Review: WeMe has a fine tradition of offering up music from emerging talents. They follow that MO again here with a debut EP from Rehab333, a creative newcomer and graduate of the Rephlex School Academy. Trained under the guidance of one other than Aphex Twin aka Richard D James and Dr. Chris Jeffs, Rehab333's mastery of analogue machines shines from the off. He packs in plenty of innovative melodies here which makes it all the better than this previously cassette-only release now comes on vinyl. Next to those zippy, reflective, pensive melodies, he lays down plenty of corrugated and funky electro rhythms, acid flashes and warp-speed drum patterns.
Review:
Ultra Vybe is one of the many superb soul labels to operate out of Japan. This time they turn their attention to the sounds of the 70s soul vocalist Clarence Reid. He had a slew of hits and two of them make it on to this 7". First is 'Rockin Chair' from his 1975 album It Keeps in Raining. It's mid tempo, warm and well swung with a louche vocal turn. ''Till I Get My Share' is a more direct cut with a passionate vocal and big horn stabs over prickly rhythms. It's one of his earlier singles from 1972 but still bangs in 2021.
Review: Berlin-based Nastia Reigel contributed a track to one of this label's various artists releases last year but now steps up with a full EP that is all her own. It is a fine chance for her to show her skills and that she does: 'What Can You Do' has a unique mix of hammering sounds, hulking great kicks and textural smears that are all dirty and industrial yet funky. 'If So Then' is totally different - a stripped back, deep, linear techno roller, while 'Over &' is weighty, loopy dub with a raw 90s aesthetic. 'Hold The Door Please' is another one built from well-designed loops that is sure to rattle the walls of any warehouse with its monster kicks and glitchy FX.
Review: Andrew Morgan's Peoples Potential Unlimited label may well have been founded to document the lost and forgotten funk, disco and boogie that peppered the DIY and private press labels of 1980s USA, but their contemporary releases are just as good. See 12"s from the likes of Legowelt, Beautiful Swimmers and Pender Street Steppers for evidence. Fried Chicken Skin adds to this small but deadly canon of contemporary PPU releases, presenting one of two records on the label from Stefan "Rekchampa" Ringer, a Stockbridge, Atlanta-based producer who got his break in late 2014 thanks to Kai Alce's NDATL label. "Fried Chicken Skin" is a bumping, rough US house delight replete with ad-libbing vocals from Ringer himself, whilst "Ride" sees him collaborate with Personal Trainer for a more reduced, deeper cut that will appeal to Sound Signature fans.
Review: After a lengthy hiatus, Spanish label theBasement Discos returns with a collection that fuses the essence of 90s house with contemporary flair. Rekun opens with 'Party Jean', a playful track driven by infectious rhythm. DJ Merci's 'Smack That' builds momentum with its punchy bass and relentless groove. Mindchime's 'Changes' shifts into deeper territory, offering intricate layers and subtle energy. Deepmore's 'All Night Long' closes with an unyielding, hypnotic drive that'll keep feet moving long into the night. A handy blend of old and new, proving theBasement Discos' unwavering influence in today's vinyl scene.
Review: Zodiak Commune's Acid Sessions series continues for a second round, this time welcoming Paul Renard in the red corner and Dima Gastroler in the blue. With two tracks shared per artist per side, Renard brings sludgy acid and alarmist leads to an arresting sonic quagmire: 'Chandra' being the best case in point, militant as they come, and 'Yessid' letting up on some of the angst whilst proportionately upping the pH level. Gastroler contrasts things dramatically on the B-side, with 'Ideal Consumer' reflecting on human biopower and subjective agency through a simple but incredibly effective ambiance, and 'Blue Spirit' bringing cleverly reversed FX and wompy growls to the intertexts that rest between the beats.
Review: If you like edgy sounds that are going to flip out a crowd that has been dosing itself high on party prescriptions all night long then check out this new EP from Repro. The first tune on his Fear Candy EP is 'What's Becoming' which is a paranoid mix of eerie melodies that almost sound out of time as they fall drunkenly about the mix over rolling techno drums. 'Traumatology' is another unhinged mix of urgent techno drums and winky sounds that are unsettled and unsettling and 'Enochian Retail' flip the script with some dreamy almost Italo melodies tooting away over snaking electronic rhythms.
