Review: Henri Bergmann and Wennink's Guardian Angel marks an impressive debut on Crosstown Rebels, delivering a track that expertly fuses melody with depth. Bergmann's knack for sculpting rich, atmospheric landscapes is matched by Wennink's haunting vocals, creating a piece that feels both expansive and intimate. It's the kind of collaboration that hints at a shared vision without ever losing individual identity. The original track opens with textured percussion, slowly unfurling into an emotive soundscape as Wennink's vocals hover above like an ethereal guide. There's a melancholic undertone, but it's balanced by an uplifting drive, showcasing their ability to blend light and dark seamlessly. The remixes take Guardian Angel into uncharted territories. Stimming strips things back, opting for a more minimalist approach that sharpens the focus on rhythmic intensity, while his subtle use of effects amplifies the track's ethereal quality. It's a remix that feels lean but still full of intent. Hardt Antoine, on the other hand, plunges deeper into the shadows, pushing the bassline forward and letting synths stretch into eerie, sci-fi realms. His reworking is darker, stranger, and ultimately a satisfying close to the EP. With this release, Bergmann and Wennink add another strong entry to the Crosstown Rebels roster, proving that their partnership is one to keep watching.
Review: "Right, OK!" Worm Records offer up their second various artists release for 2024, coming just a neat two months after September's inaugural release featuring Ruf Dug, Wallace, The Mole and Gallegos. Now the label turn their hand to a completely different league of artists, convoking Boulderhead, Wooka, DMX Krew and Jorg Kuning for yet another star-studded audio-strudel, spanning both chilled and heated ends of the spectrum. Boulderhead's A1 is the ludic highlight among the four, a charming Valley Girl voice peppering the vocal track with exceptional backhandedness; we hear talk of floating on clouds and an affect of casual acceptance behind the glitch-science, suggesting vibes of bounciness and breeze. Wooka goes sillier speed garage on 'Make Yourself Comfortable', a challenging charge given the track's otherwise rather jagged jam; Krew and Koenig close things off on a comparatively calm note, the former's B1 opting for a set of bruk-en beats and wet synth yaps, and the latter's 'Imbolc' quiescing with clement Rhodeses and homely drum machines.
Review: John Wilcox has been slowly disseminating crusty hardware jams for some six years now, in which time he's appeared as Cyclonix on Horn Wax, and now he nips over to Tusk Wax for more robo-charged antics in the curious corner of grubby, electro tinged house music the label orbits. "Telemachus" is a dreamy opening number that keeps the spook level up to maximum and the reverb voluminous throughout. "Synth Run" has a bit more bite, but not at the expense of atmosphere. Whatever/Whatever get hold of "Telemachus" and strip it down to a sparse skeleton of a track, and then Wilcox rounds the record off with the steppy ambient excursion "Ronin Love (dub)".
Review: There's a certain brand of 4x4 deep house that utterly slapssss. And that's exactly the business Toolroom Records are in - they're simultaneous experts at throwing us back to the sprawling garage paradises, while still lending modern, buildup-drop flairs to their productions. This V/A 12" sampler from a wider comp shows off choice buts from label mainstays, Essel, Guz, Qubiko, et al., showing off the best of what Italy's poppy deep house scene has to offer.
Review: House Hippo drops a fat one to get its life underway, and who finer than house authority Terry Farley to be behind it alongside Wade Teo. This limited 12" distills a wide range of house sub genres from garage to New York to soulful. 'Come On Now' is a nice breezy opener with swirling, filtered synth loops bringing a nice French touch vibe to rolling beats, then 'Harry Hippy' gets more cut up and raw. 'Dexter' goes deeper with shakers and muted piano chords colouring the drums and last of all is the deepest of them all - a late night and smoky sound for heady escape.
