The Purple Disco Machine Feat. Moss Kena & Knocks - Fireworks (7")

Purple Disco Machine has a gift for bottling daylight. Fireworks, his collaboration with Moss Kena and New York duo The Knocks, is the fizzy centrepiece of Exotica, the 2021 album that found the Dresden producer sharpening his disco-house into something bright, sleek and absurdly replayable. It is the track I reach for when I want a room to loosen its shoulders. The kick is taut, the bassline slides like a satin ribbon, and the guitar comping peeks through with just enough bite to keep everything moving. You can hear how much he loves classic disco, but he refuses to turn it into museum music. This is built for a modern system, not a time capsule.

Moss Kena carries the melody with a clean, elastic tenor that rides the groove rather than fighting it. He is a smart choice, cutting through the glossy mix with feeling but never oversinging. The Knocks, long-time New York groove merchants, slot in like old friends, giving the track extra bounce and a bit of stateside swagger. Put it next to their own club-friendly productions and it makes perfect sense, a cross‑Atlantic handshake over four-on-the-floor.

What keeps Fireworks special is the arrangement flair. There is a playfulness in the percussion, a little shaker chatter at the edges and handclaps that feel like they were recorded by actual people in a room. Synth stabs flicker like neon signs coming to life. Then the breakdowns arrive with just the right amount of tension. Purple Disco Machine, real name Tino Piontek, has always had a steady producer’s hand, and here he keeps the dynamics uncluttered so every chorus lands clean. No cheap pyrotechnics, just confident craft.

It sits beautifully within Exotica, which also carries Hypnotized, Playbox and Dopamine. Those tracks colour the album with Italo shimmer and late‑night city gloss, but Fireworks is the moment that feels like a street party. If you are hunting for Exotica vinyl, you will know this is the cut that earns its space on Side A. In my experience, it is the one that drifts across a store and makes a stranger ask what is on the turntable. I have watched that happen more than once in a Melbourne record store, the staffer pointing to a Purple Disco Machine sleeve while a few heads nod along.

Context helps here. By 2021, Piontek had already done a stack of lauded remixes and a strong debut album, Soulmatic. He would go on to win a Grammy for Best Remixed Recording for his take on Lizzo’s About Damn Time, a tidy acknowledgement of how dialled his ears are. Fireworks arrived in that sweet spot, the confidence of a seasoned DJ with the bright polish of mainstream pop. It works in a small bar at 95 dB. It also works if you are cooking dinner with the windows open and the neighbours are welcome to hear a little joy.

If you collect Purple Disco Machine vinyl, Fireworks is the litmus test. Does the cut sound punchy without smearing the low end. Are the highs glassy or silky. The album pressing does right by it, and if you are the kind who likes to buy Purple Disco Machine records online, you will find plenty of chatter from fans who treat this track as a favourite. People search for Fireworks vinyl specifically, though in practice you are most likely to encounter it as part of Exotica. That is no loss, because the album gives you a broader picture of his range, from glossy radio hooks to deeper club curlers.

The song’s charm is not complicated. It is tight, catchy and warm. The Knocks help make it dance floor friendly without tipping into bombast. Moss Kena sells the emotion with a smile in his voice. And Piontek keeps everything lined up so the groove never flags. You do not need to be a disco completist to feel it.

If you live off vinyl records Australia wide, or you are crate-digging after brunch, keep an eye out. Purple Disco Machine albums on vinyl make reliable party starters, and Exotica earns its keep on the shelf. Fireworks is the reason you will pull it down again in six months, and again next summer when the backyard calls for something bright and friendly. If you stumble across a clean copy, do not hesitate. This is the sound of sunlight finding your speakers.