Sundown (Chris Coco Sueno Mediterraneo remix) (7:08)
Sundown (Chris Coco To The Bone dub) (7:08)
Sundown (SIRS remix) (8:39)
Review: If you've ever wondered how much Balearic you can get on one 12" then this one might answer the question. Arriving on Cala Tarida Musica, it finds Residentes Balearicos pair up with bonafide Ibizan legend DJ Alfredo for a sizzling summer anthem. 'Sundown' is pure Ibiza house bliss with wavy grooves and majestic jazzy keys that bring the joyful good times. Balearic boss man Chris Coco then steps up with his wavy and elegant Sueno Mediterraneo remix as well as a To The Bone dub that is even deeper and more smooth and last of all is a SIRS mix with a more raw edge and urban atmosphere.
Review: Fresh disco edits outing Respect have essentially named themselves after just the right attitude they expect of their rave-goers. Continuing to embody virtues of respect and respectability with another limited edition white label release, this sixth addition to the pile hears whimsical collieries, chicken-pickin' rhythms, and lurching remixes, with the B-side doing especially well to re-ingest the essential War cut 'The World Is A Ghetto' and its DJ Spinna nu-disco rendition. The breakdown is especially performative and brilliant, with scatting mimicries of guitar heard expertly interleaved.
Review: This hand-stamped white label is the definition of a cheeky 12". It's an edit of the most celebrated tune by the one and only Gil Scott Heron that is primed and ready for good time dance floors. The drums have been beefed up and fattened out, the bassline has been given more weight and the vocal and flute have been left to do their thing up top. The results are high impact. The flipside is another edit of a big one in Aretha Franklin's 'Respect.' Once again the bottom end has had most work with some extra weight and richness, while a big sax rips up the groove as the vocals ring out.
Review: The UK deep house pushers over at RESPECT return for their fifth anonymous release, blending samples pastiches of Latin groove and disco into repetitious blurs. Leading with the rhythm-laden 'Pastime', a lackadaiscal drum workout abounds amid a well-produced haze; all while 'Paper' and 'Spank' continue to brighten the mood with sizzling horn blarings and uhhs-and-ahhs of reprocessed, lost soul. Not one to miss for those who like their edits self-evidently skilful and mysterious.
Review: On the debut release for their newly minted label, Manchester's Response and Buda make a bold statement with this EP. 'Evolutions' opens, delivering an immediate rush that churns up dark rave stabs and pounding percussion, invoking memories of the early 90s Jungle scene. Yet, there's a modern sharpness in the track's evolving structure, making it feel fresh without losing the classic vibe. 'Fintons Dub' adds a layer of atmosphere, with its subdued bass and cinematic samples adding depth. Double 0's remix of 'Fintons Dub' hits like a freight train, its forceful bass and raw breaks cutting through the mix. Rounding out the EP, 'Acid Vein' slows things down with acid house influences, merging acid squelches with a deeper, more contemplative breakbeat rhythm that adds tension to the release.
Review: More moody grooves from this long-standing Northern partnership as they lay down four wide-ranging cuts on their own Northern Front imprint. The first release on the label this year, it's big old statement as they flex across the spectrum. 'Criminal' hits with a Metalheadz headbutt, 'Dominion' swaggers with a venomous bounce that you could imagine coming from a collab between Amit and Total Science. Then we have 'Muscle' which is an exception piece of breaks that nods heavily at the foundation but keeps a contemporary twist. Finally 'Catastrophic Disclosure' closes with a hard, noisy Dillinja dig in the solar plexus. Savage scenes. This is some of Response and Pliskin's best work to date.
Review: At this point Okbron is a byword for the best atmospheric d&b coming out these days and while they may have drawn people in with their archival and reissue offerings, they're just as vital for platforming new music. Response & Pliskin represent the best of Manchester's d&b scene, and they've delved into a particularly mellow sound world for this release. 'Soon Forgotten' is a dreamy, subtly haunting roller with a clean, crisp beat and fulsome subs you can just float on, while 'Mainstream' deals in more layered, evolving pad tones and diced up breaks without losing that light, airy feel you want from a proper atmospheric release.