Review: We don't know much about the freshly minted Worm Records, but we can tell you that proceeds from the imprint's debut release will be donated to the Livetolove campaign, which raises funds for food banks. The EP itself is a corker, with a mix of rising stars and established heads providing genuine dancefloor goodness. Bristol-based Gallegos kicks things off with 'Rockin', a deliciously dreamy fusion of Balearic deep house loveliness and snappy, Chicago house-influenced machine drums, before long-serving producer The Mole goes deeper, smoother and jazzier and the wonderfully tactile 'Festern'. Over on side B, Tartan Records chief drops the extra-percussive, off-kilter drum workout 'Booster', while Ruf Dug drops a previously unheard rework of his Italo-disco inspired fave 'Manctalo Beach'. Top stuff!
Review: Lol Hammond is a former member of Spiral Tribe and early live techno act The Drum Club who now makes music on his own as Wah Wah Planet. Back in 1990 is when he penned this fantastic five track Balearic house EP alongside Russell Crone and with female vocal contributions from Lucy Sian. It very much lay out an early blueprint for UK street soul and the opener on the A-side 'Jewel' explores a romantic theme with hooky pop lyrics. Things get more left of centre on the 'Love FXU' with three trips into a smoother sound world perfect for sun kissed island dancing and with influences ranging from early breakbeat and trip hop to elements of dancehall music.
Milk & Sugar & James Hurr - "I Love Music" (extended mix)
Crusy - "Hey Girls, B-Boys" (extended mix)
Illyus & Barrientos - "DANCE" (extended mix)
Review: Top table house label Toolroom is back with another window into its current sounds. This 17th sampler is one that will likely get hammered at the annual parties in Miami for this year's conference. KC Lights & Welt open up with 'Fly' which is catchy dance pop with summery vocals. Milk & Sugar & James Hurr keep it on a similarly light and airy tip and Crusy's 'Hey Girls, B-Boys; reimagines a classic with extra rawness. Illyus & Barrientos shut down with more synth laced peak time house sounds on 'DANCE.'
Review: A top value for money opportunity here, as Moiss Music deliver the latest in their sweet and sticky Jam series of various artist 12" line ups, bringing you no less than six bubbling, vivacious disco triumphs from six artists. Khemir's 'Disco Bandit' kicks off proceedings, a production that sounds like it was made by a band of around 45 musicians, a proper cavalcade of strings, brass, brazen disco thump and beautifully bold vocals. Wurzelholz's 'Prince' goes for a bit more economy but with a slinky funk bassline like that - not to mention the occasional exclamation from the purple overlord himself - it's equally devastating in dancefloor terms. Among the other highlights, 'Golden' by I Gemin has the feel of a lost Daft Punk flip tune and Cosmocomics' 'Glamorous Garcon', boasting 70s-style synth bubbles that are as cute as they are retro. Tasty as ever.
A top value for money opportunity here, as Moiss Music deliver the latest in their sweet and sticky Jam series of various artist 12" line ups, bringing you no less than six bubbling, vivacious disco triumphs from six artists. Khemir's 'Disco Bandit' kicks off proceedings, a production that sounds like it was made by a band of around 45 musicians, a proper cavalcade of strings, brass, brazen disco thump and beautifully bold vocals. Wurzelholz's 'Prince' goes for a bit more economy but with a slinky funk bassline like that - not to mention the occasional exclamation from the purple overlord himself - it's equally devastating in dancefloor terms. Among the other highlights, 'Golden' by I Gemin has the feel of a lost Daft Punk flip tune and Cosmocomics' 'Glamorous Garcon', boasting 70s-style synth bubbles that are as cute as they are retro. Tasty as ever.
Mark Knight, Darius Syrossian,James Hurr - "I Got All This" (5:56)
Low Steppa, Jewel Kid - "Big Busta" (5:05)
CASSIMM, Mahalia Fontaine - "Say Yeah" (5:48)
Wh0 - "Sunglasses" (6:58)
Review: Toolroom is a house label for big moments big tracks, big rooms, big DJs and main stages. This 15th sampler offering gives a snapshot of where the label is at right now with some new cuts from its biggest players. The boss himself, Mark Knight, kicks off alongside Darius Syrossian and James Hurt n 'I Got All This' which is bouncy and full of energy. Low Steppa, Jewel Kid offers the deeper, low sung and bass heavy menace of 'Big Busta' and CASSIMM, Mahalia Fontaine then come through with 'Say Yeah' (extended mix) which is a a passionate vocal anthem which throws it back to the early days of house. Wh0's 'Sunglasses' shuts down with a blaze of melodic stabs and filtered sweeps to lift you off your feet.
