Marcel Vogel & Tim Jules – If You Don't Love EP

Marcel Vogel has cultivated a reputation for smooth, consistent and infectious Detroit-influenced dance music with attitude. The Amsterdam-based polymath blends live instrumentation and samples into groove-heavy beats, releasing across many popular labels while also running two of his own and touring across continents.

Having teamed up last year with Dutch producer and key-player Tim Jules for the raw single "Take Me Back", the two return with a fresh pressing on Shall Not Fade showing off their authentic soulful sound. Each track features a different vocalist, each bringing their own skill to the fore; in the title track, Alessandre's honey-sweet and porcelain-smooth vocal caress the playful keys for an instant earworm. "This is When I Leave" strips the sound right down until only the drum, like a heartbeat, and Khadija's wistful vocals remain, making for an intimate experience.

The B-side focuses on high-intensity instrumentals put together by Vogel and Jules: a breathless funk and rhythm workout begins in "Why Don't You Leave Me" with Hector Wijnbergen's infectious, powerful words taking centre stage. This headsy beat continues in "Like a Fish In The Water", LYMA's crooning subtly making an entrance and complemented by delicate guitar lines, building to a crescendo.