- The Dutch duo Morning Factory make no bones about their inspirations: they take their name from a Chez N Trent song, after all—and one of the founding documents of deep house, at that. Appearing on the scene last year with a handful of records for YORE and 20:20 Vision, they hit pretty much all the right notes: punchy drum-machine grooves, floating chords, fleeting disco samples, wildpitch synth ostinato and plenty of swirling, abstracted vocals.
Having recently remixed Reggie Dokes for Clone Royal Oak, they now turn up on the label with a two-track single that's easily their finest work yet. "Fantasy Check" opens up with a bright, melodic loop, swollen with resonance, that brings to mind The Avalanches' sun-drenched sound. The groove is bare-bones and easygoing, a matter of muted congas and skipping drum machines with plenty of bite in the claps and hi-hats. The bassline's a thing of beauty, full of motion and spark, but never overpowering, leaving the clean, assured piano chords to take the lead. Quite simply, it's a stunning track, one that—for the lovers and the dreamers, anyway—makes a perfect fit for the deep, resonant blue of the sky just before daybreak.
On the B-side, "Diane's Love" is a little cheekier; the vocal comes from a certain, ahem, supremely regarded soul singer. It's a simple track, mostly a matter of congas, muted chords, string vamps and busy filtering, but it pushes all the right buttons. House party vibes, through and through, with just a hint of devil-may-care attitude.
Tracklist A Fantasy Check
B Diane's Love