CASINO TIMES Vinilo y CD

Review: Given their illustrious rise over the past twelve months, the appearance of Belfast duo Bicep on the latest Wolf Music release is quite the coup for the London label. Artist and label are of course no strangers, with a Bicep dub of Medlar appearing WOLFEP009, yet there's currently a Midas touch style momentum driving Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar that should ensure this 12" sells out even swifter than previous lupine plates. "Mixmaster 88" is an unadulterated party anthem and another ode to some of their heroes (spot the cheeky Armando usage) yet it's most memorable because it shows Bicep at their most confident. Further house music excellence is afforded with contributions from Casino Times, Medlar and newcomer Ishmael that ensure this is yet another all killer, no filler emission from the Wolf Music stable.

Review: Casino Times debuts on the Stamp Records label with four typically well-produced and lively cuts of nu-disco and house. 'Ain't Enough Acid' teases and pleases with its drawn out acid squelchy and funky disco bass riffs. 'The Glow (Estate)' sinks into a more seductive late-night deep house groove with infectious swing and delicate piano tinkles. 'Gaze Into The Future' is defined by grinding and gauzy synth loops that build and boodle over leggy drums and cosmic disco signifiers. Last of all comes the playfully menacing 'Overly Dramatic' with its stomping kicks and chatty claps all lit up by some theatrical synth stabs.

Review: Casino Times is a London-based project of producers Joseph Spencer & Nicholas Church; a partnership that is rooted in house & techno since 2010. The duo have released on labels like Wolf Music, Mireia and their own Casino Edits. This one's courtesy of Swdens Omena imprint, the new label run by Tooli of Local Talk fame. A Change In Motion Part 2 sees the pair enter a new phase sonically, experimenting with the more experimental side of the spectrum. There's some punchy and futuristic electro to be heard on 'Ultra Synthetic' and 'Unfold', as well as sublime downbeat offerings like 'Tides' and 'Run Mods' and some swung-off kilter beats offered up on 'Something Else' (feat DUANE).

Review: Joseph Spencer and Nicholas Church return from the table with another superb Casino Times session. Riffing off last year's "Decoded" EP, "Recoded" follows suit with more cosmic introspection. "Voices" is a springy upbeat thumper with just a touch of Detroit to its soul and enough vitality to have you shuffling around the finest carpet joints on the strip. Elsewhere "Sambra Heat" cashes in the deepest chips with rich Balearic palpitations while the electroid "This Is My Channel" puts everything on red then breakdances off without glancing to see if its won. Finally "Display End Sequence" hits the jackpot with a funky, almost tribal fusion. Feeling lucky?

Review: This one isn't even a gamble; Spencer and Church let rip with their fourth EP and it's a first class trip for all card carrying dancefloor space cadets. "Track 1" is a subliminal cut straight into the heart of the cosmic sun. Restrained and unhurried at a cool eight minutes, it's an instant soul-melting weapon. "Track 2" takes us down much spacier, sultry bluesy route while "Track 3" sends us off around the stars for one last glittering hurrah 80s-style. Place your bets please...

Review: The latest release from the reliable Wolf Music camp is a limited edition, hand-stamped affair, and features two previously unheard remixes of tracks from Casino Times' Familiar Circles full-length. On the A-side, Al Zanders does a stellar job reworking "Carlotta", in the process laying down a hypnotic, percussion rich deep house shuffler full of bright cowbell hits, sunset-friendly jazz guitar licks and bubbly electronic melodies. On the flip you'll find a more than pleasant surprise: a deep, dreamy and utterly beguiling drum & bass remix of "Oddity" from Smallville regular Moomin. Its expert combination of evocative musical elements and crispy, snare-driven D&B rhythms is reminiscent of the golden age of Bukem-style liquid D&B.

Review: Nicholas Church and Joseph Spencer's Casino Times collaboration makes its way onto Wolf Music for the first time with the four-track Wolf 23 EP. First up is the ravey, French house and broken beat disco throwback "Principles", which leads into a rich sounding and piano sprinkled "AWD". Things become all the more low slung on a moody, rhode-driven "Stirling" featuring the Galchwer Lustwerk-esque vocals of High Hope, which Damiano von Erckert turns into a tribal, deep and dubby late night rhythm. A killer rework indeed.

Review: Castanets at the ready; Casino Times have delivered a premium slice of sunshine right here. The fire fanned by flamenco strums and layers of both percussive and cosmic textures, it's another glistening gem from Church and Spencer. Meanwhile on the B Malcolm retains the percussive theme but with more of a heads-down disco dynamic that's peppered with hooky dial-tone riffage. Ring the alarm.