This one is a double first for ​Shall Not Fade​ – the launch of the new ​Killer Cuts​ series focused on groove-heavy dancefloor fillers, and ​Marc Brauner’s​ debut on the Bristol label.

The born-and-raised Berliner has previously released on German labels ​Midnight Snack​s and ​Pentagonik​, and joins the ​Shall Not Fade​ roster with a collection of classic house tracks to make you miss the clubs. Brauner covers a breadth of moods on the record, the A-side filling you up with euphoria; opener ‘Too Real’ is a gorgeous bit of lofi house tinged with funky guitar inflections and a retro feel that sweeps across the whole release. ‘Things I Did’ and ‘Tool For Lovers’ drag you out of winter and into a 90s Ibiza summer, utilising a 303 bassline and classic house stabs to warm up your dancing feet. In comparison to the warmth of the first half of the record, the B-side gets more haunting in tone, first by introducing rolling breaks in ‘I Know You Would’ and especially in ‘Tears of a Fallen Angel’. This is the emotional core of Brauner’s offering, euphoria tinged with sadness over a punchy rhythm that juxtaposes the subtle vocals woven throughout. The record closes with a hint of post-disco; ‘Neptun’ is a real groover of squelchy electro synths that is reminiscent of Patrick Cowley and the early, smoky nightclubs of New York. The bonus digital track ‘Out of Time’ carries on a similar energy – it’s a piece that doesn’t keep still, glittering with playful synth melodies and a surging cacophony of vocal samples.

You can now listen to the full premiere of ‘Too Real’ exclusively on When We Dip. Enjoy!