Press- The Fine Art of A White Label

Chicago producer Press's first release offers a solid half hour or so of immediately accessible dance tracks, drawing on his geographical roots in the city that spawned house music while also bringing out elements of electro and even a touch of ambient. Opening track "Bazaar" is probably the least exciting of Press's compositions, but it's a cheerful enough mid-tempo breakbeat track, as is the funky and occasionally spacey "Over The Moon." "Still" is as close as Press comes to avant-garde, starting off with some warm blurry ambient in the vein of early Aphex Twin, but it seems almost tentative until the beats come rolling in to save the day. When Press sticks to his instincts and keeps things rhythmic, though, he's golden, as on the modern acid techno classics "1000 Tiny Footprints" and "1000 Tiny Feet." "Musical User Interface" is also a standout track; with its hypnotically pulsing beats and psychedelic dance floor bliss, it stacks up favorably to Press's Chicago house forefathers. As the album title suggests, Press is well aware of the artistry that goes into crafting quality techno, and this debut album makes it clear that though he's still learning the secrets of the trade, he certainly has no shortage of talent to work with.

Go to www.thefineartofawhitelabel.com for more information on this release.