First appeared in 6AM at the Garage, August 25 2014
KVK800 is the 8th record off Rudolf Nordstöm and Oscar Wedren’s label, Karlovak. The Swedish Duo, commonly known as Mr. Tophat and Art Alfie, are making a huge impact in the electronic music community, and take influence from anything from old disco to jazz.
This two-track record, consisting of Limehouse Afternoon (A) and Karlsson’s Dub (B), continues the lively, infectious and groovy mood of their past releases.“Limehouse Afternoon” is a simple yet enjoyable track just shy of nine minutes. With a light-hearted disco feel and the subtle intensity of its hypnotic sounds and bass, the Swedes have provided a strong groove and large soul. The repetitive drums and slowly filtered samples make for a very chilled out and pleasant sound.
On the other hand, “Karlsson’s Dub” expresses itself in an exciting take on club-centric house. You can’t help but feel the high energy of pounding percussion and echoing vocals as this powerful funky track displays a playful tune, built to fuel dancefloors into early hours of the morning
Since the release of their first Karlovak EP in January 2013 they have had seven releases. Their success has been notable, with “KVK300” coming in at number 28 in Resident Advisors top 50 tracks of 2013. In a strange turn of events, “KVK400” never even hit the shelves after the entire batch of vinyl was seized by French authorities for containing a “suspicious substance”.
Nordstöm and Wedren’s passion for sampling old disco records and creating raw yet playful tunes will no doubt continue to spark interest in many disco and house lovers.
