Amtrac Comes into His Own with Toolroom Records in Tow

Victor Hugo once said "nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come." We'd like to think that same bumper sticker-ready wisdom also applies to house tunes.

Amtrac's "Those Days" was a fuckin' winner the first time we heard it in 2012, but it's rock-steady bassline and funky samples are just now getting the recognition they deserve. Seminal UK-based label Toolroom Records, specializing in house with a "twist of funk," is giving the track a long-overdue official release, and that means more opportunity for "Those Days" to take center stage.

"I think Mark and the guys over at Toolroom thought it never got as much attention as it deserved," Amtrac's Caleb Cornett says. "It's always been a personal favorite of mine, and I was really stoked when I found out they were interested in releasing it."

Cornett came up on Toolroom tracks. He credits their tunes, from Frederico Scavo's "I Do," to Doorly's "Rush," and Wokidz' "Twisted," as having the biggest artistic influence on his own sounds, especially when he was first getting started. For Amtrac, the chance to add one of his favorite original tracks to their roster is a real honor.

"Right away after making this record I was quite attached to it," he says. "Something about the vocal arrangement and progression really gets stuck in your head. The overall vibe of the track feels very solid to me, just a happy accident one day in the studio turned out to be one of my biggest tunes."

"Those Days" is a real groovy house anthem. It's four-on-the-floor hits hard while the synths and samples give meaty texture and a futuristic edge. It's perfect for an intergalactic disco, and even though it's technically two years old, it fits right in with the sounds of Duke Dumont, Motez, Shadow Child, and more of Amtrac's contemporary peers.

It's a great debut for Toolroom, but the artist promises it won't be his last. "I plan on having another single on Toolroom at least before the year ends," he says, "and my second album is getting closer and closer to being finished. There is an end in sight, and I'm really excited about how everything sounds thus far. I'm really just sorting out the guest features at this point."

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Kat Bein once killed a man with techno alone - @Katsayskill