MICHAEL ZUCKER Vinilo y CD

Review: Finale Sessions continues to fly the flag for the freshest variations on deep techno with a distinct Detroit flavour, and now the label is celebrating five years of operations with a split release that calls upon some label regulars to turn out the goods. Luke Hess is up first with the dynamic whipcrack dub techno pulse of "Deliverer", while Patrice Scott continues his fine run of form with the meditative "Future Funk". Basic Soul Unit meanwhile strikes the balance between experimentation and immersion with the sharp-angled yet soothing "Torn Satin", and then label boss Michael Zucker drops a punchy but poignant offering in the shape of "YHWH".

Review: Following a strong cast including Myles Serge, John Barera, DJ Skull and Hakim Murphy, Mentha continues its strong run of form with a various artists 12" that broadens the horizons of the high-grade deep house label. Michael Lovatt keeps things groovy and understated on "Tides", while Kareen Ali gets into a slow and trippy mood on "Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez". Anaxander's "Unspoken" brings some neo-soul synth lines to the table, and Michael Zucker turns out a brooding, introspective workout. Each track may have its own traits, but the whole record hangs together as a fine next step for a promising label.