DJS: MOST CHARTED - DEEP HOUSE - MOST CHARTED IN SEPTEMBER 2014

Review: Hot on the heels of Floating Points' excellent King Bromeliad EP - a belated return to his deep house roots smothered in tactile jazz - comes this one-sided 12" single. "Sparkling Controversy" is a previously unreleased dub of "ARP3" from 2011's expansive double-EP Shadows. While the original saw Sam Shepherd recalling Moodymann's greatest deep jazz-house moments, "Sparkling Controversy" has a little more of a garage-flecked bounce. The warm Rhodes chords, darting synths and dewy-eyed melodies that marked out the original track are still present, and perfectly compliment Shepherd's warm, tooled-up rhythm. Its every bit as immersive and touchy-feely as the 2011 original, just a little weightier, with added punch to the percussion.

Review: Making a welcome return to the fray with another rare outing for Uzuri, Jitterbug is in top-drawer house mode across the board on this six track groove fest. "Sweet Tooth" works a funky bass lick and little touches of guitar around a rough beat to devastating effect, while "Jus Drums" offers up a rasping rhythm set for all creatively minded spinners to get in a lather about. "Surge" has a more urgent funky techno spirit about it, tapping into the swung style of Stephen Brown with ample interwoven melodic threads. "Ache 4U" takes a slower, smoother approach with a beautiful reflective house excursion, before "Koko" ramps up the energy with a lively disco infusion, leaving it to "Trak 6" to level proceedings with a nasty drum heavy bumper.

Review: It's been a good 12 months since a Trinidadian Deep release, and two years since his last EP for Neroli. Here he returns to the Italian label with another trio of tracks rich in musicality and dreamy, spine-tingling depth. Opener "Dem Jump" sets the tone, delivering a saucer-eyed take on Mood Hut style new age house built around bossa-influenced drums and peppered with delicious marimba melodies. There's more of a traditional US deep house bump to the similarly dreamy "Eyes Closed" - all tactile chords and twinkling piano solos - while "Beyond Us" layers sun-bright synth melodies over a dense, bongo-laden rhythm. All three tracks are magical in their own way, as you might expect from someone of Trinidadian Deep's pedigree.

Review: With a title like Annoying Mumbling Alkaholik, you'd expect this three-tracker from the mighty Alex "Omar" Smith to be full of pent-up anger and bitter frustration. Sure, there's a raging rawness about the third track - an undulating trip into spiraling acid territory - but for the most part the EP is a beacon of simple beauty. The opening track is particularly picturesque, with beautiful, new-age influenced melodies and immersive pads riding a cymbal-heavy Detroit deep house groove. There's more Mood Hut/Future Times style synth work on the Tangerine Dream influenced "Track 2", which contrasts deep, sun-kissed melodic loops with a fuzzy drum machine groove.

Review: The impressively prolific Nick Anthony Simoncino returns to L.I.E.S, some two years on from his last outing for Ron Morelli's acclaimed imprint. Simoncino rarely strays from his tried-and-tested blueprint - think vintage synths, crusty drum machines, and tracks influenced by classic Chicago house, proto-house, acid and Detroit techno - and Able Dance is no different. Its expansive melodies, sweaty rhythms, spacious chords and darting electronics are, though, particularly appealing. The heady positivity of "Io Rhythm" is probably our pick, though the spooky atmosphere and bongo-laden groove of "Able Dance" is similarly impressive. Despite its' ghostly nature, it still feels strangely exotic.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: While it may still be relatively early days for Chicago-based label Perpetual Rhythms, already the quality bar has been set high with the first two releases and now HVL and CSPOK are on hand to push it even further. The former has already found form on Rough House Rosie, and here weaves a romantic take on deep techno and electro that will soothe the soul immeasurably with its healing pads and warming melodies. CSPOK resides over the flip with an equally dreamy vision of machine funk, keeping the beats secondary to the synths while drawing energy from an impressive arrangement of interlocking sounds.

Review: **Repress** Right now, pretty much everything Vancouver crew Mood Hut touches turns to audible gold. Here, they deliver another stunner, this time from Pender Street Steppers man Jack Jutson. The real killer here is 11- minute flipside "Something (On My Mind)", a delightfully loose and fuzzy chunk of analogue deep house built on jazz-house percussion, snaking saxophones, immersive chords and golden melodies. Honestly, it's superb. There's more stunning sweetness in the shape of "Looking Forward To You", with its sensual spoken vocal and eyes-wide-shut positivity, and "Take it 2 the Edge", an undulating chunk of hazy broken house replete with enveloping pads, razor-sharp cymbals and drifting vocal samples.

