Theo Kottis - Beautiful Strangers (2018)

Over the last few years, Theo Kottis has risen through the ranks thanks to singles and EPs on Anjunadeep, Moda Black and Last Night On Earth. Now he's struck out on his own, establishing the Beautiful Strangers imprint to release his music, and more specifically this seven-track mini-album. It's his most eclectic and diverse release to date, all told, gleefully dashing between breakbeat-driven acid-funk ("The Get Down"), musically rich fusions of house and classic disco (the quietly impressive "Reasons"), Brazilian disco-sampling heavy acid madness ("Acid Disco"), bass-heavy peak-time melodiousness ("Moonlight"), swirling big room goodness (the throbbing "Sky") and suitably dark and jagged deep house/acid fusion ("U Need Ti Keep It Simple"). Solid stuff all told.