FLABAIRE Vinilo y CD

Review: Flabaire reaffirms his status as one of France's most refined producers with this masterful deep house EP on the no-nonsense Skylax label. Known for leading D.KO Records and contributing to Skylax House Explosion, this latest suggests a new level of artistic maturity across four tracks that channels the spirit of revered house artists like Black Jazz Consortium, Mike Huckaby and Soul Capsule. From the lush opener 'Echoes' to the dreamy closer 'La Haye,' each cohesive sound blends jazzy textures and ambient depth with club-ready grooves. This is timeless, introspective house music of the sort that is always going to appeal to the heads who like their sounds intimate, pensive and slow during for those cosy back rooms.

Review: Flabaire's latest release unfolds with a balance of emotive melodies and groovy rhythms. 'Desperado (Part I & II)' opens with a hypnotic groove, layering intricate percussion and a steady bassline that pulls you in. The second track, 'Ivory Queen,' brings lush synths that add a warm contrast to the tight rhythm section. On the B-side, 'People' picks up the tempo, with syncopated beats and infectious hooks, while 'Saturday Afternoon' provides a mellow, introspective close with soothing melodies. Flabaire demonstrates a refined ability to blend groove with emotion, crafting a release that resonates on multiple levels.

Review: Finland's Common Labour label unites four different producers on the fourth volume of its Odd Jobs series, and each of them goes deep in their own inimitable way. Omar Santis begins with an unhuried and smoky dubbed out house with wispy pads and subtle vocals on 'Pinoki.' Flabaire ups the energy with some slick, tightly programmed but smooth drum loops that bounce freely beneath warm pads which infuse the mix with soul. Thomas Wood's 'All It Takes' has molten bass and liquid synths for a dub house delight on 'All It Takes' and Potholes's 'Bromsman' is the headiest of the lot with DJ Koze-style melodic whimsy.