Latest CD releases reviewed

BOOKA SHADE
Get Physical
****

Sometimes, it's the simplest sounds that give you the biggest thrills. There's a track on Movements called In White Rooms and, for five minutes or so, a gorgeous, emotional, bleepy riff rises and falls over a standard-issue house beat. It's just one simple riff, but you know you're in the presence of something special. Whether it's through their Get Physical label or their ongoing adventures as Booka Shade, Berlin-based Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier have been producing such special moments since 2002. Crafting smart, arty grooves by pitching their tents squarely between techno and house fields, Booka Shade's sense of sonic beauty makes for some hugely funky and insightful fare. Be it the sleek delicious disco and skittish melodies of Darko or the enchanting playfulness of Pong Pang (or even their homage to My Life in the Bush of Ghosts on Hallelujah USA), the Booka Shade duo know their way to your heart. www.bookashade.com   Jim Carroll