Review: Robert Babicz - Mahoya / Liquid Gold (Stripped Down Records)

Stripped Down Records get Robert Babicz back with a double banger for New Year!

We loved the re-emergence of Madrid De Los Austrias on Stripped Down Records last year (see review HERE) along with all their other releases and 2024 looks like another deep delve as long time favourite, Robert Babicz, turns up with his perchant for acid, techno, big beat, jungle, minimal and many stops in-between.

Now based in Malta, after spending most of the past 30 years absorbing electronic music in Germany and around the globe of house music. No wonder that Stripped Down Records wanted to start the year with 'Mahoya' and 'Liquid Gold'.

'Mahoya' leads the way for 8 minutes with a mix of space beams and multi-lingual haunting confident femaie vocals .whilst 'Liquid Gold' pumps it up a little for the clubs (although both tracks have their place in all environments) with what's been described as "muted acid" [Mr. Babicz was/is aka Rob Acid].

I'm confident that there's a longer 'Liquid Gold' in there as it's a proper dancefloor weaver - ideal for any island rave and the label and artist are an obvious coloboration for more great releases like this.

Artist: Robert Babicz

Title: Mahoya / Liquid Gold 

Release date: 19th January, 2024 

Label : Stripped Down Records 

Catalog Number : STRD030 Digital 

Review: Madrid De Los Austrias - Madrid De Los Austrias (Jepe, Ken Hayakawa & Enochson & Grieder Remixes) (Stripped Down)

The last time we ventured into the world of Stripped Down Records it was with Ken Hayakawa's latest release but this new remix territory here. 

A lot can change in 3 months from when Ken's 'Mute Air/'Unity' was released (see review HERE), we've had half of the Austrian K&D empire release an album ( Peter Kruder & Roberto Di Gioia „————————„ on Peyo Records - see review HERE) and now we've got some retro Viennese in the form of Madrid De Los Austrias and some modern day remixes. 

Twenty odd years ago, these guys were some of the founding father's of electronic deep house, future jazz that had a Latin twist as they were on the edge of the Dub Club so it's great to see the current generation doing their updates; who remembers 'Mas Amor' (see review HERE). 

Last first, is the mesmerizing '25' as remixed by Marcus Enochson and Stephan Grieder who are known as being "Swedish techno talent" but this is chill out droan shuffle that fans of Matthew Herbert might think that he's involved. 

Jepe has been known to flirt with jazz and he gets two goes with a remix of a track called 'Elele' (deep and throbbing with raspy Spanish vocals) and then does at ReRub Remix (being stripped down - appropriatly; before bringing the acid on); someone's going to have to put these two together. 

And it's Ken that kicks this EP off with his take of 'No Me' that meanders for a while before the jazzy trumpet hits. As exciting as this is, we're told these remixes are from the new Madrid De Los Austrias material with a planned release later this year. 

Artist: Madrid De Los Austrias 

Title: Jepe, Ken Hayakawa & Enochson & Grieder Remixes 

Release date: 21st July, 2023 

Label : Stripped Down Records 

Catalog Number : STRD028 Digital