Artist: Sidney Charles
Album: House Lessons
Label: AVOTRE
Released: 23/02/15
Over the last 18 months the prolific German DJ & Producer Sidney Charles has released tracks on numerous labels such as VIVa, Moda Black and I Am A House Gangster, while at the same time working as A&R for Santé’s up-and-coming Avotre imprint. From DJ’ing around the world to holding down a residency at Sankeys, Ibiza, Sidney has somehow managed to prioritise time to create his debut album, entitled ‘House Lessons’. This compilation includes exclusive unreleased original tracks, remixes and collaborations with Darius Syrossian, Luna City Express, Hot Since 82, Patrick Topping, Pan-Pot, Kalyde and Santé. The album encapsulates many aspects of contemporary club music that consists of broken beats, dub-tech, minimal techno and house cuts, showing Charles' to be not merely talented, but on the pulse.
‘House Lessons’ is a brave and slightly unpredictable transition from the dancefloor music to the studio as there are some areas of experimentation within this compilation. It opens with Drama – an 116bpm dub-tech track that sets the mood perfectly. The mix then moves into some raw jacking house with Darius Syrossian’s remix of Housin Tha Rave. We then drift into some tech house with Luna City Express remixing a Sidney Charles original. Sidney’s veneration of the 90’s NYC’s house music becomes apparent with his take of Hot Since 82’s Pound with those heavy kicks, dusty hats and crisp claps. It then blends seamlessly into raw dancefloor bangers like Psyjack, Horny and Patrick Topping’s remix of 303 Love Story. As the tempo surges we experience the true extent of Sidney Charles’ production capabilities, then next up Santé and Sidney Charles create yet another explosive track entitled TXL. Sidney's remix of Pan-Pot’s Kelper is one of my favourites in the compilation as it maintains that wobbly 303-synth sound but still has a firm Charles’ footprint on it.
It might be argued premature to release an album this early in his production career, but Charles has actually been DJing for far longer, and presents this as a fitting testament to his long-standing passion and talent for electronic music.
WORDS | Ramsay Muir
Tracklist:
01. Sidney Charles – House Lesson Intro
02. Sidney Charles – Drama
03. Sidney Charles – Stripped Tease
04. Sidney Charles – Housin Tha Rave (Darius Syrossian Remix)
05. Sidney Charles – Accepting The Past (Luna City Express Remix)
06. HS82 – Pound Your Soul (Sidney Charles Remix)
07. Sidney Charles – Rumpshaker
08. Sidney Charles – Nuts
09. Sidney Charles feat. HM – 303 Love Story (Patrick Topping Remix)
10. Sidney Charles – Psyjack
11. Sidney Charles – Horny
12. Pan-Pot – Kepler (Sidney Charles Remix)
13. Sidney Charles – Cave Rave (Kalyde Remix)
14. Sidney Charles & Santé – TXL
15. Sidney Charles – Silky Thread
16. Sidney Charles – Disco Nap
