There’s something particularly appealing about a producer using a record to map out the different corners of their musical identity. That’s exactly what Alessio Collina set out to do on ‘Shades of Me’ E.P., his latest release for Trend Records Limited, and, by his own description, one of his most personal works to date.
Across four tracks, Collina moves through different shades of house music without losing sight of the raw, groove-led foundations that connect them. It’s a record rooted in the classic house tradition, but one that isn’t interested in simply recreating the past.
Opening on the A-side, ‘Bloom in the Garage’ immediately sets the tone with an old-school swing. A weighty bassline, dirty drums and clipped Garage-influenced stabs give the track plenty of character, while the unmistakable MPC1000 feel adds a human, slightly rough-edged quality to the groove. It’s a track that wears its hardware-driven sensibilities proudly, balancing grit and funk in equal measure.
‘Back to the Real’ takes a deeper, more atmospheric route. Built around a sensual Deep/Tribal rhythm, it’s the kind of cut that leaves space for the room to breathe, equally suited to the early stages of a set or those more intimate afterhours moments when subtle changes in groove can carry the night.
Flip the record and ‘Spring Equinox’ shifts gears. A rolling, techy rhythm provides the foundation for what is arguably the EP’s most immediate dancefloor moment, driven by a seriously weighty bassline, dreamy melodic touches and a constantly evolving stab. There’s plenty of movement here without unnecessary complication, making it a natural weapon for DJs looking to add some pressure to the floor.
Closing the EP, ‘The Party’ heads into darker territory. There’s a distinctly Chicago-inspired DNA running through the track, but Collina approaches it from an alternative angle, giving those familiar references a different shape rather than simply recreating the template. It’s a fitting finale to a record built around variation within a clearly defined house framework.
The EP also feels like a natural reflection of Collina’s wider journey. As the force behind Trend Records, he has spent years championing both emerging talent and established names, while his own work has continued to move between different strains of house. His productions and DJ sets have taken him across Italy and internationally, while his HILL alias has seen releases on labels including Skylax, Wilson and Bosconi.
That background comes through on Shades of Me E.P.. Rather than attempting to force the four tracks into one narrow stylistic box, Collina allows each one to occupy its own space, Garage swing, deep Tribal grooves, techy rollers and darker Chicago-rooted house, while keeping the emphasis firmly on rhythm, bass and dancefloor functionality.
Pressed as a vinyl-only release, mastered by Spectrum Studio in Bologna and limited to just 200 copies, Shades of Me E.P. arrives as a concise snapshot of where Alessio Collina is musically right now: rooted in the foundations of house, but still looking for new ways to work within them.
The ‘Shades of Me’ EP is available here