Review: Retromigration is the nom de plume of Malik Kassim, a DJ and producer from Amsterdam with previous releases on labels like Ravanelli Disco Club, GLBDOM and Healthy Scratch. The five tracks featured on the Bloom Street EP come to you courtesy of London's Wolf Music, featuring the sensual late night mood music of A side cut 'Brining It' and its velvety Rhodes keys that guide it all the way. Over on the flip, you have the urban influenced jam 'Free Spirit' getting that Berlin vibe going on that's reminiscent of Max Graef and Glenn Astro's work, and ending with the dusty jazz bar loops of 'Slick Walkin' that takes you deeper into the twilight hours.
Review: London label/clothing line Handy has already put out a fine EP in collaboration with Bristol's Shall Not Fade while Retromigration has had big 12"s on Last Year At Marienbad and We Will Always Be A Love Song this year. Now the two on-form forces come together for a fresh EP of dusty, woozy, seductive house. 'Also Durag' has classy skip in the drums and steamy sax motifs while 'Earl Jeffers' flips it into something heavy and sweaty. 'You & Dion' is a freeform house jam with squelchy bass and atmospheric vocals then 'Stop The Presses' rounds out with dreamy, carefree house goodness.
Review: Retromigration's Cloudin is a deep house 12" that offers a great blend of fun, jazzy, and serious tracks. Sometimes, all in the same track. It opens with the title track, which is a proper deep house effort that is techy and fresh, with tribal and psychedelic elements. This is followed by 'Only Well,' which is a jazzy funk track with a nice melody. The third track, 'Just Take It,' is a catchy, slick house track with an addictive melody and hints of disco. Side 2 of the album opens with 'They Hatin',' an urban groove track with cool sound effects, an old skool jazz feel and a 70s sound. The album closes with 'You Win,' a clever, different and unique track. Overall, Cloudin is a great 12" that shows that house music can be much more than just an evolution of disco.
Review: Amsterdam-based producer Malik Kassim aka Retromigration has been turning out a steady stream of beautifully soulful infused house eosins on several key labels over the last few years. Now he lands on Last Year At Marienbad with another delightful EP rich in melodies. 'B O' starts with a mid tempo groove that is embellished with the joys of a new spring day then 'Lapras' is lead by a mystic flute lead while the loose limbed drums make you move below. 'Dead Tech' slows to a jazzy late night crawl and then two flip side joints bring 70s fusion flutes and diva vocals to organic house drums. Sublime EP.
Review: Mikkel Rev presents UTE 013, a captivating sonic journey through the realms of trance music. This four-track EP on the Norwegian label UTE. REC showcases the artist's versatility and mastery of the genre. 'Zygo' pulsates with a frenetic energy, its psychedelic trance rhythms evoking an otherworldly sci-fi ambiance. 'Tone Control' leans towards Goa trance, its alien basslines and science fiction aesthetics creating a gripping narrative. For the second side, 'Whorl' offers a more uplifting and ethereal experience, transporting listeners to vast cosmic spaces. The piece of wax concludes with 'Tension', a 90s-style German techno track that showcases Rev's ability to fuse classic elements with modern innovation. Overall, a very strong window into a current artist's views of the history of the genre.
Reverendos Of Soul - "Love Will Set You Free" (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:06)
Right To Life - "Give It Up" (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:04)
Soulista - "Love & Life" (feat Karmina Dai - Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:28)
Serge Funk - "Disco Hustle" (6:11)
Review: Groove Culture's ongoing 'Jams' series continues to deliver disco-house excellence with its fourth edition. This high-quality compilation features standout tracks from Micky More & Andy Tee, Reverendos Of Soul, Soulista, Serge Funk, and Right To Life. Highlights include: Reverendos Of Soul - 'Love Will Set You Free'(Micky More & Andy Tee mix): An all-night disco spirit track verging on Hi-NRG style, bringing big energy and a lively atmosphere to any dance floor. Another great one is Soulista's 'Love & Life" (feat. Karmina Dai - Micky More & Andy Tee mix): A perfect blend of piano disco and house, featuring a heavy beat and great horn sounds that create an infectious groove. Closing things out on a classic leeven is Serge Funk's heater 'Disco Hustle'. This fantastic edit of the classic disco track is a filtered gem that is sure to knock the roof off the discotech. Groove Culture once again proves its reliability as a source of top-tier disco-house with this stellar collection.
