There’s no denying the fact that ZHU has had quite an inconceivable year so far, and that's simply due to his immaculate, transcendent interpretation of house—a genre we believed to have hit a downward spiral in terms of innovation and intricacy. Besides reviving the aforementioned style, though, the California-based act’s work exhibited severe potential for others to redecorate, and who better to take on the challenge than Akouo, an HD regular who seems to adore reworking originals and supplying them with an essence that’s rather flamboyant and reflective of his exotic influences? The Tasmanian has taken on the groove-heavy piece “Paradise Awaits” and overhauled a majority of the elements present, leaving only the original vocals intact. From the very get-go of this renovation, the leisurely paced velocity and powdered percussion give off a draft of Akouo’s signature introductions, and as the sifted-out vocals enter, there’s no time misspent in the injection of buoyancy, which is illustrated through hefty, piping basslines and anchored kicks. One of the pivotal facets of Akouo’s production is the way he structures a piece, which is far from mundane, and this revamp is an ideal example of the claim, as he utilizes underpasses, unexpected keys, and ever-changing additions of uninhabited sounds, providing each drop, buildup, and breakdown with their own distinctive complexion. Some do raise the question as to why exactly Akouo focuses on refurbishing tracks so much, but as you can clearly see, the complexity, exertion, and originality that goes into each piece is unsurpassed at this point—rendering their natures irrelevant in wake of what incredible sounds they elicit.
ZHU