Vocal Hooked Tech & Minimal Techno Remix From Ida Enberg - Mysterious duo Manqo return to Damian Lazarus' imprint with Always Something. Following their first release on the label in 2021, called Breaking Hearts, their latest two-track EP displays the pair's penchant for compelling house music, produced with a tribal twist. Swedish star Ida Engberg adds her own flavour to the release with a progressive-tinged remix.
The title track opens with a chugging kickdrum and shaker-like percussion, as soft lyrics simmer between a melancholic, piano-led melody. It's moving but still appropriate for an intimate dancefloor. Ida Engberg delivers a progressive take with her remix. She mutates the stems of Always Something by adding dramatic touches to the synthline and stretching out the breakdown to create a tense atmosphere that explodes into a peak-time production. A perfect prog-house meets melodic techno remix.
Damian Lazarus's Crosstown Rebels label always likes to serve up mysterious and shamanic sounds and the Manqo duo sure does that here. 'Always Something' is a deep and rolling grove with hints of tribalism. It takes you far into a humid forest with impish synth spirits and muttered vocals next to meaningful minor chords. The flip side features a remix from Drumcode's Ida Engberg. She flips it into a spine-tingling and melodic cut that is more techno in style but just as hypnotic.