Review: The Sofrito Super Singles series is on the cusp of double figures and this offering from collective main man Frankie Francis and the excellent Simbad might just be their best work so far. As ever with Sofrito, there's a sense of music education that comes with this record as the label shines the light on Gwo Ka - the folkloric rhythm of Guadeloupe - and one of its greatest voices in Esnard Boisdur. The focus here is Bosidur's 1991 track "Soufwans" (which translates as Sufferance for those not au fait with Guadeloupian) which in the hands of Francis and Simbad is flipped into a hypnotic house production replete with deep bassline and some killer synths. The accompanying dub mix will probably appeal to the deeper house selectors too as there's some killer drum programming on that one.

Review: Having previously impressed on Argot and Home Taping Is Killing Music with her blends of evocative deep house and floor-friendly Chicago rhythms, The Black Madonna tries a different approach on this debut for the recently launched Night Owl Diner label. You could certainly describe both tracks as "Balearic", and there's a real air of wide-eyed positivity about the tumbling melodies, swirling synth-strings and mid-80s pop production of head-nodding deep house cut "Stay". It's pretty darn tasty, all told. Almost as good is "Requiem", which appears to be built around a loop lifted from Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal's "Saturday Love" (with, of course, additional synths and tuneful electronics).

Review: There is deep and there is Fred P! But how does the man otherwise know as Black Jazz Consortium fare when he takes his well honed approach and applies it to a more explicitly techno palette? Well anyone that check Red Cloud, Peterkin's debut release under the Anomaly alias will know techno in Fred P's hands still retains his signature production flourishes but adds a touch of toughness into the mix. That's certainly the case with Sun & Moon, a 3 track homage to "techno-soul" that veers from the rigid rhythmic punch of "Serinatatis" to the more esoteric, spacy vibes of "Dark Population" which as it turns out is quite reminiscent of Terrence Dixon's Population One material.

Review: By all accounts Romanian producer Borrowed Identity is having a splendid 2014. Currently based in Berlin taking political refuge from his homeland, the producer has already racked up 12" releases for Fina and Quintessentials as well as contributing a track to Ryan Elliott's thick set Panorama Bar mix. This 12" for the evergreen Hometaping is Killing Music label shows how diverse Borrowed Identity's range can be, dipping into similar sample laden territory to MCDE with sublime results. It's apparent from the off with "Feeling Blue" centred around a lovely chord refrain that hooks you as soon as it drops, whilst "Nation Under A Groove" nudges the tempo up a few notches before the mood eases back down with the pair of beatdown burners on the flip. A perfect record for the club!

Review: Following releases for Austere Recordings and Contrast-Wax, Birmingham producer Laak arrives on Altered Moods with the four-track Our Ways EP. Those aquainted with the Laak style already will find lots to be excited about here, with four tracks that delve into the more hypnotic end of classic deep house.

Review: DJ Qu - AKA New York-based producer Ramon LIsandro Quezada - has been doing his thing since the mid-2000s, delivering spacey deep house cuts that join the dots between the soulful warmth of Glenn Underground and the far-sighted futurism of Detroit techno. There's more stargazing fare to be found on his latest EP. "Raw 7" has a real sci-fi feel, with alien synths melodies and outer-space stabs riding a powerful, cymbal-driven rhythm. "Untitled (High Life)" is a little more relaxed, with picturesque electronic melodies complimenting a dense, afro-influenced house groove. It's floor-friendly enough, but positive enough for home listening, too. Finally, "Soma" is thrillingly deep, transporting listeners to the far reaches of the galaxy via endless chords and shuffling percussion.

Review: Melbourne producer Andras Fox seems to be mellowing with age. While there's always been a breezy Balearic bent to much of his material, it used to come wrapped in the standard trappings of dancefloor-friendly deep house. This extended EP/mini-album for Mexican Summer sees him in full-on Balearic mode, layering delay-laden guitars, new age melodies and dreamy chords over a variety of shuffling, soft focus rhythms. It's an enjoyably fresh and melodious set, all told, with audible nods to the likes of Ron Trent and Larry Heard, as well as the new age ambient house sound of Cloudface, Confused House and DK. Highlights are naturally plentiful, from the chiming beauty of "So Glad", to the Vangelis-ish pulse of "Mystic Beach".

