Juno Recommends Funky House: September 2024

Review: The esteemed Michael Gray is back once again with his superb house sounds, this time on Sultra with 'Save Me.' An extended mix of the title cut opens up and is the sort of glorious crossover anthem that will unique any crowd with its clean and soulful vocals, pristine sax notes and swooning strings, all married to a breezy and effortlessly catchy groove. After the dub version comes 'Ivy' which is another accessible, heart-swelling and radio friendly house sound that harks back to the proper songwriting days of yore, then 'Season High' closes with a bright synth one that twists and turns next to celebratory chords and singalong vocals.

Review: Leading big room house label Toolroom, which hassling been under the charge of boss man MArkKNight, is back with more firing and high energy sounds. ESSEL & Alex Mills are on this one and unleash 'Rave Is The Weapon' which has got it all - wonky hooks, white noise blasts, chunky drums and a firing vocal that is sure to electrify the floor. On the reverse, it is ESSEL who goes solo for 'The Edge' which is a pumping house cut with some swaying tech beats and a nice hooky vocal up top. Great fun.

Review: Mexican supergroup Secret Echoes make a strong debut on Crosstown Rebels with their single 'Bring My Beat Back'. Comprising the talents of Estefani Brolo, Diego Cevallos and Marco Balcazar, this trio blend their diverse musical backgrounds into a unique fusion of sound that promises to resonate with electronic music fans globally. The main track is a compelling mix of house music foundations, elevated by Brolo's mesmerising vocals, shimmering synths and polished percussion grooves. The result is a silky production that balances classic house elements with modern, dancefloor ready touches. The origins of Secret Echoes trace back to the pandemic, where Cevallos and Balcazar began working on a long-envisioned album. After Brolo joined, the project flourished, leading to the creation of 11 tracks, with 'Bring My Beat Back' catching the eye of Crosstown Rebels founder Damian Lazarus. Adding to the release, Zombies In Miami deliver a remix that infuses the track with neon-lit synths and hazy tones, perfect for late-night sets. An exciting preview of what's to come from Secret Echoes for sure.

Review: French label Wagram is a real powerhouse when it comes to putting together authoritative compilations. They have done them in all manner of sonic words from soul to disco to techno and pop. Next up is a new volume of their ongoing Africanism series which is led by Bob Sinclar and features, among others, Olivia De Lanzac, DJ Gregory, Nark & Baker, Martin Solveig and Nick Chatelain & Danny Chatelain. It is house music coloured with a wide world of influences from the sub-continent with funk, soul and Afro all making for a colourful collection of hits from across several sub-scenes.

Review: Wagram's always comprehensive compilation series is back with another deep dive into a specific sound, and this time it is French touch aka the Gallic take on early house that is in the spotlight. Plenty of the early pioneers feature like Bob Sinclar, DJ Gregory, Saint Germain and Tour-Maubourg, but so do some more recent explorers of that sound, namely Folamour whose gorgeously sampled and gospel-tinged opener 'Ya Just Need 2 Believe In Yaself' is an early highlight here. Add in some other favourites like DJ Deep's 'Learn 2 Love' and De Pompidou's 'Can't Be With You' and you have a great overview of this popular house sub-genre.