Der Extraklasse
'Girl Thang'
[MEXA Records]
Der Extraklasse is a Brazilian production duo with a flavor all their own, and a vibe tailor made for the dance floor. Comprised of Ke Fernandes and Thayana Valle, the duo has been making music for a minute now, but this latest release has brought their brand into a whole new territory of sonic sophistication, and all three records on the EP could have easily taken off as stand alone singles. The EP as a whole rests comfortably inside the dance genre confines - what you will find is a solid three-track offering that’s a sure bet for a great twenty minutes of dance floor fun.
The first track you encounter on ‘Girl Thang’ is the rather aptly titled “Black Rose.” With its darkly lit synths, and a bass line that pulsates and throbs its way through the underpinnings of the song, this track is definitely the right way to start things off. Pay attention at the 1:30 mark and notice how Ke and Thayana strip away some of the high notes when the bass comes in to give it a bigger kick. The whole project isn’t particularly morbid, but the music definitely was crafted with some weight, and putting what is possibly the hardest hitting song at the vanguard was a great strategic choice.
The next two tracks (“Endless Road” and “Girl Thang”) bring things up a couple notches, but they still stay true to the dark sounds that made “Black Rose” such a win. The track elements get more crisp on the high notes, and there is definitely some more definition to the composition, but that driving bass is still ever present, and it’s a great way to keep the project moving. Der Extraklasse has really landed on something good here, and their music shows off their combined talents for production work to a tee. Let all three tracks play in sequence and you’ve got a solid little set on your hands with a great identity and some serious dance music chill-out material.