BÖHM — Land Of Lost EP

Böhm – Land Of Lost EP is a four-track 12-inch release on X-Masters, issued in 2024 as catalogue number X2401. The record presents a stripped-back interpretation of early 1990s house music, combining solid house grooves with minimal and tech-house sensibilities and the distinctive rhythmic language of bleep-oriented electronic music. Across “Land Of Lost”, “Most Of It”, “Finest Touch” and “Operator Select”, Böhm keeps the production focused on basslines, drums, chords, percussion and subtle electronic detail, creating a versatile record designed for the dancefloor without sacrificing the deeper qualities of classic house music. Released through X-Masters, the Rotterdam-based label associated with the wider Clone distribution network, X2401 belongs to a series built around classic house grooves and a deliberately stripped-back aesthetic. The label's catalogue connects Böhm's release with artists including Orlando Voorn, Mark Hawkins, Nicholas and Alden Tyrell, while the X-Masters concept has repeatedly drawn on the raw, functional qualities of house music from the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Land Of Lost EP fits naturally into that lineage, using vintage-inspired musical ideas without presenting itself as a simple retro reproduction. Böhm has developed a catalogue that moves across several related areas of underground electronic music. His releases include Solar Cycle on Steffi's Dolly label, where he explored UK rave, deep bleep and breakbeat territory, as well as material on M>O>S Recordings and other house and techno imprints. This broader catalogue makes Land Of Lost particularly interesting: compared with the harder rave-oriented energy of Solar Cycle, X2401 takes a more restrained approach, concentrating on the groove and melodic language of early US house. The title track, “Land Of Lost”, opens the EP with a rolling, bobbling bassline and classic house chords. Juno's review identifies the combination of the bass movement and old-school 1990s chord progression as the defining character of the track. Rather than relying on large breakdowns or dramatic melodic changes, Böhm builds the track around a steady rhythmic pulse and a small number of carefully selected elements. The result is an understated but highly effective house track with enough character to establish a set without dominating everything that follows. “Most Of It” moves deeper and warmer. The bass remains central, but the overall feel becomes less immediately punchy, with the drums introducing a subtle garage-style skip that changes the movement of the groove. This rhythmic detail gives the track a slightly looser character while keeping its structure firmly within the house tradition. At just over five minutes, it is concise by contemporary underground 12-inch standards, but the arrangement leaves enough space for DJs to work it into longer blends. “Finest Touch” returns to the bassline-driven approach of the opening track but introduces a more futuristic dimension through its synthesizer work. Juno describes the track as another old-school house groove, this time combined with a cosmic quality in the synths. That contrast between familiar rhythmic foundations and more forward-looking electronic textures is one of the EP's most effective ideas. Böhm is not attempting to recreate a single historical moment; instead, he takes the groove vocabulary of early house and places it inside a contemporary production framework. The closing track, “Operator Select”, is the most understated piece on the record. A loose combination of percussion and diffuse chords gives it a deeper, more atmospheric quality than the tracks on the A-side. Juno characterises it as a sublime deep-house closer, while other specialist retailers place the EP across House, Deep House, Tech House, Techno and Bleep. This makes “Operator Select” particularly useful as a transition record: its reduced rhythmic emphasis and hazier harmonic elements can sit comfortably toward the deeper end of a house or minimal set. Taken together, the four tracks form a remarkably coherent sequence. “Land Of Lost” establishes the classic house foundation; “Most Of It” adds warmth and a subtle garage influence; “Finest Touch” introduces a more cosmic electronic edge; and “Operator Select” gradually moves the EP into deeper territory. The progression is understated, but that is precisely what gives the record its DJ-friendly character. Each track has a distinct identity while sharing the same commitment to groove, space and economical production. The release's connection to the Clone ecosystem is also important. X-Masters describes itself through solid house grooves and classic references, and Clone distribution places X2401 directly within that network. The label description calls the record a collection of early-1990s-inspired house grooves intended to bring back the energy and enjoyment of the solid grooves that once drove clubs. This context helps explain why the EP feels simultaneously familiar and contemporary: its musical vocabulary is deliberately rooted in an earlier period, while its production and sequencing belong to the modern underground vinyl market. For DJs, Land Of Lost EP works particularly well as a versatile house record rather than a single-purpose peak-time release. The bass-driven A-side tracks can provide steady momentum, while “Most Of It” and “Operator Select” offer deeper, more elastic alternatives. The different rhythmic profiles also make the EP useful across longer sets where subtle changes in groove are often more valuable than dramatic stylistic shifts. For collectors of contemporary house vinyl, X2401 is a strong example of the early-90s revival approach that has continued to influence the European underground scene. Böhm's Land Of Lost EP does not simply reproduce the sound of early house music; it filters those ideas through minimal production, bleep electronics and modern dancefloor sensibilities. The result is a focused four-track 12-inch that connects classic house, deep house, minimal, tech house and bleep through one consistent production language.