Like some great keyboard-wielding colossus, Fort Romeau’s Mike Norris straddles the mainstream and the underground.

On the one hand, Norris earns his bread as the touring keyboardist for La Roux. On the other, he turns out baked house music for boutique labels like 100% Silk. As befits his liminal position, his sound doesn’t quite fall into either camp: a track like ‘Jack Rollin” is probably too homespun for Drivetime, but it’s still a damn sight sleeker than much else on Amanda Brown’s hard drive.

FACT have an exclusive download of Fort Romeau’s take on Dauwd ‘Whats There’. British newcomer Dauwd makes two-steppy house that shares a lot with the current Barcelona school of producers (you might have spotted him in John Talabot’s recent FACT mix). Norris’ version preserves the warmth of the original, but cranks up the tropicalia a couple of degrees. Some corruscating synthwork and skippy drum programming gives Norris’ version plenty of character of its own.

You can download the track below. Fort Romeau’s Kingdoms is out now on 100% Silk.

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