DAV — For Some Time

DAV returns to vinyl with For Some Time, a four-track 12-inch on Undergroove Records, catalogue UG011. Released in September 2026, the EP marks the Croatian producer's latest contribution to a catalogue dedicated to groove-focused underground house music. Across For Some Time, Space Is The Place, The Sky Bleu and Velebeat, DAV works in the territory between deep house, tech house and dub, combining stripped-down basslines, precise house rhythms, spacious effects and vocal elements into a record that feels both deeply rooted in the early-2000s underground and entirely functional for contemporary DJ sets. DAV, also known as Davor Stosic, has a substantial history in Croatian tech house and deep house. His earlier work appeared on labels including Sensei, Cove, Frisson and Privateer, while his productions have continued to surface through specialist vinyl projects in recent years. His 2026 Non-Stop release on Helix Discs, for example, presented previously unreleased material originally produced between 2002 and 2007, demonstrating how closely his production style remains connected to the formative period of minimal and tech-house culture. For Some Time approaches that history from a different angle, presenting new material through a contemporary Undergroove release. The A-side opens with For Some Time, the EP's title track and its clearest introduction to DAV's particular combination of house groove and dub atmosphere. The track is built around a dense but controlled rhythmic foundation, with low-end movement providing the physical centre while echoing textures create additional depth around it. The production does not need excessive melodic development to maintain interest; its character comes from the interaction between rhythm, space and small changes within the arrangement. The effect is hypnotic without becoming static, giving the track a natural role as a deep-house or tech-house mixing tool. Space Is The Place follows on A2 and expands the EP's spatial dimension. Its placement beside the title track creates a coherent first side, with DAV concentrating on the relationship between groove and atmosphere rather than introducing a radically different stylistic direction. The dub influence becomes particularly relevant here: effects appear to occupy their own space around the rhythm, allowing the arrangement to breathe while keeping the low-end pulse firmly connected to the dancefloor. This is characteristic of the EP as a whole, where production details are used to create depth without compromising the directness of the house framework. The B-side begins with The Sky Bleu, shifting the record into a slightly more melodic and vocal-oriented space. Rasta-style vocal passages are one of the defining elements identified in descriptions of the EP, providing a warm human counterpoint to the machine-driven rhythm section. The contrast is important because it prevents the record's dubby and minimal qualities from becoming overly austere. The vocal presence adds colour and movement while the underlying groove remains understated and tightly controlled. As the opening track of the second side, The Sky Bleu provides a natural change in atmosphere without disrupting the continuity of the record. Velebeat closes the EP and returns the focus towards rhythm and low-frequency movement. The track completes the four-part sequence by bringing together the characteristics that run through the release: deep-house warmth, tech-house precision, dub-derived space and a strong emphasis on groove. Rather than functioning as a dramatic finale, Velebeat feels like a continuation of the record's central idea, allowing the rhythm to carry the music while atmospheric effects create a sense of depth around it. That makes it equally useful as the closing track of a vinyl-side sequence or as an individual selection within a longer DJ set. What distinguishes For Some Time is the balance between density and restraint. The tracks are described as dense and danceable, yet the arrangements rely on minimal but effective changes that give each production room to develop. This is an important characteristic of DAV's style. Instead of filling the arrangement with constant new information, the productions allow rhythm and texture to do the work. Basslines, percussion, vocal fragments and dub effects become structural elements, creating movement through repetition and subtle variation. The EP's relationship with DAV's earlier work is also significant. His productions from the 2000s helped establish his reputation within Croatian tech house and deep house, and recent archival releases have shown that this material still translates naturally to contemporary dancefloors. For Some Time does not present itself as a historical reissue, however. It is a current Undergroove release, with the established DAV vocabulary adapted to a modern vinyl context. The connection to his earlier sound is therefore best understood as continuity rather than nostalgia. For Undergroove Records, UG011 represents the label's eleventh release and another clear statement of its interest in deep, tech-house and groove-oriented music. The label gives DAV an appropriate platform for a record that sits between the deeper and more functional ends of underground house. The four-track format is concise, with each production occupying a clearly defined position while maintaining enough common ground for the EP to work as a complete listening and DJ sequence. For DJs, For Some Time offers four versatile selections for deeper house and tech-house sets. The title track establishes the record's dubby and hypnotic character; Space Is The Place develops the spatial side of the sound; The Sky Bleu introduces warmer vocal colour; and Velebeat brings the EP back towards its stripped-down rhythmic core. The tracks are sufficiently focused for mixing but contain enough atmospheric detail to reward longer listening, making the record suitable for warm-up sessions, intimate rooms and extended underground sets. For collectors, UG011 also represents an important contemporary chapter in the catalogue of a producer whose work has maintained a strong connection with the Croatian underground house tradition. DAV's ability to combine minimal rhythmic construction with deep-house atmosphere, tech-house functionality and dub production techniques gives For Some Time a distinct identity within the current wave of groove-oriented vinyl. For Some Time is ultimately a concentrated demonstration of DAV's enduring approach to club music: strong grooves, controlled arrangements, deep low-end movement and carefully used space. Across the four tracks on UG011, DAV avoids unnecessary excess and instead builds his music around details that become increasingly effective as the records unfold. The result is a sophisticated 12-inch that connects the producer's early-2000s legacy with the contemporary underground, while giving Undergroove Records one of its most focused house releases to date.