At only 19 years old, French producer THEOS says that last year he decided to dedicate his life to music. Now he has scored his first vinyl EP, continuing Shall Not Fade’s new Killer Cuts series that focuses on no-filler dancefloor oriented house music. There’s more than a touch of French to the funky groove of We Miss The Crowd, featuring collabs from Denyl Brook, Cosmonection and Romeo Louisa.
Opening out the record, “Lie Machine” is a delicious warm-up for what is to come. The unstoppable bassline and disco guitar samples get your hips moving while vocal snatches get into your head and won’t get out. The title track’s sultry groove is similarly catchy, with the pulsing kick and deep bass melody evoking a nod to the deep tech sound of UK house music but panning synths adding that filter house edge, sweeping the listener on to “Keep Creating Your World”. The hard pulse of this track is balanced with sweeping pads, ethereal and summery. Organic jazzy piano loops take centre stage in the sublime production.
Onto the B-side and three stellar collaborations with some more of the best France has to offer; “Jazzy Cruise” with Denyl Brook is skippy, upbeat day party gear, with classic noughties filter sounds that tease the ears. THEOS and Cosmonection work together on “Unusual Ego”; sweet fuzzy chords but an Ed Banger style melody keep the record pumping for the closer, “Spread Positivity” with Romeo Louisa. Cool and dance floor ready, the climax of the EP is full of nothing but good vibes.
Don’t miss out on the digital bonus track from THEOS either; “Livin’ & Lovin” is a pumping deep house tool guaranteed to get hands in the air.