Mark Knight & James Hurr - "You Take Me Higher" (6:12)
Friend Within - "Chain" (5:43)
Martin Ikin & Winnie Ama - "Control It" (4:51)
Flashmob & Raumakustik - "Club Talk" (5:45)
Review: Toolroom's 'sampler' series, which rounds up previously digital-only releases and sticks them out on action-packed 12" EPs, reaches its sixteenth instalment. Given the format, you'll be unsurprised to discover that there's plenty of bona-fide peak-time heat on show, starting with Mark Knight and James Hurr's excitable, filter-heavy, string-laden disco-house bomb 'You Take Me Higher'. Friend Within offers a scintillating blend of heavy acid bass, glassy-eyed female vocal samples, weighty beats and subtle disco samples on the superb 'Chain', while Martin Ikin and Winnie Ama opt for even heavier drums, warped bass, creepy electronics and dead-eyed spoken word vocals on the sweat-soaked 'Control It'. To round things off, we're treated to the tech-tinged funky house bounce of Flashmob and Raumakustik's percussion -rich 'Club Talk'.
Review: The "Rhythms Of The Pacific" series hears Vancouver label Pacific Rhythms reimagine dance music to aid in vast ocean traversals. Returning with another 12" sampler of material - the tracks are slated for inclusion in a celebratory ten year anniversary comp later this year - we hear Lnrdcroy, Waterpark, Kennedy and Active Surplus bring upper-echelonic, chameleonic beats of the much-less-peggable variety. 'Galaxio Salaxio' moves between dark synth and watery dub, scarcely preparing us for the immersive chordal swims that ensue on 'Coastal Plus'. Finally, 'Blue Beam' incurs an underwater search for coves and water pockets, as jets of pressure escape through riser synths and pufferfish drums.
Review: Yoi keep it fresh with a new 12" that comes on a rather nice picture disc. More importantly the music is of a quality that merits the extra attention on the packaging with four artists all coming through with compelling takes on minimal. Mariche's 'Haunted House' is awash with nice bubbly synth phrases that are full of colour and charm, then Sbruf's 'That Think' gets funked up and kinetic on lively drum programming with lots of hooky synth details and sci-fi flourishes. Watsche's 'Bsmtgrvs' is another glossy hyper-real sound with polished melodies and a restless sense of groove and Yogi P keeps it deep with the soulful pads of 'Vickies Groove.'
Review: 'Fix The Pitches On Your Old Turntables To Improve Quality Of Life' on Mud Trax Russia delivers a dynamic and immersive experience in the world of minimal and tech house. The first side opens with Kirill Matveev and Wiklauri's 'Ioli (Kirill Version)', a track that offers a strong, late-night tech house vibe, filled with a driving techno sound. Ataneus' 'Napolitaner' follows, a deeper, chord-based piece with an atmospheric quality and fast-paced tech house elements, designed to energize the dancefloor. On the flip side, Genning's 'Red Lights' brings a fusion of dub techno with flighty, melodic techno sounds, building energy through airy, atmospheric layers. Etzu Mahkayah's 'Cs-13' closes the compilation with a melodic tech house track that introduces trance-like elements, offering a spacey, progressive soundscape. Each track expertly balances depth with dancefloor energy, creating an album that is both atmospheric and immersive, perfect for fans of techy minimal beats and progressive grooves.
