Niko Maxen – The Quest [Pathway Traxx]

Niko Maxen - The Quest [Pathway Traxx] 01

Niko Maxen – The Quest [Pathway Traxx]

Niko Maxen returns to his vinyl-only record label Pathway Traxx with “The Quest” EP alongside Vlad Arapasu and Viceversa on remix duties. Founded in 2013 in Leeds, the imprint takes influence from a wide spectrum of sources ranging from the warehouse parties of Chicago, mid-’90s house and all the way through to the contemporary Romanian minimal sound. Among the artists that so far contributed to the catalogue we find Jackmaster K, Federico Curatolo, Liam Geddes, DJ Wild, Kepler, Ray Mono, Justin Pak, Nolga and LOy.

Niko Maxen is well-known for his intense activity in the international underground scene for quite some time now, having shared the decks with numerous artists while delivering outstanding materials with labels like Shadow Sanctuary, Tzinah, Phorus, Hoarder, Fantastic Friends Recordings, Aesthetic, Rowle, Roche Noire, Liniar, Blind Vision Dubs and OGE. Influenced by his parents, he developed a strong passion for music and collecting vinyl since he was very young while his hometown, a place with a rich rave and party heritage going back to the dawn of electronic music, provided a perfect setting for him to evolve and explore mixing and production. For this journey he invites Vlad Arapasu and Viceversa to drop their own distinct reinterpretations of his two original tracks, making this record a must-have for minimal collectors and selectors alike.

Side A opens with “The Quest”, a solid stripped-down roller that incorporates all the necessary ingredients to be a real dancefloor weapon: prominent drumming patterns, a roaring bassline, low-slung textures, heavy modulated vocal cuts and carefully placed breakdowns. Following, “Consolidate” reveals a more funky sound where deep and melancholic background pads and effects elegantly intertwine with the fast tempo, resulting in an inspiring contrast.

On Side B we first find Vlad Arapasu‘s remix who takes the title track into a darker dimension while maintaining its driving energy. The percussion receives an extra shuffling swing notably the hi-hats, adding a subtle atmospheric drift to the whole journey. Viceversa‘s take on A2 transforms the original into a melodic ride as the hypnotic arpeggios that are brought into play create a constant focus point that can take anyone adrift into a vast cosmic scenery.

Listen to the snippets and pre-order your copy of The Quest EP at deejay.de.

Artists: Niko Maxen, Vlad Arapasu, Viceversa
Title: The Quest
Label: Pathway Traxx
Cat. number: PT17
Release date: 30.03.2021
Format: Vinyl-only

Words by AndreiB

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