DESCRIPTION:
Aux 88 Present Black Tokyo Blue Love EP
Label - Puzzlebox Records
Country - US
Released - 20.05.2013
http://www.discogs.com/Aux-88-Present-Black-Tokyo-Blue-Love-Ep/release/4571319
http://www.beatport.com/release/blue-love/1079317

Aux 88 are without a doubt legendary in Detroit Techno/Electro circles having influenced an entire generation of Detroit artists and their 'Black Tokyo' project, involving Ice Truck and Erika Tele alongside Aux 88′s Keith Tucker and Tony Hamilton, although pointed in a different direction further expands their repertoire. Focussing on a slightly different angle, with proper vocals over tough Detroit beats, and with the eyes firmly on the future.
'Blue Love' is a deeply emotive affair, which although having Techno sensibilities sits firmly in the Housier end of things. Crunchy 'top end' percussion and bouncy bassline meld perfectly to form the backbone for this number which may actually be destined for a certain degree of commercial success. The vocals are heavily vocoded but without that intensely annoying 90′s R&B feel, the melodic synths are warm, with just a hint of sadness and the string arrangements are sublime using real violins and a depth of composition not often found in many modern dance tracks. For those who really do not dig the vocals the instrumental is available and is identical in arrangement. I personally dropped this in the middle of a Techno set and it went down a storm!
Finishing the EP off is a track entitled 'Dark Deceptions' overlain with indecipherable, yet sincere sounding Japanese utterances and laid back kraftwerk-esque Electro percussion, this track does have a 'filler' air about it -- but is nice enough and compliments the main tracks well.
To sum up, Blue Love really is more of a single than an EP -- but what a single! It really does have the potential to tap into that 'Inner City' type market, although the slightly wistful rather than upbeat edge to it may prevent it from doing so. Nevertheless, this really deserves some attention from both the Techno and House music arenas. Refreshing.