Black Chunes Productions - "Daddy, Are U Ready" (6:30)
St David & Wildbox - "All Nite" (5:08)
St David & Wildbox - "Feeling Free" (5:58)
Review: Theory Of Swing Records and Club U Nite Records are well loved outlets that themselves have a big love for authentic 90s house. They come togther for this special various artists release which opens with Mellow Man and his side project Black Chunes Productions. Opener 'Soul Groove' brings bright xylophone melodies and US garage drums, while, 'Daddy, Are U Ready' is organ-laced New York swing with great style and vocal stabs. Theory Of Swing main man St. David then hooks up with pal Wildbox from No Hype DJs for the same heavy and sweaty house of 'All Nite.' Their second jam 'Feeling Free' is more stripped back and cool with balmy pads swirling round cool drums kicks.
Review: Limo Trax wind down the tinters and shoot us a knowing look through the Wayfarers, as their latest procurement in slick minimal house and techno blares out the limo stereo. This latest addition to their colours series comes in verdant green, and corrals the talents of Milion, Exonym, Dombee and Wodda, all of whom lay down a clacking sonic technic each. 'Tuin Van Bret' exposes the vibe with beeping chords and an injurious party-starting film dialogue sample, as swarthy, silly excitable funk ensues. 'Hagring' marks the A2 with a "gimme dem" sample and moody swells, while 'Brixton' pays homage to the legendary Lambeth area with a speed garage distributary, reminiscent of Serious Danger's earliest movements in the sound. 'Dark N Stormy' perfects this speedy trend, adding expulsive breaks and oozing licks between the four-by-fours.
Review: Afroterraneo Music founder Kiko Navarro steps up for his label next release, but not before enlisting the help of friends and fellow Balearic and house dons DJ Pippi and Willie Graff. Their classy Tempistica Mistica EP offers up a pair of richly percussive and Afro-Latin tinged house cuts that are primed and ready for deployment on the most cultured dance floors. 'N'Fumbei' is a warming shuffler that echoes the work of Fred P, 'Esanah' is more heavy and percussive with its weighty kicks making a lasting mark. 'N'Fumbeats' closes down with a fat, bouncy rhythm brought to life with loose and organic perc.
Robert Owens & Nolan - "I'll Be Your Friend" (club mix) (7:29)
Hilit Kolet - "POV Siren" (extended mix) (6:20)
Roach Motel - "The Night" (Philippa extended remix) (6:35)
Terry Farley, Wade Teo & Kameelah Waheed - "Dancing After Dark" (TDK 90 Dope mix) (6:08)
Review: A follow-up to last year's successful compilation 'Faith Presents: Ain't That A Groove', is given to us by the London-based label Faith ran by DJs Terry Farley, Stuart Patterson and Dave Jarvis. The high energy house party sound kicks off with Nolan who features the legendary house voice of Sir. Robert Owens. Hilit Kolet isn't shy with the extended remix of 'POV Siren'. This sound is synonymous with Feller and Heller DJ sets of the mid 90s. Philippa's extended remix of 'The Night' by Roach Motel backs that one up with another prime floor filler with hardly any let up. Lastly, Terry Farley, Wade Teo & Kameelah Waheed brings he deep groover "Dancing After Dark" to the party. These tracks will have you and the nightclub crowd out dancing all night.
Review: dO iT nOw Recordings makes its debut in the world of vinyl with a various artists' sampler that shows just what they are all about. First up is Pigsie's wonderful 'Silk' which sets a fine tone with lush jazz-inspired keys, dreamy pads and intricate drum work that make it well suited to those late-night sessions. Wearing Shoes then offers 'Finding Your Words' with buttery Rhodes licks and looped vocals over fat bass, and the B-side begins with Michael Oberling and his deep jazz grooves, trumpet solos and swinging drums. Massive R closes with the lovely, jazzy house of 'This Feeling' complete with snappy drums and a catchy piano hook.
