TJ Kong & Nuno dos Santos

The debut full-length by Dutch duo TJ Kong & Nuno dos Santos builds an environment of deep grooves with sincerity and meaning. Natural and in the moment, the record presents strong, emotionally forthright house in sync with some of the funkiest vocalists of the past and present, including Chicago house legend Robert Owens and Toronto, ON hip-hop and spoken word virtuoso Jemini. Single "Merging" (with Owens) leads us to an inviting place of warmth and organic atmosphere, metaphorically waving the flag for the deep, holistic, bass-oriented vibe found on After Dark, My Sweet. Empathic and moody, the voice of Nicolette (remembered for her work with Massive Attack on 1994's Protection) comes across gorgeously, layered twistingly on "Birthday," coexisting with relaxed beats. Jemini's cool spoken word on "Once Upon A Rhyme" is upfront and intelligent, though the music glides slightly out of focus when the vocals drop out. After Dark, My Sweet beautifully achieves its aim of bringing back the love to dance music with thoughtful tracks in no way limited to the clubs.