Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Mark Francis teams up with Nimiwari to deliver a soulful house gem in 'Exclusively', a track that brings the Newark DJ's signature sound to the forefront. Known for his residency at Club Shelter, Francis expertly crafts a lush soundscape, with Shawn Lucas on keys adding a rich layer of depth. Nimiwari's vocal performance, blending soul and house influences, elevates the track with emotion and finesse. On remix duties, Detroit legend Alton Miller steps in with a groovy rework, featuring his trademark keys and a bassline that glides effortlessly. Miller's take is an elegant nod to his deep roots in the scene, co-founder of The Music Institute club and a key figure in Detroit's house history. Both the original and remix are backed by instrumentals, offering DJs ample space to work with on the floor. Francis and Nimiwari have created something special here, a soulful, timeless track with just the right amount of modern flair. It's a testament to their artistry and the production skills of everyone involved, especially in how the music flows so naturally from one version to the next.

Review: Anita Baker, quiet storm legend and balladmaker, gets two of her most heartwarming classics remixed by Krewcial, with Texan vocalist Sheelah Monae filling in for Baker's original vox. 'Sweet Love' hears a lounge and club mix respectively, both versions heavy on the most broken housey, piano-centric moods. 'Whatever It Takes', meanwhile, gets a club mix and an intriguing version of the original acoustic, rapidly homing in on disco strings and deep-hit bass licks.

Review: Natural Rhythm make their Sounds of Style Records debut with 'Solo Tu,' featuring the sultry spoken word of Lyssa. This deep house gem seamlessly blends Latin House, Jazzy House, and US Garage influences, showcasing why the group has been a favorite among top DJs like Mark Farina and DJ Sneak.The title track 'Solo Tu' is an uptempo funky banger, embodying the classic early 90s house vibe with a smooth, deep house foundation. JT Donaldson's '90s Rework' on the A-side masterfully channels vintage vibes through his SP1200, delivering a timeless, classy US house music experience. Hotmood's 'House Vibe Mix' injects an upbeat energy perfect for any setting, from poolside fun to sweaty warehouse parties. His version is a testament to house music's versatility, ensuring it gets the job done no matter the occasion. Natural Rhythm's "Solo Tu" is a vibrant, multifaceted release that promises to make your ears smile and your feet move, making the label's first release a memorable one in the deep house scene.

Review: Toolroom's house imprint keeps the party pumping with another diverse selection of floor-filling weapons. Grant Nelson & Mark Knight lead the charge with 'Do It Y'all', a track that's been tearing up charts and dancefloors with its raw energy and irresistible rhythm for a while now. But this sampler doesn't simply rest on its laurels; it takes us on a winding path through the multifaceted sounds of house music. The Deepshakerz & Turntables Night Fever follow up with 'Oh Phunk!', a high-energy stomper fueled by a relentless rhythm section and soulful vocal samples that hark back to the golden age of house music. Richard Earnshaw, however, opts for a different approach, reimagining Fonda Rae's classic 'Touch Me' with a touch of soulful depth and emotion. Sebb Junior closes out the sampler with 'Makes Me Feel', a track brimming with bright melodies and feel-good vibes, showcasing the playful side of house music. This sampler is a showcase for the label's dedication to quality house music that offers listeners a diverse range of beats that are both good for the dancefloor and any discerning DJs.

Review: The inimitable Santonio Echols/Next Generation have penned many a great soulful house hit and one of them is 'Bad For Me' which now arrives as a remix package on the NCM Label out of Detroit. First up is Eddie Fowlkes's dub which brings nice warm, smeared chords and allows the vocal to pop out of the mix and bring the sunshine. Ron Carroll's club mix has a little more direct energy in the drums, then the Emanuell Groove mix is a funky one with steamy sax notes up top and nice loose drums. Last of all, the Mannywya Deep dub mix slows things right down to a late-night crawl.

Review: In a break from their usual program, Circoloco look to Chicago and the rising star that is NEZ. Previously spotted last year on Three Six Zero alongside Felix Da Housecat, now NEZ throws down three varied cuts that show he's one to keep tabs on. First up comes 'You Wanna?', a pumped up peak time house cut with our man upfront inciting the dancefloor to come alive. 'Let's Get It' drops down into trap mode with Schoolboy Q jumping on the mic, and then the B side turns the heat up with the mighty Moodymann and Gangsta Boo chipping in to create a party monster in 'Freaks'. Skip this one at your peril.

Review: Toolroom founder Mark Knight lands back on his own imprint, updating one of house music's most influential records, 'Let's Get Brutal' by Nitro Deluxe, bringing it forward to floors in 2023 under the new title 'Brutal'. Following up his collaboration with NYC house legend Todd Terry on the label in March with 'Make You Happy', this reissue reminds us of the esteemed, originally Cutting Records-released classic - a track which later went on to be sampled by Kevin Saunderson (aka Good Life) in his equally impactful hit 'Big Fun'. The original - with its nonsensical "brutal with the millimetre" vocal sample, god knows where it's from, though seeming to effortless capture some inexorable facet of the German psyche - sounds as great as ever, though it also comes backed by a new extended remix from Knight on the B.

Review: Cool house music retroactors Skylax return with a fresh one from North 90, billed as 'Liverpool's (newest) electronic sensation'. Yes - stadia fill, cameras flash, and pantaloons fly all around for this latest splash-act on the global euphoric house music circuit to perform for the masses once more. A supergroup like no other, their euphoric, lo-fi-style homages - the likes of 'I'll Say Yes', 'Fantasy' and 'Baracuda' - make clever use of cetacean pads and tape-warbly lilts to evoke the more underwater corners of post-punk-into-rave, recalling the nascent revivalist stylings of Real Lies, Saint Etienne or Bicep of decadal late. Yes - ring-roads whizz by dizzily, as comedowns are borne and afterses are spent imbibing yet more copious quantities of mystery powder; all while the watery wizardries of North 90 resound on the decks.

Review: Honey Boy is a superb new single by the one and only Purple Disco Machine alongside the super star bass player and Chic band member Nile Rogers as well as Shenseea and Benjamin Ingrosso. With all these talents on one tune you know it is going to be a big one full of rich bass and killer hooks and so it proves, with funky beats, lithe bass playing and dazzling disco pads that are all topped with an irresistibly sunny vocal.

Review: It's been two years since the 2022 release of Young Pulse & Natalie Nova's multi-mix single 'Free', across the digital version of which we were graced with five exclusive mixes. With the 'original' itself and in turn being a cover of the Ultra Nate song from 1997, Pulse and Nova's version is a jubilant, disco-strung version, abandoning Nate's garage house proclivity for an upped sense of swing. This new vinyl edition also brings a fresh mix to the table, totting up the versions to six; first, there's the OG aforementioned 'Disco Tribute mix', as well as a 'Disco Dub' version, the new and never-heard-before highlight.