Don't You Worry Baby The Best Is Yet To Come (part 1)
Don't You Worry Baby The Best Is Yet To Come (part 2)
Review: Eight years ago, Super Weird Substance unveiled a cover of Bessie Banks' classic 'Don't You Worry Baby The Best Is Yet To Come' - a hybrid nu-disco/classic soul interpretation that was credited to The Reynolds (twin sisters according to press releases circulated at the time), but produced and mixed by Greg Wilson and regular studio buddy Peza. This timely reissue marks the first time the track has appeared on a 45. Just like many classic soul sevens, it features 'Part 1' and 'Part 2' versions, which seem to be edits of the near nine-minute 'club mix' that appeared on the original 12" release. Both are great, with the Reynolds' gorgeous vocals being joined by rubbery synth-bass, simmering synth-strings, tasteful synth-horns and unfussy, floor-friendly drums.
Review: Lukid and Tapes are on a proper roll with Rezzett at the moment, following up on a knockout 2023 on The Trilogy Tapes with this self-released clutch of weirdo techno-not-techno nuggets from the outer reaches. There's distortion in abundance, and a laissez faire approach to soundsystem impact in favour of textural, atmospheric sculpting. It's dripping with intention even as it stumbles inquisitively from one lo-fi tweak to the next, sounding utterly inspired and delightfully unhinged in equal measure. What's most important is the melodic warmth which peeks through the noise, edging this above the usual murk associated with noise-doused electronics.
Review: This top-drawer reissue digs into the vaults of the legendary UMM Records label. It comes from 1992 and is an impassioned, steamy deep house by Rhythm 3 Request aka Carlo Montagner, Gibo Rosin, Maurizio Sacchi and Paolo Verlanzi. They released just three EPs, all within about a year of each other, but this one has more than withstood the test of time. 'Desafinado' comes in several forms with an After Hours mix laced with lush chords, the Hastenia have more drive but no less romance to it and the Red Zone is only a subtle tweak before Tribal Tracks gets more trippy.
Review: Since donning the Rhythm of Paradise alias in 2010, in the process helping fellow Bari resident Cosmic Garden to launch the Cosmic Rhythm imprint, Michele Lamacchia has delivered a warm, deep and colourful take on house music indebted to Italian greats of the past. That saucer-eyed, sunrise-ready tactility is naturally evident on 'Afterlife', the chunky but deliciously dreamy opening track from Lamacchia's new EP for Housewax, and the huggable, analogue bass-propelled headiness of the more intergalactic-sounding (but no less kaleidoscopic) 'Aural Spiral'. The storied producer recalls the piano-rich, White Isle-friendly end of the Italo-house spectrum on the gorgeous 'Drive Me', while the 'Spritual Emphaasi Restless' mix of 'Afterlife' is ultra-deep, woozy, jazz-flecked and Ron Trent-esque.
Break Of Dawn (Rhythm On The Loose 95 remix) (5:34)
Break Of Dawn (Strike remix) (6:55)
Break Of Dawn (Stonebridge Monday Bar Full On mix) (8:17)
Review: Geoff Hibbert may be the only rave-era dance music producer of note to hail from Oadby, a small town just outside Leicester. He first burst through with a couple of bleep-influenced anthems as Cyclone, but his biggest club smash was actually 'Break of Dawn' as Rhythm On The Loose - a killer, piano-sporting, saucer-eyed breakbeat house number that made great use of vocal samples from First Choice disco classic 'Let No Man Put Asunder'. This timely reissue packages the 1991 original mix with a trio of later 1995 rubs. There's Hibbert's own remake, which turns it into a MK-influenced house jam, a gloriously up-beat, synth bass-powered Strike remix full of fizzing riffs and bouncy beats, and a throbbing, raw and trance-inducing Stonebridge revision.
