total high.
Coming on like some long-lost Nightmares On Wax classic, we are treated to a gentle Balearic beauty which should leave you in no doubt that you’re in capable hands with Session Victim at the helm.
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