Up with the second volume of his 'Essence of House' journey, Orlando Voorn resurfaces on Fluid Funk with a quintet of jams oozing extra-terrestrial funkiness and unadulterated, future-proof swagger. True to the transporting sound ID that's come to define Voorn's far-reaching imaginarium, 'Essence of House Part 2' highlights both the Dutch master's versatility and pinpoint precision in programming. A bouquet of early Detroit tech brainwaves, tinged with hints of faux-balearic Venusian vibrations, loungey Latin jazz tropes and piano house gone kosmische-laced, this new effort effortlessly bridges the many influences that have been infusing Voorn's music over the years, treating us to a vibrant mix of outerspacey escapology, hip-swaying sensuality and heavy-lidded, late night boogie.

Beaming us up into Voorn's vividly hued headspace, opener 'Freedom' goes the Cuban jazz-indebted route with its hot-tempered syncopations and fleet-footed percussions contrasting neatly against a crystalline, dreamy melodic line. The hi-NRG opener 'Essence of House (Solid Mix)' tackles things pedal to the metal, ushering us into a hurricane of slo-drippin' piano stabs, heavily filtered synth loops and playful bleep-bloop motifs, elegantly pouring along as a paced-up 4x4 charge cuts a path of destruction into our numb minds. A jacking piece of early '90s-style house attitude, 'The Calling' merges an understated funky groove with exploratory keyboard wizardry only Voorn knows how to pull off. Back to a more muscular mindset, 'Rhythm (1999 Mix)' extrapolates Voorn's subtly intricate polyphony of cinematic chords, club-ready euphoria and ever acute sound design to absolutely lethal effect. Exuding ridiculous levels of slap bass flair and live-played bravura, final number 'Rhythm (2024 Mix)' ticks all the boxes of the total laid-back heater, ready to have the sexy-o-meter through the roof as it smoothly exhales its filthily luvin' poison through the woofers. Sweaty nights ahead.