Review: Rhyze was a legendary New York based funk, soul and R&B band and they put out a classic album Just How Sweet Is Your Love on the SAM Records label back in the 80s. One of the little known but killer cuts from it is 'Do Your Dance.' It has driving horns over driving drums, with a slick bassline weaving in and out from front to back. The buttery vocal chants are simply irresistible, too. On the flip is the more peak time, floor filling bit of dynamite 'Free' with its irrepressible horns and clipped, kinetic drums.
Review: The cover of Ribe's new EP for Polegroup seems to depict the face of some Middle Ages king buried amongst the roots of a tree and surrounded by prying eyes. It's intriguing and very much at odds with the distinctly futuristic techno contained within. 'La Penumbra' is shrouded in fog and mist as deeply buried kick roll unhindered. 'El Metodo' is a soundtrack to static electricity passing through a factory floor and sending things into overdrive. 'Las Raices' then has heavier, more raw drum kicks and absorbing ambiance up top and 'Bajo El Olivo' closes out with pinging kicks underneath the cosmic sound of a distant universe. Exceptional designs and heady moods make this a well-crafted EP.
Review: Riccardo's a master of dance floor grooves that blend minimal, techno and electro into always fresh sounding new worlds. This latest release arrives on El Milagro Records and has a distinct edge and introspective moods that adds up to a reflective journey of depth and drive. 'H Dimension' is a speedy space-tech sound with nostalgic synth work and evocative mid-to-high frequencies echoing the spirit of '80s melodies. 'Hologram' is wrapped in a mysterious, emotive atmosphere with smart synth sequences and snappy low ends and 'Die Ritme Vertel' is a mechanical rhythm with blurts of synth, neon colours and freeform drums. 'Cosmodanza' shuts down with soft acid lines lacing up a more dreamy groove.
Review: BeAvantGarde Records have been away for a while but now makes an always-welcome return with the underground favourite that is Riccardo. He does his usual do of serving up four tracks of spaced-out invention. 'In Space' opens up with nice warped bass and insistent synth stabs with jacked-up drums and perc. 'Frequency' then has a more bright and cosmic sense of mood as the drums slow down and lull you into their hypnotic patterns. There is plenty of snap and crispy bass to 'Timeout' with its searching lead synths and gritty baseline while last of all is 'Kalapas' which cuts are loose and has ragged rhythms and textures for a more arresting vibe.
Review: The FUSE London crew are back everyone, look out! Bringing the sound of their legendary daytime raves to us again and getting straight down to business on Enzo Siragusa's third edition of 5 are label mainstays Rich NxT (with the rolling and adrenalised "Badass") and the always impressive OdD aka Damian Daley & Danny Dixon joined by newcomer Rossko (making his production debut) on the rolling hypnotism of "Jabba The Hut". On the flip is Moscow Records boss Archie Hamilton (another mainstay of the label) with the woozy and tripped out after hours deepness of "Cirrus" and the Deep End Soundsystem affiliated Sam Bellis with the gutsy acid driven "Solstrole".
Review: For many artists the world over, the Castlevania anime, game and manga franchise is a huge source of inspiration. What's not to love about superhuman vampires and vampire hunters represented in gothic anime style? Here the UK producer Richer dedicates his latest EP for REM/Voyage to the series, by way of a four-track trans-Sylvanian-formation, through haunting self-dubbed vocals, eerily emulant gothic new wave percussions, and phasers set to a discernibly house and techno stun. Best on this bloodthirsty haul has to be the alternate take of 'Delomelanicon', which, through its preternatural pad harmonics and faint chain rattling sounds, plays back with the same sense of mistily cloaked drama as is best conveyed in a first edition copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Review: Overground label co-founder Rickie is next up with four classy outings that operate in the worlds of minimal and tech house. First out of the blocks is the nice and futurist 'Foreknowledge' with its beeps and pulses colouring steely tech grooves. 'Controversial Sequence' is more zoned out with balmy pads bringing some far-sighted cosmic ambiance and 'Experiment X' on the flip does as all B1 cuts should - gets more loose and weirder for the late-night crew with wispy melodies and panning synth drones. 'Revolution' shuts down with a nice rueful and melancholic feel in the pads.
