Artist : Stelios Vassiloudis
Title : It Was What It Was Remixes
Label : Bedrock Records
Cat : BEDSVRMX2
Release : Jan 20th 2014
Genre : Deep House/Tech House/Progressive House
Review by Andy Howarth
Stelios’ success with Bedrock Records in recent years has been the result of hard work and dedication to his craft. By his own words, Digweed was far from immediate in snapping up his work for release, and it took quite a while for the Greek to get noticed by the Prog-House luminary (although I think these days John would prefer not to be lumbered with genre allocations regarding his style).
However, once he had secured a place amongst the roster of esteemed artists on the Bedrock imprint, he was quick to cement himself as a worthy addition, and his 2011 artist album ‘It Was What It Was’ was testament to this. This fresh EP contains a selection of remixes by some of Stelios’ friends who have each chosen a track from the album and given it a re-rub for 2014.
The array of work on display here varies from the wistfully sun-drenched to the brutally pounding, and whether you’re after a dab of smooth atmospherics (‘Repetition’ John Dalagelis Remix) or just some vicious acid (‘What’s That’ Arjun Vagale & Ramiro Lopez Remix), you should be well catered for here. Satoshi Tomiie’s remix of ‘Green In Blue’ is a particular standout, and in true Satoshi fashion, he’s crafted a patient and subtle Prog-Houser that employs a bold, yet never overpowering bassline as the foundation.
Be it terrace-soothing Deep House, slow-burn Ambient, or Gary Beck style Techno, there’s a track or two here that will have your ears pricked. In what has been a mammoth few years for the veteran label, this latest remix EP shows that there isn’t likely to be any respite in the hi-grade release schedule for the year ahead. Love him or Loathe him, Diggers clearly knows how to pick ’em.
