Back to ’92 for an absolute peach by Kenny Larkin, from the Vanguard EP on Belgium’s Buzz label, who also released the seminal Virtualsex compilation. It’s a strong record all-round – the title track is a beauty too – but Northern Lights really steals the show for me, and it’s a reminder that Larkin really deserves to be held up alongside Carl Craig as one of the best – maybe even the best? – of the second-wave Detroit producers.
Sitting at the deeper end of the era’s techno spectrum, the broken rhythms, interlocking melodies and soft chords are like a warm bath – and it’s not a million miles away from the vibe of another all-time favourite of mine from the same year, Black Dog Productions’ Otaku (which surely deserves a blog entry of its own one day…)
Although the original Buzz pressing isn’t cheap these days, four of the seven tracks were repressed by Rush Hour in 2005, so it’s easy enough to get hold of if you’re new to its charms.
Nothin' But Magic 