Esalia by Sound Quelle & Referna

With the release of 4 triumphant EPs (including "Ethereal"), several standout mixes on our weekly Silk Music Showcase radio show, and millions of streams on Spotify, it's fair to say that few artists made a bigger splash on our imprint last year than Sound Quelle. It seems fitting, then, that we kick off the new year with a glorious, deep-flavored 3-track offering from the Russian sensation, in collaboration with his gifted countryman Referna.

Sound Quelle & Referna begin with the pensive vocal deep house cut "Esalia," which centers on a chilled, after-hours groove. The main lead element, a sexy, pitched-down vocal, begins at the quarter turn and carries the airy arrangement into the main breakdown. "I feel the night by my side," croons the anonymous vocalist, as moody aural textures fill out the moonlit soundscape. In the closing minutes of the composition, the listener is treated to the initial rhythm (now bolstered by a variety of organic percussive elements) once again, as well as gorgeous flute and xylophone-tinged synth themes.

The lush "Arlea" is another vocal affair; like "Esalia," it was previewed (in mixed form only) on our recent "Only Silk 05" compilation. Once again, a gentle groove and soothing soundscape establish the relaxed tone of the arrangement in the early going. With the arrival of an equally chilled and sensual vocal, the listener is fully set adrift on a sea of hurts-so-good melancholia. The vocal continues into the main breakdown, where the anguished words of the singer come into full focus as a desperate plea to a lover: "Drifting away, moving apart, never stopping / now I'm feeling the space / I'll never run away, I'll never be the same." The final phrases of this refrain are repeated, to poignant effect, in the concluding (drop) phase of the arrangement.

Sound Quelle & Referna's breathtaking "Esalia" EP comes to a close with "Lauria," the jubilant tone of which suggests a hopeful outcome for our romantic protagonist. A swingy, uptempo deep house groove is punctuated by a hypnotic series of vocal stabs and phrases, including the delicious hook "you don't know," which bookends every major phrase in the arrangement. In the main breakdown, evocative pads encircle the vocal effects, as the crescendoing rhythm ultimately delivers a knockout blow in the drop section to follow.