The first release on Jack Said What. ‘Ear Racer’ by Serge Santiago is an infectious house track that owes more than a hint of debt to the Italo sound that Serge lost himself in during the noughties — a sound that has come swishing back round to being in vogue again.

Propelled by a burbling topline that bounces around like a ball on a bagatelle board, ‘Ear Racer’ contains some peeps for the whistle posse, piano house chords to ignite a dancefloor, and a couple of dreamy, swirly breakdowns. The track is well named — it’s not so much an ‘earworm’ as an ‘ear racer’, providing electric impetus to transport you elsewhere.

Serge Santiago has been half of some memorable duos in his time — Radio Slave, Retro/Grade, Waze & Odyssey — but his new solo material signals a fresh chapter for the Brighton-based DJ/producer. Removed from any necessity to compromise, Serge crafted an album of top-drawer dancefloor gear called ’11:11’. Released in the autumn of 2022, ‘Ear Racer’ was the first single to be taken from that album, while Serge has also rebooted the events brand, Stompa Phunk, which he co-founded. There have already been some off-the-hook Stompa Phunk parties at assorted Brighton venues, with plenty more to come.