If you’ve perused these pages for any significant amount of time, it’s highly likely you’ve come across Denver based house producer Option4 at least once or twice. A former TMN ‘Resident Artist of the Month’ back in April 2015, and half of burgeoning duo 909 Til Infinity, Option4 has found numerous way to work his constantly shifting and infectious house sound into our ears on a constant basis. With releases on some of dance music’s most notable underground labels including Fool’s Gold & Nervous, Option4’s latest release sees a welcome return to Australian imprint Sweat It Out! (also home to the likes of RÜFÜS and Motez), and their sub-label Club Sweat with the A/B side Activate EP. In just two breezy tunes, Option4 deftly shows off a clear range of sonic dance soundscapes, for what may be without a doubt one of our favorite releases ever from the shapeshifting producer.
While I swore to never use this term in music writing for 2016, A side “Activate” is a certified banger. An absolute monster on a proper system that we’ve had the pleasure of hearing tried and tested many times before its release, and a unique take on club music, “Activate” glides along on gigantic bass swells and a hooky vocal to result in one of the finest club weapons we’ve seen in the short span of 2016. “DOAUK” is the extended play’s darker, melodic counterpart. Gloomy melodies enhance “DOAUK”‘s classic-leaning, shuffling rhythm, while a set of high-reaching pads set the perfect backdrop for each one of the tune’s thumping aural components to land on. Quite simply, Option4 trots out into 2016 with an excellent new EP, setting the stage for a gigantic 2016 and one we’ll be on top of as it continues to rise. Stream Option4’s the Activate EP below, and be sure to snag yourself a copy on Beatport here.
