Minimal / Tech House Recommendations April 2012

Review: ** Rebels Repress for the Plex Fans ** Just in time to join in another Miami attack by the Rebels crew, Maceo Plex delivers two prime cuts, showcasing his undeniable gift for seductive grooves. Aptly named 'Frisky', Maceo is clearly gearing up for the party/mating season with this next installment on Crosstown Rebels. Title track 'Frisky' has all the flair of a Maceo floor burner, destined to warm bodies as the night draws in and set the mood for fun and friskiness. With a sprinkling of classic Maceo dust over the mid-tempo chugging groove, the bassline rumbles below that well renowned funk and there's no doubt Maceo's reign over slinky hypnotic house is set to continue. Continuing in the smokey house vein but lifting the tempo for the later crowd, 'Sex Appeal' is another ode to the fairer members of the species and injects a little romance into the more bumping slice of Maceo gold on offer here. A dose of acid and a breakdown and slow build of shooting synths until the melodic bassline drop is sure to raise the roof (terrace).

Review: Rekids offshoot, Cabin Fever has continued their fine line of duty in 2012, ever-developing their familiar tech-step sound. This time it comes in the form of the aptly names "Blow Smoke Up The Ass", a relentless house bomb grooving with mild effects and dampened vocals. The dub version is the one here though, filling the arrangement with a gnarly bass line and a heavier dosage of drum beats.

Review: What can we say about Visionquest? It was another historic year for the crew and adding Guy Gerber to their roster is certainly one way of confirming that! "The Mirror Game" is classic Gerber funk, where a mid-tempo beat fuses to seamlessly with luscious synth chords and anthemic pads. If we turn to the flipside, "One Day In May" injects more party-time vibes and does so with its insistent snares, smooth bass lines and sweet, elusive vocals.

Review: Maayan Nidam & Vera Heindel rekindled their rarely seen Mara Trax project for this Sensibilia double drop on the recently quite impressive Perlon imprint (the heads at Juno were on that Fumiya Tanaka 12"). There's an undeniably intoxicating and unhinged quality to lead track "Words Of Love" which twists a mind bending vocal refrain of "Sister, lover, friend" around the off kilter percussive rhythms and rough hewn bass line with echoing reverberant glee. "Murphy's Laugh" begins equally experimental in tone, embellishing the nether regions of the track with ocean deep echoed effects, though the track adopts a straighter rhythmic poise than the jagged A Side. Bizzarely brilliant.

Review: Autoreply offshoot Stuga Musik welcomes back Apoena, who hails from Porto Alegre, capital of the Rio Grande Do Sul state in southern Brazil. His first 12" for Stuga Musik - Falando Serio - was championed by the likes of Baby Ford, Willie Graff and Jus-Ed among others, the latter proceeding to release the self-titled Apoena album on his own Underground Quality imprint earlier this year. As an accomplished musician of many instruments and nationally renowned reggae artist it's no surprise he knows a thing or two about making a killer record. Here he steps up with "Mover", a warm, hypnotic floor-workout that references the early pioneers and is equally suited to peak time or early morning play. On the flip "Cooler" displays layer upon layer of colorful emotion whilst showcasing the artists love for vintage keys and analogue synthesis. Enjoy.

Review: World Unknown have swiftly established themselves as purveyors of heady, electronic psychedelia that traverses the tempos and offers friends - and in most cases regular attendees of the South London club night - the chance to release material in its most hallowed form; smartly pressed twelve inch vinyl. Arriving at their fifth release, the two tracks here are perhaps the most potent visions of how the monthly club night plays out, not least the heaving ten minute excursion from Semtek. More commonly known for overseeing the Don't Be Afraid label, Semtek should get more attention for his production skills on the basis of "Taco's For Dinner" which incorporates the entirety of Allen Ginsberg's seminal "Howl" over a propulsive, techno arrangement that fizzes and throbs in a manner akin to Underworld's "Dark & Long" without ever losing urgency. On the flip, Weatherall studio protege Scott Fraser pitches down the tempo some for the equally mind bending "Remains The Same" which has understandably been a set staple at A Love From Outer Space for some time now.

Review: Utilising the skills he learned mixing tracks for the likes of Pole and Pantha Du Prince, Kassian Troyer delivers his new EP, Stills, on Dial. The record opens with the sumptuous title track, featuring beautifully shuffling hi-hats and a subtle yet mesmerising synth progression. "The Afternoon Grid" offers more of the same, gently building a dazzling listening experience that delivers sheer aural serenity. "Breezy" takes things a bit deeper, and slightly darker, moving the rhythm with a swelling bass line accompanied by the distinct shuffle of stripped down garage aesthetics. "Hunter" slows everything down, closing out the record as blissfully as it began; Troyer using the tempo to open up masses of space and filling it with delicate, sparkling house.

Review: First release in 2012 comes from Montreal/Canada based
producers Maher Daniel & Michael Grapiocco. Maher
already released his music on labels like Souvenir and Get
physical and is resident at Stereo Club which was voted nr.
14 in worlds best clubs 2010. He teams up with Michael for
this wonderful 3 tracker.

Review: "Ghetto Kraviz" was the lead track on a well chosen triplet of productions that precluded the long over due debut album from Rekids pinup, the lazily sultry sounding Nina Kraviz. The sly nods to Dance Mania that permeated the tracks' stripped down refrain also demonstrated a accidental debt to current strains of juke when the track was flipped to 45rpm! No such tempo shifting madness is had on this edits 12", which features revisions from both Amine Edge and Alex Kidd. Intriguingly, Rekids did not originally commission either edit but were suitably impressed with the results to release them, with Rekids regular Alex Kidd impressing most with some haunting textural embellishments.