Max Sinàl and Sio deliver a beautifully understated deep house collaboration where spoken word, soulful grooves and emotional honesty combine to quietly powerful effect.
There is often a temptation within deep house to fill every available space, layering textures and melodies until the groove begins to disappear beneath the production. Max Sinàl takes the opposite approach on “Counting Stars”, proving once again that restraint can be every bit as powerful as complexity.
Following the success of Sio‘s superb Losing Sleep EP on Soul Quest Records, the South African poet and vocalist reunites with label co-founder Max Sinàl for a collaboration that feels completely natural. Built around gently swinging house drums, warm Rhodes chords and a beautifully understated bassline, “Counting Stars” allows every element room to breathe, creating an atmosphere that is intimate, immersive and deeply musical.
At the heart of the record is Sio’s captivating spoken word performance. Exploring themes of self-acceptance, vulnerability and embracing the parts of ourselves we often try to hide, her delivery is thoughtful, poetic and quietly commanding. Rather than competing with the music, her words become another instrument within the arrangement, drifting effortlessly through Max Sinàl’s spacious production.
It’s this balance that makes the record so effective. The groove remains hypnotic throughout, with subtle harmonic shifts and elegant chord progressions adding colour without ever distracting from the emotional core of the track. Every decision feels deliberate, resulting in a production that rewards careful listening as much as it does a late-night dancefloor.
The accompanying mixes further demonstrate the strength of the composition. While the club-focused versions retain the record’s deep, rolling energy, the beatless Stripped Mix is particularly striking. Featuring additional Rhodes improvisation, it transforms the track into something closer to an intimate piece of musical storytelling, equally suited to opening a DJ set or simply losing yourself in a pair of headphones.
Soul Quest Records continues to establish itself as one of the UK’s most exciting homes for soulful and emotionally rich house music, and “Counting Stars” is another fine example of the label’s philosophy. It doesn’t shout for attention or rely on obvious hooks. Instead, it gently pulls the listener into its world through groove, warmth and genuine feeling.
Elegant, introspective and beautifully crafted, “Counting Stars” is deep house at its most honest.
Release Date: 14 August 2026 (Traxsource & Streaming) | 28 August 2026 (General Release)
Label: Soul Quest Records
Format: Digital & Streaming