Culprit’s last release of 2012 represents an emphatic statement of creative intent from another young production team whose star is in the rapid ascendancy. Swiss duo Adriatique’s Culprit debut, ‘Face to Face’ EP feels like a first confident step toward what may become one of the label’s defining artistic relationships in the new year. The four track EP meets the Culprit grade with style: brimming with fine musical ideas, genuinely conceived and precisely executed modern electronic house, perfectly in tune with the times yet projecting an individual and coherent style. Dance floor – ready stuff with depth and verve, it’s the sound of two fine young talents finding a Culprit home. Faithful to Culprit’s credo of focusing the spotlight on artists on the verge of greatness, Adriatique are a duo making a quick and decisive impact on the genre. Their solo and collaborative (with Thyladomid) work has made the boys a legion of fans over the past 2 years. Having been groomed from within the un-stoppable Diynamic family, Adriatique have spread their wings with outstanding work for labels like City Fox and now, Culprit. Quick on the heels of their ‘Trigger Dance’ track (with Thyladomid) – that was part of the ‘Above the City 2’ compilation – comes ‘Face to Face,’ an exciting EP that Adriatique’s now patented electronic bassline-driven groove with the Culprit’s inclination toward warm musicality. The title track is a finely balanced work, irresistibly combining deep chords with the dance-floor destroying bassline and an infectious vocal hook. It’s already a firm favourite with the Culprit and Diynamic DJ camps. ‘Blackbox’ is an on-point example of what makes the EP such a great fit for the LA-based label’s oeuvre, it’s guitar driven bit of psychedelia a counterpoint to jozif’s Culprit work, its electronic plaintiveness in line with M A N I K’s recent EP. ‘Circle of Love’ marries a soulful vocal with one of the best set of deep bassline melodies ever released on Culprit, perfect for the early morning hours. ‘Need it Now’ is the early evening counterpart, with another killer bassline and just enough propulsion to get any discerning party started.