Damiano von Erckert - 9/10
'Also Known As Good' (AVA)
For four years now, Damiano von Erckert has been proving that Cologne is about more than just polished Kompakt techno. He and his ava. label excel at perfectly aged and loved-up house marbled with soul, funk and hip hop slouch. This, his second showcase of that sound, is his best yet, and is stuffed with cosy and romantic delights.
A roster of collabs from around the world add their own nuance to each track: everything from lazy stoner beats to driving and dusty club hits via gloriously trilling vocal anthems like 'We Flow.' Nothing feels forced, everything sounds carefully dishevelled and a fuzzy, heart-warming glow permeates the whole LP. It would be hard to find a more genuinely emotional and effusive collection of tracks than this.
To listen to this audio clip, view the full mobile website.