Review: Cosmocities returns with a sizzling six-track remix package of 'How It Feels To Be Loved' by American artists Erik Rico & C. Boogie. These jams are all ready for deployment in the club but come with a soulful signature that fans of Rico will quickly recognise. Tracks 'How It Feels...' and 'Love Everlasting' both get reworked by the one and only Josh Milan while Marc Mac, and Rico himself also step up with their own fresh twists. Milan's 'Honeycomb' mix infuses slap bass and acid-leaning grooves, his 'Floor Radio Vocal Mix' adds late-night soulful funk, Rico's 'Trench Coat Tribute Remix' delivers seductive P-funk vibes and Marc Mac's take on 'Love Everlasting' brings Balearic house magic.
Review: Ethos is a brand new label from Athens that follows up its notable debut with another classy deep house offering from Jose Rico, who has long been synonymous with such things. 'Dubplates' opens up with slow, patient, warming dub house that is lo-fi and coated in misty pads. 'New Life Galactica' is another richly atmospheric deep house sound with muted acid lines and humid chords while 'Fade Out' gets a little more driving with a jumble of woody hits and golden soft focus chords. 'Future World Dreamoon' shuts down with fine broken beats and jazzy synth work for cultured and cosy backrooms.
Hold On To My Love (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:04)
Blow Your Mind (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:05)
Love Blind (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:49)
Review: Italy's Groove Culture has really done a fine job of winning us over since it started out and this 14th EP is another one that is sure to slide into your affections. It's a quartet of disco-tinged house cuts from Right to Life, Micky More and Andy Tee that kicks off with the hip swinging and lush feels of 'Subway'. 'Hold On To My Love' then layers up the loops and rickety organic drums with some rousing strings and vocals. The good time vibes and carefree sense of soul continues on the flip with 'Blow Your Mind' and the more heartfelt 'Love Blind'.
Review: Circulo Cerrado's second album, Circular Economy, features four more tracks that explore a range of rich textures, all of which are unified by their distinctive timeless qualities. Rindeau, an Argentinian artist from Strain Collective, delivers 'Machine Soul' to kickoff with and blends electro-techno and EBM with expert precision. Galdar's Aniano crafts a house track with funk and psychedelic influences in the form of 'Encadenado a la Realidad' and Javier Carballo and Aniano offer 'La Furnia,' a dark, high-energy mix of breaks, IDM, and acid house. Tom Joyce closes with a hypnotic, minimalistic track featuring trippy motifs and 909 drums.
Big Town Boy Small City Dreams (Bangkok Impact remix) (7:08)
Big Town Boy Small City Dreams (radio edit) (4:24)
Review: In case you've failed to notice, 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Bronkski Beat's breakthrough hit, 'Smalltown Boy'. That has provided Bring Ring an excuse to reissue his superb 2018 cut, 'Big Town Boy, Small City Dreams' - complete with artwork that knowingly nods to the Bronski Beat record. His original mix, a female vocal-led affair in which moody analogue electronics, glistening guitar motifs and memorable synth sounds rise above a throbbing Hi-NRG bassline and Bronksi beats (sorry), appears in extended and edited forms, alongside a fresh rework from long-serving neo-Italo producer Bangkok Impact. His version is simply sublime, adding layers of expressive excess and trippy effects while subtly beefing up the groove and weaving elements of the vocal in and out of the mix. It sounds like an anthem in the making.
Review: Atlanta house mainstay Stefan Ringer finds a perfectly complementary bedfellow in Marquinn Mason on this new EP for the venerated UK label Eglo. His mastery of deep house and broken beats is a great foundation for the jazz chops of Mason. 'Bounce Lesson' is the first to win you over with its loose, leggy bassline and funky, jazz, cosmic chord work. It's a seamless fusion of different worlds and after the brief jazzed-up piano dance of 'Alltogethernow' comes the standout cut 'Lead Walk'. Another wandering bassline locks you in while heavy, knocking broken beat patterns and gloriously life-affirming chords all warp and weft around one another.
