Roman FLugel – TWo EPS

Running Back, Gerd Janson’s label out of Frankfurt, have been one of the strongest house and techno labels over the last few years and here they serve up two retrospective releases from the institution that is Roman Flugel.

Eight Miles High EP

This is a collection of loopy, jackin techno rescued from old DAT tapes, presumably dug out of a long forgotten box under mr Flugel’s bed next to his collection of Pogs and old football sticker albums. Done under the name Eight Miles High, I’m not sure when these DATs are from, but the tracks put me squarely in mind of late 90s thump thump that wouldn’t be out of place at Atomic Jam or Voodoo circa 1998.

Side A kicks off with Outtake and its churning synth patterns overlaid with layers of 909 percussion. Following on from that is Razor Dub which starts off with a spaced out skank which is joined by a solid kick and machine gun hats.

The B side is a collection of 3 separate loops. Off kilter, 909 jackness with very little variation but I then again that’s the point. Dancefloor fodder like it used to be.

Roman IV / Holy Garage – Split EP – Running Back

Again these are more old DAT tapes that Roman Flugel has dug out, dusted off and sent along to his buddies at Running Back.

The A side was done under his Roman IV moniker and starts off with ‘Happy’ which is an outing of lovely, loopy house music. There’s the pitched rhodes stabs, there’s the perc organ, there’s and incessant high hat and the snippets of female vocal. A bit of a heads down groover. This is followed by ‘Heaven Knows’ which gives a bumpety rhythm, a funky base line and some vocal samples. Lovely, stripped down, Chicago leaning house music.

The B side ‘Diver Down’ was produced under the name Holy Garage alongside Jrn Elling. This is a deeper, more spacious affair than the A side. Sweeping atmospheric pads to start, some tremolo chords and a lovely round bass tone poking in and out. A nice, laid back groove kicks in and meanders its way through the rest of the track. A set starter, or a nice break track when the tempo needs to come off the boil.

All in all, two very different but high quality trips into the vaults of Romal Flugel from the ever impressive Running Back label. Both EPs are out now.

Running Back

Reviewed by Joe Europe.

Out now.