“I need you to touch me till I feel it baby. I need you to touch me till it hurts.” And so the chorus of “Till It Hurts” goes. Native Underground’s altogether auspicious debut makes quite the passionate proclamation, but once you’ve heard those synths, that bass and Javi’s voice, it’ll all make sense. Native Underground came together through Craigslist of all places. Veteran house producer Henry Maldonado was looking for a singer that channeled the likes of Chaz Jankel, Peter Brown, and even Wham-era George Michael to pair with his latest work, so he placed an ad online. The Brooklyn native had cut his teeth in the early 90s on Strictly Rhythm (as a member of House 2 House and Urban Rhythm), the late 90s and early 00s on MAW (as Rhythm Section), and more recently on UK disco stalwart Tirk, and on his own Speak label (as Son of Sound), and was looking to evolve his sound into a distinctly pop direction. Simply enough, Javi answered the ad, Henry loved his voice, and the rest, well, the rest is the accompanying EP you’ll be listening to shortly if you haven’t already hit play. “Till It Hurts” toes the post-New Wave and proto-freestyle axes, channeling the sweaty dancefloor madness at Jellybean Benitez’s seminal Funhouse club where Henry spent his formative years. “Push 4 Love” is a more subdued affair, trading the driving rhythms and erotic undertones of the title song for groovier climes. With nods to Prelude’s finest singalong moments, the brash production of New Order’s “Confusion”, and a sprinkle of pop magic, Native Underground have arrived.