Whiskey Pickle Records heads for the sky with their first international signing: Sydney, Australia’s The Owl & Finch. The Keep It Up EP is the debut artist release from this pair of high-flying, disco aficionados and is anything but ‘for the birds.’ With several cuts on Dave Allison’s Editorial Records, The Owl has topped the disco charts of Traxsource and Stompy with his solo re-edit work. Here he offers his precise engineering skills to the equation, while Finch supplies the live bass and guitar grooves in “Keep It Up,” a summertime, dance floor blazer that’s sure to earn spins from their native homelands to the shores of Ibiza. The b-side, “Found Another,” features somber, melancholic piano stabs and soulful, lamenting vocal hooks with an undeniably Balearic bass line.
Handling the remixes are Whiskey Pickle regulars Johnny Blackouts, Zack Highwire, and RiCHARD.GEAR. Johnny’s Found a MILF version twists the island vibes into an epic, acidic dub odyssey, perfect for that rude awakening at sunrise by the sea-donkey you thought was a mermaid. RiCHARD.GEAR takes the titular tune into Italo territories of synthesizer madness while the Highwire version of “Keep It Up” is a tense, percussive breakbeat affair. The accompanying Highwire remix of “Found Another” finds the tune plunged into deep, moody realms with a brooding bass line that’s gonna rattle cabinets and keep dancing feet on the floors.
Peter Kruder (Kruder & Dorfmeister) - “I like the originals. The Johnny Blackouts mix and Zach Highwire’s remix of ‘Keep It Up’ are cool as well.”
Psychemagik - “Sweet as … supporting.”
Ilya Santana - “‘Keep It Up’ is a solid boogie track. This one’s for me.”
Gavin Hardkiss (Hawke) - “I’m all over this. Great vibe.”
Tensnake - “I like both versions of ‘Keep It Up.’”
Q-Burns Abstract Message - “I quite dig the cosmic soul vibe of ‘Found Another.’ It’s nice that Johnny Blackouts makes it even more cosmic. Also enjoying RiCHARD.GEAR’s take on ‘Keep It Up.’ A solid release here.”
Severino (Horse Meat Disco) - “Yes … great!”
Spettro - “The RiCHARD.GEAR remix takes it for me! Solid work here.”
Joan Ribas (Cafe del Mar) - “Great, groovy tunes.”
Stereo 77 (Research Deluxe) - “I’m loving the Johnny Blackouts remix … this will fit perfectly in my sets.”
Hippie Torrales - “‘Keep It Up’ has got a great disco feel.”
Christos Kedras (Kapa Music) - “Really nice package. ‘Keep It Up’ is superb with its funky riffs and Zack Highwire does a great job giving it a bit more floor ‘oomph.’ In the bag.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “A great selection of vibes here. Both Zack Highwire versions are great, but the original ‘Keep It Up’ is the pick for me. Great vibes.”
Jaysoul (S:R Soundsystem) - “Johnny Blackouts’ psychedelic twist take on Found Another is in the pocket!”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “The original mix of ‘Keep it up’ is the one … funky as well and smooth yet utterly infectious.”
Simon Lister (People Get Real) - “‘Found Another’ is so good … 101% gonna get people moving!”
Richard Hardcastle (All Out War / Solid State) - “Good collection. I like the real guitar and bass combo on the main track but Johnny Blackouts edges it for me on his atmospheric rework. Really nice.”
Available now from Juno Download and Traxsource.