Review: Riordan doesn't muck about with this one as they head to the heart of the dancefloor with a brand new and full-throttle tech house cut on Realm. 'Needle On the Record' in its original format is a bumping cut with potent kick drum programming, chopped-up vocal stabs and smeared synths that bring a twisted future feel. The Fleur Shore remix has a chunky, tribal, percussive feel for those sweaty Ibiza parties. Closing out this package is a 4am mix that is hella rude with garage house grooves, naughty bass and neon pads for maximum impact.
Review: London-based artist and Semi Delicious label head Demi Riquisimo brings some peak time future tech inspiration to his new Windows 95 Anthem EP on Higher Ground. He has already dropped signature sounds on Ninja Tune, DJ Tennis' Life & Death and collaborated with Carlita, UNKLE and TSHA, so is very much a man of the moment. In this EP he leans on Italo and acid for his melodic licks which are high speed and glossy as they surge over crispy beats and retro-future keys. Chloe Caillet and Spray also add their own remixes to this tidy new 12".
Review: Semi Delicious return for their 19th outing in label head Demi Riquisimo's 'Perilous Joy' EP. The five-track release effortlessly meshes the classic influences synonymous with the now set-in-stone Semi Delicious sound with a nonetheless singular expression unique to Riquisimo themself. On the A come 'Sinewinder' & 'Direct Fix', a pair of four-to-the-floor tools. 'Sinewinder' brings a more diva-ish, big-room affected track, while 'Direct Fix' errs on the side of depth with a head-turning bassline. The flip kicks off with 'Perilous Joy', offering a nod to the sonics of the dreamy, progressive Italian house of yesteryear. Up finally is 'Thyme After Time', and with it more psychedelic house delvings. Finally, the artist lowers the pace on the Balearic chugger 'Autoglide'.
Review: Detroit-raised, London-based Demi Riquisimo assembles a dynamic mix of label favourites and fresh talent on Love State, the 22nd release from his Semi Delicious imprint. This six-track V/A hears offerings from Demi himself alongside Clint, Swoose, Lulah Francs, Dukwa, Anastasia Zem & Asa Tate, blending club modernity with classic analogue dance influences, sampling every sonic cate from Italo to tech house. Best among the bunch has to be Swoose's 'Re/Vision' and Anastasia Zems' 'Eternal Beauty', which bring together wasted electro, Italian new beat and trance for well-measured tinctures of dreaminess.
Review: Rise Black is Maxim Gkikaev, a producer based in southern Spain who also goes under the aliases Mitjun or Ocitin, and is part of the duo Psevdonym. He has released for Fil-Lex, Moustache and locals Another Perspective in recent years, but It is indeed a case of Bad Robot on this new one for Adjacent Possible. From the snarling acid electro bite of opener 'Alania', to the minimal EBM muscle of the title track and the truly dystopian bass dynamics of 'Laser Gun' - Gkikaev is not messing around here. Over on the flip, there are some mighty fine remixes which are equally as worthy of your attention. Benvol's electro-industrial sounding rework of 'Alania' retains that sick 303 squelch throughout, while PX's re-rub of 'Bad Robot' has an utterly majestic style of sonic futurism in the vein of legend Carl Finlow.
Review: Luv Shack's compilation style 'Disco Biscuits' series is the very definition of reliable, with each new EP delivering killer cuts aimed at the more cosmic end of nu-diusco dancefloors. Volume five in the series arrives with four more tried-and-tested workouts and little in the way of forgettable filler. Check first Rising Seed's 'Back For More', a driving slab of spacey dub disco/cosmic disco fusion in which intergalactic electronics and samples sitars ride a Prins Thomas-esque bassline and beats, before admiring the chugging and squelchy nu-disco shuffle of 'Suffering of K.P' by B.Visible. Over on the flip, Peletronic's 'Drifting' is a glassy-eyed slab of immersive deep house/nu-disco fusion, while Jon Gravy's 'When U Leave' is a stomping slab of peak-time house headiness rich in bustling beats, memorable melodies and hands-aloft riffs.
