Future Grooves: Azari & III

The transition from “dated and lame” to “retro and cool” takes about twenty years. For most of the last decade, the 80s dance party was a reliable staple of nightlife. But once the dancefloor is flooded with kids born after the time period in question, it’s time to move on to the next ironically detached, nostalgia fueled trend.

Forget about Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Dead or Alive, it’s time for C+C Music Factory and Deee-Lite. Fear not – leading the charge is Toronto’s Azari & III.

While the duo, comprised of Dinamo Azari and Alexander III, might claim otherwise, they make house music that is heavily influenced by a time period that is finally ripe for homage.

Their first EP features title track “Hungry for the Power,” a deep house groove that relies on Casio loops and rubbery synthesizers. The interplay between diva vocals and spoken word is provided by frequent collaborators Fritz Helder and SYF (Starving Yet Full). The sinister clip evokes the seedy, coke-and-whore clubs that the track belongs to (it’s also very NSFW).

“Reckless (With Your Love)” is the duo’s breakthrough for a reason – from it’s first syncopated beat, the track is relentless. Reminiscent of Robin S’ classic “Show Me Love,” the track is a modern take on house music of yore. And as strong as the original is, Tensnake’s remix goes even further in its tribute to an era, sampling Snap’s classic “The Power.”

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Reckless_original.mp3″ text=”Azari & III – Reckless With Your Love” dl=”0″]

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Reckless_tensnake.mp3″ text=”Azari & III – Reckless With Your Love (Tensnake remix)” dl=”0″]

House music is nothing if not played properly. Luckily, judging by this DJ mix, Azari & III have the turntable skills to match their beat making. See and hear for yourself: the group plays tomorrow at U Hall for the weekly Red Friday party. At the very least, it beats another 80s night.