Lisbon’s Paraí,so is back, bringing us their first artist EP - and it couldn’t come from a realer luminary of the Portuguese underground. DJ Senior Vasquez, mostly known as Photonz, has been doing the rounds for over a decade, continually championing the early sound of Lisbon rave while helping craft some heavily innovative dancefloor ammunition.
This new alias, under which he has been playing locally, is a play on Junior Vasquez and stems from a desire to pay tribute to what could be loosely defined as the Sound Factory sonic palette, covering New York Garage; deep, evoca- tive house and even some grittier tribal-tinged cuts.
EP opener No More Drama is a firey dancefloor exercise that feels both familiar and new, driven by a fat bassline, melodic stabs and dreamy pads. Herbalife is a moodier cut, carrying weight and depth in equal measures to create a perfect peak-time moment.
The B side opens with Air, a sonically intriguing deep house workout that manages to suggest mystery and bliss simulta- neously. Don't Touch the ground closes the record with a beautiful sense of intensity, all tribal percussions and tense piano hits over an intricate yet super-effective drum workout.