Stockholm-based techno/house producer John Dahlback recently surfaced with an album of more minimalist tech-oriented material last year under his Hug production alias, but this latest 12” under his given name (apparently one of the ‘buzz’ industry tracks at last year’s Popkomm conference) sees him venturing far more towards main room-oriented electro-house stylings.

On the A-side, Hustle Up sees Dahlback fusing clipped tech-house rhythms to buzzing electro synths, along with treble-heavy squeals and bursts of sudden digital noise, in a fairly peaktime-oriented track that’s sure to go down favorably with fans of Klaas and Alter Ego’s more Ed Banger-esque recent direction. On the flip, Watch Me runs with this Gallic electro-house centred trajectory in what I found to be the slightly stronger of the two tracks on offer here, sending vaguely Justice-esque synth pads and even a stray hint of delayed-out male New Wave vocals gliding over a tautly percussive backbone of jacking tech-house rhythms. While this 12” doesn’t exactly offer much in the way of real surprises, it’s sure to be sufficient fuel for floors weaned on the likes of Daft Punk.