8 Ft. In the Air

Following a smattering of microhouse and glitch-based techno, Playhouse has quietly and subtly redefined its style with a series of soulful releases courtesy of Recloose (retooled by an unlikely match in Isolée), the bump and grind of Melchior Productions, and now this collection of tracks, some from the early '90s — nearly a decade old — from Brixton's Benny Blanko. Compiled in the style à la most Moodymann records on Playhouse, 8 Ft. in the Air is predominantly harvested from the hard to find, in-demand Homestyle imprint. But that's where the parallels to Moodymann stop and the head nods to such artists as Pal Joey, Larry Heard and the funkier side of his Playhouse colleagues begin. Like most dance releases, he defines himself by the simplest of measures: a punchy kick drum, a sliced crisp hi hat, and a funky bassline; all are essential ingredients from start to finish. But it's what's placed on top of these elements that accentuate 8 Feet and give it definition; breakbeats that venture into hip-hop territory, a gratuitous smattering of sensual vocals courtesy of your friendly neighborhood house diva, and warm chords plucked from a Fender Rhodes all give the record its vibrant and warm character.