Review: Since last appearing on Quintessentials, Berlin dwelling Borrowed Identity has seen his profile ratchet up with releases on Fina, Mistress and Stripped And Chewed leading up to a commission to contribute to Ryan Elliott's Panorama Bar mix. The Sexo Bonito EP is a fine time for some further exercises in sassy deep house for Quintessentials. "Shake" bumps along impressively, doffing a hat to classic U.S house via diva vocal samples, chunky bottom-end and wavy chords. "Get Down" reaches for the organs, placing them at the centre of a hustling groover that benefits greatly from some rubbery synth bass and delay-laden vocal samples. Finally, "Poems For You" is warm and calming. It sounds like the sort of thing you'd expect to hear drifting from the speakers at some beachside bar in hotter climes.

Review: We are excited to bring to you a new friend to the Finale Sessions family and he is part of the rising cast of producers from the New York underground . This record is just letting you know that it is still the hub for top notch talent in the United States. Jordan is a special producer bringing a vibe like no other with his mix of house and techno attributes .1) Night Mask is a nasty raw down to the ground dance track with sub like kicks and percussions and its flawless arching synth give this track its basis to move like no other.2) Division Point - This track is the basis for the ep and we understand we Jordan is going with this one for sure . Division Point is part deep and raw and it gives the ep its depth that it needs to transpire on different dance floors everywhere with its floating pads and it deep drums . Flawless work I must say.3) Return is the track I dig the most on this Jordan release! It has that peek time feel to it with its techno undertones and its great drum programming which really sets this track apart from all other and we can't forget the super sub underneath all the other attributes

Review: With this new four-track EP by Rai Scott the slowly emerging producer moves away from being the enigma that appeared on a split 12" with Brad Peterson that launched the Inner Shift imprint in 2012. And by the sounds on this EP, she's someone to be noticed. Preceding her forthcoming debut on Ornate, Scott provides another four-track called Reason to Smile for Inner Shift Music. It's the fifth release for the label this year and "We Love You" certainly earns its place as the record's A1; sweet and meaningful deep house. "Keep On" is a dubbed out, bassline driven tribal journey of drums and low-end rhythm completed by emotional chords that eventually takeover, while "Cats and Water" is on a funky, stripped-back and loopy '90s techno tip. And for some ambient fun that then turns house: "Sky In The Clouds" is a perfect B2. An exciting producer house communities worldwide should be talking about in the second half of this year.

Review: After the summer break, the explorers leave the coast to get back to the sea. The new adventure is called "Greener EP" and is signed by Kemetic Just (Nite Grooves, NDATL, Pooled Music..) 4 track EP that includes remixes by Volcov, Above Smoke and a Dark Deep Explorer mix with Brad Peterson on the keys

Review: ** REPRESS ** Officially titled Wild Oats Proudly Presents Da Sampla West Side Sessions, you can tell straight away how much work Kyle Hall's label has put into remastering and reissuing this 1997 heat from Anthony Shake Shakir. Screen printed cover art, bonus material on an accompanying 7" and gloriously lo-fi photocopied insert - all these elements just add an additional sheen of "must-haveness" to some archival Motor City brilliance from Shake. All four rollercoaster rides through Detroit rhythms from the 12" Shakir released under his Da Sampla alias on the now defunct M3 imprint are present and sound just as vital now, not least the dizzying kaleidoscopic sensory assault of "Track 4". Two additional cuts of material produced by both Shakir and Hall occupy the red hand stamped 7", veering between the relentless carnival judder of "GJ" and the sparser alien sounds of "Frictional Beat #6" - both of which are complemented by locked grooves. Given the hugely popular nature of Wild Oats output to date, this won't stick around for long.

