Manuel Darquart

Auckland-born, London-based duo Manuel Darquart draw from the silkier ends of Italo, house and Balearic breaks on their latest five-tracker for Munich label Permanent Vacation. The opener, 'Sunshine Coast', cruises through airy pads and FM piano with the warmth of a lost VHS holiday clip, while 'Soft Energy' folds ambient textures into a weightless groove built for sunrise slots. Things get tougher on 'Global Business', which hits a sweet spot between acid and electro-funk, and 'Fantacity' continues in a similar mode - dense but clean, with a breaksy snap underlining the chords. 'Forza' wraps it all up with a slow-builder that sits somewhere between high-definition trance and plush downtempo. The palette feels nostalgically late 80s, but there's no pastiche here - just a well-gauged, detail-rich record that knows exactly when to lean in and when to hold back.
- Juno