Overrated

Switzerland's Juli Lee returns to the MYR label with a new six track EP / mini-LP that explores the boundaries of her deep house sound.

Juli Lee has had a passion for electronic music coursing through her veins for as long as she can remember. Growing up in Berne, Switzerland, she found her way into the studio — and later the DJ booth — at a young age, and ended up a protégée of award winning composer and producer Ben Mühlethaler. She has been refining her own take on house music for the last five years, releasing on New York's legendary King Street label as well as Symmetric Records, Caballero Records and of course MYR.

Juli's “Rolling By” EP and the “Breaking Clouds” release that preceded it were high points for Goeran Meyer's MYR label, garnering support from the likes of Alexi Delano, Nick Warren and Robert Owens. Now she returns with her most expansive release to date.

The record opens with the delightfully deep “Daybreak”, marrying light piano flourishes with rolling drums and subtle melodic touches. Next up, “Polisix” provides a locked-in and understated groove with ethereal spoken word vocals threaded through the mix. Title track “Overrated” takes a dubbed out, down low tack, with layers of keys and FX set perfectly against another spoken word offering.

The second half opens with the interestingly titled “Flibbertigibbet”, an old English word for a whimsical or flighty young woman. The track itself is something of a delight, with a slow building groove that weaves an array of synth lines and stabs into a mesmerising listening experience. Penultimate cut “As If” is a more stripped back and direct affair with a percussive bounce that is hugely engaging.

Finally, “Deepest Fear” is a perfectly balanced and hypnotic closer with a powerful spoken message. In “Overrated”, Juli Lee has delivered what is, without a doubt, her most accomplished work to date.