Sanctuary - "Disconnect" (extended Disco instrumental) (6:25)
Willie J & Co - "Boogie With Your Baby" (extended Disco mix) (6:21)
Unknown Tape - "Familiar Time & Place" (Chicago mix) (7:05)
Unknown Tape - "Familiar Time & Place" (Detroit mix) (7:09)
Review: The shadowy Edit & Dub crew don't talk about their releases, so it can be difficult to ascertain whether the tracks they're showcasing are long-lost originals, or new edits of ridiculously rare records. Either way, the label's latest EP features versions of some seriously hard to find treats, starting with a fine 'extended disco instrumental' of Sanctuary's 'Disconnect', a fine disco-boogie jam from 1980. They then deliver a (we think) previously unreleased 'extended disco' mix of Willie J & Co's killer 1976 disco-funk gem 'Boogie With Your Baby'. On the B-side we're treated to two takes on the mysterious 'Familiar Time and Place' by Uknown Tapes: a 'Chicago Mix' which sounds like late 80s Windy City acid house smothered in spacey deep house chords and intergalactic electronics and the mid-80s techno-tinged 'Detroit Mix'.
The James L'Estraunge Orchestra - "Broken Spells" (8:08)
Nico Lahs - "Happenstance" (5:58)
Review: Local Talk has quietly but assuredly become a vital voice in there underground. It has done so over the last 13 years and now makes that occasion by doing what it does best - serving up timeless club sounds that mix under many different subgenres. This is another feel-good offering from four of the label's talents or as the label puts it, "producers that we love and respect." There is funky bass and soulful vibes from the Soul Renegades opener, Wipe The Needle's 'Light Years Away' is a more serene cosmic journey and The James L'Estraunge Orchestra offer a broken beat and jazzed-up dancer in 'Broken Spells.' Nico Lahs brings some cuddly depths to his slow-mo house jam 'Happenstance.'
Motor City Madness (Underground Resistance remix) (6:30)
Motor City Madness (SHE Spells Doom remix) (4:16)
Review: Wajeed maybe doesn't get the credit or attention of many of his Detroit peers, but he surely deserves it. His take on his hometown's house sound pairs gorgeous synths with steely drum work and new one 'Motor City Madness' backs that up. It's got the nice raw drums, the elastic bass and is smothered with synth goodness while incidental sax and trumpet pads bring the romance. A People Mover remix goes heavy on the jazz vibes with a broken beat workout, Underground Resistance take it deep and SHE Spells Doom jacks up those drums into something close to a UK funky take on Detroit house.
Review: Detroit's Rich Wade is a human production line of always effective and subtly charming house music that provides a great foundation for any set. He is a master of cooking up delightful loops and deploying them to perfection so that you cannot help but get swept up and taken along for a ride. 'Contact' kicks off here with his signature drums and jazzy melodies that bring a playful edge. 'Low Down' brings funky bass wiggles and disco styled percussion and 'Fade Away' lands with a heavy, sweaty throb while the Philly disco strings add a touch of class. 'Night Chaser' shuts down with a more introspective feel and some emotive chords that heighten the last night mood.
Review: Rick Wade has been serving up quality deep house for so long (since the late 1990s in fact) that each new release he delivers comes with an obligatory "must check" tag. Predictably, his latest missive - his first, we think, for German imprint Eat More House - is packed to the rafters with high-grade cuts. Check first locked-in, head-nodding deep house roller 'Bmore Banger', where minor key chords and trippy electronic noises ride hypnotic beats and a filthy acid bassline, before turning your attention to the hazy, eyes-closed dancefloor deepness of 'NY'. Over on the flip, 'Deep Sweet Dreams' is a heady fusion of metronomic TB-303 bass, snappy drums, suspenseful synth-strings and drowsy chords, while title track 'Too Deep' lives up to its title via shuffling deep house beats, hazy field recordings, ambient style chords and twinkling lead lines.
Review: Rick Wade has appeared on Rawax's Motor City Edition series on several occasions, making him one of the imprint's most storied artists. The German label thinks this is his strongest release with them to date, and given the quality of its predecessors, that's a bold claim. We certainly agree that it's a strong EP. For proof, check the tactile, semi-organic deep house dreaminess of 'Ride Home', where woozy Rhodes chords and intergalactic synth sounds ride a typically subterranean groove, and title track 'Detroit Noir', a surprisingly sun-kissed, positive and celebratory affair marked out by smoky sax lines and a rubbery bassline. The fun continues on side B, where the wide-eyed, piano-laden warmth of 'After The Party' is joined by the upbeat, techno tempo wooziness of 'All I Need'.
