Sare Havlicek – The Diamondback EP

Seems like ages since we heard from Sare, one of TIWWD's favourite purveyors of nu-disco grooves… but now here he comes again with a second single lifted from his sophomore album Escape Machine, which came out back in what we laughingly referred to as "the summer".

Diamondback Parts 1 and 2, from said album, are now cojoined as the lead single track here, and have lost none of their sophisticated, string-drenched appeal. "Big, Balearic, lavish, majestic… evening dress optional" is how my notes read for this one! Part 3 ups the tempo a notch and adds some Prince-ish geetars, while Part 4 edges even closer to a house tempo and rides a chunky walking bassline.

Gotta say I'm less into the down-pitched male vox on Part 5, while as for Pure Sin (Diamondback Part 6), which drops back down in tempo again and features a vocal from Lara Love… well, Mrs TIWWD heard it and said, "Are you listening to Kylie?" which tells you about all you need to know.

But no matter, cos Diamondback Parts 1 & 2 is just awesome – disco goodness for grown-ups – while Parts 3 and 4 will serve you well for taking the track to housier situations.

Out: This week

About: This comes as ever on the mighty Nang Records. Oh, and you can HEAR IT at Sare's own Soundcloud page.

ALBUM Sare Havlicek - Escape Machine

Been waiting a while for this! But here at last is the second album from Slovenia's master of all things Italo and nu-disco, Sare Havlicek, which follows on from his 2010 debut, also on Nang, Toscana Nights.

'Difficult second album syndrome' doesn't generally seem to affect electronic music producers as much as it does rock bands, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, any artist's sophomore long-player IS usually a pretty good indicator of whether they're gonna be in this for the long haul, or whether their star is one that shone brightly but briefly. Thankfully on this evidence, we can officially file Sare in the former category.

What's perhaps the trickiest feat for a second-album producer to pull off is to ensure some sort of continuity with his/her/their debut, without merely repeating the same notes in a different order. And Havlicek has managed to do that admirably here, for while Escape Machine largely stays in nu-disco territory (thus ensuring continuity), it also sees him exploring a broader sound palette than before. Where Toscana Nights was pretty much all about the analogue Italo synths, this time out pianos, strings and other instruments have a bigger role to play. There are also a handful of guest vocals (from Mitja, and from Charlie Denholm of Molly Wagger)

Stylistically, Sare veers a little closer than previously towards house tempos/rhythms as well – see, for instance, Sense Station, a piano-led romp for sun-drenched Iberican afternoon sessions if ever I heard one. That said, if it's those glacial Italo analogue workouts you're after, there's still a few of those, too…

In fact, you could sum up Escape Machine by describing it as "like Toscana Nights, but more rounded". And as I loved Toscana Nights, you can imagine how I'm lovin' this.

Out: This week

About: Here's where Nang live online

Sare Havlicek – Vibe On You

Well then… I said the other day that I've been getting less nu-disco through, and maybe a change really is in the wind, because here even TIWWD's favourite purveyor of retro Italo disco leaves the analogue synths alone for a mo' and turns his hand instead to what is essentially a slab of very polished, disco- and house-inspired pop in a vein that's not a million miles from Crazy P.

Mix-wise, the Single and Instrumental versions come on like a lost Patrice Rushen number given a (mild) house makeover. Sare's own 115 BPM Mix and Dub slow things down in a Nightdubbin' kinda way, while the Nothing You Can Do Mix keeps the tempo but goes even more to town on those 80s dub flavas. Steve Kotey & Manestar and Ilija Rudman, on their respective mixes, both flirt with Balearic disco-house vibes, while Drrtyhaze's remix introduces some nice squelchy Chi-town 303 bass.

But overall, the vibe is house-ified, disco-tastic pop done exceedingly well, proving this Slovenian producer is no one-pony.

Out: This week

About: Yep, this is another one from the mighty Nang stable…

Sare Havlicek feat Hannah Mancini - Pleasure Storm

It's no secret by now that I'm a big fan of Slovenian nu disco dude Sare Havlicek, so I'll keep it short and sweet on this one. Suffice to say that this cut from the excellent Toscana Nights album now gets a single release.

Pleasure Storm features Hannah Mancini on vocals, who also voiced previous single Dreams In Light, and indeed follows a similarly synth-y and string-dripping nu disco blueprint as that track. But Havlicek does this stuff so well you won't find me grumbling, and if anything Pleasure Storm is a touch funkier. Which is nice. There are five mixes on offer – they don't vary immensely TBH but it's retro, boogified action you're after you'll be more than happy.

Out: This week

About: This is on Nang, of course… label website (where you can HEAR THIS single) here. And if you want to check out more of Sare's stuff, hit up his Soundcloud page