The second vinyl release to be taken from Thema’s Strength In Numbers compilation finds the Brooklyn label drawing on four master craftsmen of subliminal house music with equal amounts of soul and surprise in their arsenal. Stealthy operator Earl Stine delivers “Get The Curb”, which balances the perfect amount of percussive energy and dreamlike synths, impeccably demonstrating the considerable body of work he has turned out under a more familiar name for Smallville Records, Mule Musiq and Pampa in the past. Kosme operates in equally ethereal ways, although “Red Beard” comes on soft and sinister with its light drum tones and brooding synth work, following on from his first release with us, April Moon (THEMA038) on his own Cosmic AD. Madcap French house maverick Ark has been in the game for a long time, pasting every possible kind of style to his hard grooving canvas in a fine tradition of collage for Perlon, Circus Company and many more. “Themark” shows just how wide he can reach for sound sources without losing focus on the essence of his unique floor-friendly style. Having contributed to Thema over the past few years, Martin Bellomo’s “Howl” comes on strong with its powerful vocal hits and a woozy line in synths, with a little finishing touch from Caramelo regular Konstantin Sibold to feed the track with enough energy to captivate a hungry dancefloor.