Review: Following the recent dip into the Theo Parrish archives that was The Twin Cities, Phil Weeks' Robsoul imprint looks to another one of Detroit's adopted sons in the form of Rick Wade. Like that recent Parrish reissue, Weeks re-releases another three tracks from Wade's bulging discography. The upbeat disco loops of "Players Theme" was originally released on French label Funky Chocolate in 2002 and still sound fresher than anything being plied by the Soundcloud dwellers today, while "Can't You See" from 2003 provides a more soulful take on house music. On the flip, the tracky funk and cascading string melodies of "I Feel Good" originally graced Wade's own Harmonie Park imprint in 1998, but sound no less vital today. Essential.
Review: Eat More House's second salvo of 2019 comes courtesy of Rick Wade, a producer who seems incapable of making poor or mediocre music. His particular brand of Motor City deep house is always on-point and the four tracks here are every bit as atmospheric and groovy as you'd expect. Check first the foreboding analogue bass, punchy beats and simple melodic refrains of "Bmore Banger", before moving on to the deeper and more sedate - but not less dancefloor friendly - warmth of "NY". Over on side B, Wade reaches for the hypnotic beats, raw acid bass and enveloping chords of "Deep Sweet Dreams", before wrapping us in a blanket and offering up a steaming mug of hot chocolate via the wonderfully huggable deepness of "Too Deep". A master at work.
Review: A striking debut EP from Tokyo artist Iori Wakasa; 'Botanica' is a psychedelic house EP unto its own, summoning the environmental/ambisonic ritualisms of his locale, but repackaging them into a thoroughly danceable deep tech aesthetic. It's a fusion sound which is quite rare in other contexts. Wakasa, also a DJ (and now label head) based in Japan, has more recently expanded his repertoire to performances in Indonesia, Vietnam, and South Korea, and we'd wager it's this wealth of experience that has informed on the impeccable sonic synergies of 'The Pure Land' and 'Lunar Down'.
Review: Wall In The Hole kicks off life with a first EP from an unbeknown producer of the same name. The label will be tapping into what some (us) are calling the great dubstep revival with a super minted, one time only pressing of two brilliantly juicy tunes. 'Monia' has bright synths and warm chords over nimble drums and bass that convey real weight, all topped off by a superb r&b vocal sample from the golden era. 'Reckless' on the flip is another one defined by its magnificent vocals sample, but this one has more broken beats and lively bass swings, low end wobble and wooden percussion.
Review: Rhythm Section returns to what they do best: sectioning off the best rhythms and leasing them to a needy house-loving consumer base. Wallace's 'Ripples' cordons off six blossomy, city-slicker house heaters, representing the darker and harder-hitting side of the label. Wallace is known as something of a recluse, but his own Tartan imprint and official releases on the likes of Lobster Theremin and Banoffee Pies have proven this kind of reticence to be irrelevant for success, in hi case. Classic sampledelic house ('Whirl') moves into totally unique future house stompers ('Room 1') and atmospheric rainsoakers ('Shanghai Street') on this limited release, seeming to represent at least two sides of one musical coin.
Review: Niklas Wandt is a Berlin-based man of many talents including drumming, singing, playing synth and percussion and DJing, as well as crafting delicious techno depths such as those on this latest EP from the fledgling Viscera Transmissions. Initially, 'Mehr Phett' veers towards hi-tek soul a la early Detroit with its surging pads and sleek percussion. 'Feuerwerk Der Rhythmen' is another quick and kinetic cut but one with great meaning in the musical synths. 'Subcutaneous Dance' then gets more wild and free with layers of synth pulses, scintillating drum programming and a driving bass line that will lead to dancefloor lift-off. Eden Burns remixes the opener into a tropical, dubby, elastic house workout with an off-balance bassline.