Review: For the latest release on his NDATL imprint, Kai Alce has reached to a long-standing but oft-overlooked stalwart of the deep house circuit, Brett Dancer. With releases on Track Mode reaching back to 1994, Dancer has been active one way or another right the way through, and these three jams find him in fine fettle. "The Hybrid" certainly sports plenty of Midwest soul in its warming synth lines and soulful outlook, while the inherent spirit of techno noticeably keeps the track pushing forwards. Dancer's "Unreleased Dub" of "Someone" comes draped in similar styles, with the added injection of vocal licks and pattering bongos, before "Something" takes on a more obviously house tone for the deeper end of the night.

Review: Asok's Scenery imprint continues to go from strength to strength, with the boss man following up Bantam Lions' recent Recollections EP with a single of his own. "Hunter" is undoubtedly the Liverpool-based producer's strongest track yet, with woozy, soft-focus chords and alien electronics riding a dusty, analogue-rich groove. As with much of the label's recent output, there are distinct hints of Mood Hut, Future Times and Mister Saturday Night. Experienced producer Versalife reworks the title track, turning it into a blissful chunk of Drexciya-style electro. Flip to the B-side for "Cabal", an ultra-deep and occasionally discordant concoction, and the fuzzy, Detroit-influenced bounce of "Millennium 2.2".

Review: Chesus seems to be in a happy place right now. Certainly, there's a confident and outgoing feel about his second outing for 4Lux under the Earl Jeffers alias. All four tracks feel like the product of enjoyable studio sessions, and almost bristle with celebratory release. "Jump", which recalls the disco-inspired bump of early '90s New York house whilst adding sturdier bottom end, leads the way. Following close behind is "Elevation", a carnival-friendly fusion of pounding percussion, snaking synths and booming bass. "Intergalactic Jam" is a warm and rich exercise in stargazing deep house, while the curious "Bootsy's Nightmare" is hard to pin down. Listen carefully, and you can hear influences from UK funky, UKG, kuduro and ultra-deep house.

Review: This fourth release from Pressed For Time is the label's second various artist EP featuring three known names and one new. The newcomer is Ben 'Boe Recordings' Boe under his Maad Maxx Traxxe alias. He provides "Lakeshore Rollin", a linear, dub-tinged slice of thwacking deep house. YSE top and tails this 12" with a chiming, rhode-cruising "Tomorrows Yesterday", while his B2 is slower and woozy with a killer smacking hit on the offbeat. Label regular Rhythm Plate also features with the vocal lead "I, The Music".

Review: Big release for both artist and label here as London-based Australian producer Francis Inferno Orchestra comes through with A New Way Of Living, a debut album on the Voyeurhythm operation which doubles up as their first full length project. Having first surfaced in 2010 and dropped numerous 12"s along the way, you feel now is the right time for Griffin James to show what he's capable of over the length of an album and this is a very confident set. The dusty, sample laden house sound Francis Inferno Orchestra is known for is very much in evidence here but there's plenty of diversity shown over the seven cuts to keep you coming back for more. The daisy age goes house vibes of "The More You Like" and the weighty beat down "Rap Beef" are immediate standouts.

Review: After a standout contribution to the 2012 v/a 12" Prepared Halal Vol 2, Anaxander and Boe meet once again and it's a more substantial offering from the producer this time with Travelogues wedged somewhere between EP and mini LP. Given that remixes from Ben Boe and Madurai Raj feature on the flip it's probably best to call this an EP but regardless, it does find Anaxander laying down a selection of killer percussive grooves. "Wild Grass" makes for a wonderfully insouciant opener with subtle calypso undertones, whilst the heady grit of "Night Train" demonstrates Anaxander can operate at a darker hue too. Ben Boe's take on "Wild Grass" is straight up house deepness like you have come to expect from the label, whilst the Raj effort swerves into leftfield beatdown territory. Lo fi house rattler "The Snake Charmer" is excellent too!

Review: The fledgling Lobster Theremin empire expanded further still this year with the launch of dedicated black and white labels that pointed in techno and house directions respectively. Getting label top boy Palms Trax to inaugurate the White series was a smart move (as was securing a Galcher remix) but Lobster Theremin look to a new name for the second WL release in Daze. Who is that you ask? All Lobster Theremin reveal is he hails from Australia and this Lips 12" makes for quite the impressive debut offering, trading in rugged and acid laced house tracks that doff their cap to "the heart of British rave culture via Detroit-influenced electro" The Omar S-styled 303 acid lines of "Untitled" and the lo-fi, summery breakbeats of the '94 Original DAT Dub of the title-track stand out.