Review: Motion Potion Records returns with a second release from the Australian label founded by Jono Xidias, Mehmet Alpdogan, and ritmiq. This collaborative project sees ritmiq teaming up with Lewba and Louis for the 'Signals' EP, a heady exploration of spacey club sounds. Standout track 'Transmitting From Space' (with Lewba) glides through cosmic synths, subtle breaks and hypnotic melodies so is sure to become a certified late-night burner. On the A-side, Louis and ritmiq deliver 'Interplanetary Prisoner' and 'Parallax,' which are both rich in mood and groove. ritmiq's solo cut 'Nebularae' closes the EP with high energy and dancefloor heat. Signals is a stylish, cosmic journey worth taking.
Review: Incensio is one of those labels that always gets you exited to hear what they have lined-up for us next. In this case it is Ben Ritz, an NYC based producer who takes us to the heart of the club with this fierce four tracker. He opens up with the wonky and retro techno funk of 'Feel The Rain' then the squealing synths of 'Firefly' take over with a hurried rhythm leading you late into the night. On the flip, things gets more wild and manic with 'Sos' and last of all is 'Rip' which layers up squealing synths and edgy chords, slamming kick and unrelenting energy for future raves.
Review: The no-frills Unrillis label strikes again here with some high-octane and brain-frying techno thrillers from Ritzi Lee. 'Drive System' is a multi-layered cacophony of cantering drums and bristling synths next to vast, rusty, distorted hi-hat ringlets. 'Positive Displacement' is another loopy one with metallic hooks, pulsing bass and a relentless sense of forward motion. On the flip, Lee gets the machines to squeal and hiss and draws them out over a more minimal drum line. 'Detonation' is a bright, melodic, and 90s techno classic. Lots of variety here makes this a top EP.
Vicino O' Mare (The Shapeshifters Piano Bump extended remix) (6:00)
Vicino O' Mare (Louie Vega extended remix) (6:14)
Vicino O' Mare (Louie Vega dub remix vinyl edit) (6:16)
Review: Summer may still be some way off, but it's a fair bet that Riva Starr's latest single on his own Snatch Raw imprint will feature prominent in festival sets and at open-air dances. In its EP-opening 'extended vinyl mix' form, 'Vicino O Mare' is a chunky, disco-fied house jam rich in rubbery bass guitar, warming Rhodes riffs, reverb-laden male vocal samples, swirling synths and just the right amount of disco-house style filter trickery. Fittingly, disco-house veterans Shapeshifters deliver the first remix, cannily adding hands-aloft piano stabs to the Californian producer's infectious disco-house groove. Louie Vega takes over on the flip, first delivering a joyous, samba-soaked Latin house 'extended mix' before stripping his rework back to the heavy tribal drums on the excellent 'dub remix vinyl edit'.
Review: It's always exciting to hear from a brand new label and get to grips with that it may become way before the wider world cottons on. Side B is just that and this inaugural outing is a belter from Rkeat. 'Risky Endeavours' sets a heady tone with dubby, stripped back drums that remind of early Skudge. 'Whereabouts' draws on a similar aesthetic for some rather evocative late night tech rollers littered with glitchy sounds, and 'End Of Tips' then rolls on frictionless drums with deep space sounds roaming about the mix. 'Indol' offers a physical broken beat workout to close.
Review: Ukraine has been a hotbed of house and techno innovation going back a good few years now. Nechto is a label that has more than played its part in that and now kicks on with a new EP as it hurtles towards 30 releases in all. RMK is behind this one and opens up with some impassioned vocal cries over sleek linear beats. 'Vessel' is a tightly woven deep techno tapestry with soulful synth warmth lighting things up. There is no let up on 'Factory Streets' with its driving drums and pulling synths adding meat to the bones and last of all is 'Keys', another triumphant example of how both form and function can happily co-exist in the techno world.
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