Warehouse Preservation Society - "Fugitive Funk" (6:28)
Flash Mitra - "Spring Street Shuffle" (6:24)
Praus - "Magnetism" (6:01)
Sherman C & Space Ace - "Just A Dream" (6:23)
Warehouse Preservation Society - "Fugitive Funk" (dub) (4:35)
Review: Techno House Connoisseurs return with a fresh VA, packed with five top-tier acid and tech house tracks. Kicking off the A side is Los Angeles duo Warehouse Preservation Society with 'Fugitive Funk', a bass-heavy, breakbeat-infused slammer that captures the essence of hypnotic West Coast vibes. London's Flash Mitra makes a debut with a moody, percussive acid house gem. On the B-side, THC regular Praus delivers 'Magnetism', an acid chugger with warped vocals and 303 grooves, while Space Ace and Sherman C team up for 'Just a Dream', a relentless acid banger destined for peak-time sets.
Review: Jazz fusion supergroup Wasafiri dropped a lush double album in the form of Klearlight and it now receives a house remix makeover from some top-tier producers. Grammy-winning Chris Penny aka CPen layers in plenty of clean digital melodies and dusty tech drums to his version, while UK jazz maestro Greg Foat excels with some cosmic broken beat bliss. Dolfin Records' Ben Hixon brings a signature deep and also offers a more loopy and rough house cut that reminds of early Armand Van Helden with its loops melodies and deep, dirty bass.
Review: Six years ago, Vince Watson released a digital-only compilation marking two decades since his first release, in the process providing updated re-makes and remixes of some of his best-loved cuts. The versions on this 12" appeared on that set but have not been released on vinyl before. His re-wire of 1999 cut 'Mystical Rhythm' is little less than sonically gorgeous, subtly updating Watson's classic, Detroit influenced sci-fi techno sound to include all manner of spacey chords, warming organ sounds and jazzy, life-affirming synth solos. His version of 2000's 'Moments in Time' is even deeper and more intergalactic in tone, delivering heart-aching Motor City style machine soul by the boat-load. In a word: stunning.
Review: The newly formed Silum Records' is back with a superb second release that features Zurich collective Wavetest. They have previously released on the likes of Phantom Island and Drumpoet but this might be their best work. It is music inspired by the alpine landscape of the collective's native Liechtenstein but it also has one eye on the dance floor. These are bright, shiny disco-house cuts with happy arps, lush cosmic chords and accessible grooves that simply make you feel good. 'Gritsch' in particular is awash with warm chords and singing leads that will work in a wide variety of settings.
Review: Chiwax are back this week with a more than welcome reissue of Wax Fruit's one-and-only release Whispers from 1994. This was one of many aliases sussed by Toronto-based producer Ron Allen, who some of you may know for his seminal work as one half of Psyance (with Hayden Andre Brown) who released on Plus 8, as well as his work under the names Aztech, The Apache Project and The R.A.S.E. The late night mood music of the title track is a true zeitgeist from the period in which it was released, while the looped-up disco sampling deep house of 'Just A Party' or 'Mindgames' over on the flip were equally as trendsetting as anything fellow Torontonians like Nick Holder or DJ Sneak were making at the time.
Review: Heads High keeps up the good early work with a third interesting offering, this time in the form of a meeting of the fiendish minds of Mike Misiu and Eddie Smilie, aka Wednesday Club. They offer up late-night club sounds with plenty of musical nouse and worldly nuance that comes as a result of late-night sample mining across the African musical landscape. Their tunes are crafted on nice analogue gear so have that lovely freed edge feel and from the space-house of 'Magic Body' to the swaggering dub of 'Magic Dub' via the cosmic expressiveness of cruising groover 'Love & Care'. This one gets dubbed out to close a fine dancefloor adventure.
Review: French "house music purist" Phil Weeks flaunts his domestic absolutism on the very latest EP 'Nasty Girl' for Robsoul, bringing funky and snappy flair to a nasty vocal uptick. With guest vocals from an unnamed collaborator, the title track bottles the dirty excitement of a new nighttime liaison; 'Thuggish Ruggish' and 'The Ghetto Code', meanwhile, pare things back far farther into chuggy Chicago house territory, sacrificing the glammy vocals for analogue-flavoured, brass-driven groovetastics.
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