Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: Mule Musiq continues to refine its reputation for sophisticated electronic music with a release that radiates warmth, groove and effortless elegance. The opening track, 'Midnight Piano', with its addictive groove and shimmering melodies, delivers a soothing yet danceable experience. It sets the tone for 'Slow Ride', a Balearic-infused journey with laid-back rhythms and breezy horns, evoking images of sun-drenched coastlines and late-afternoon lounging. On the flip side, 'No Flamingos In Salinas' embraces an ambient house aesthetic, channeling a vintage '90s feel with dreamy synth work while maintaining a subtle techy edge that keeps it dancefloor-ready. The closer, 'Dream On', is a smooth, melodic builder that gradually unfolds, carrying the listener into a hypnotic state with its rich textures and serene energy. These two Italian producers join forces to produce one fantastic EP, a record which embodies the aura of summer with its lush soundscapes and masterful deep house craftsmanship.

Review: Mule Musiq regular Kuniyuki is undoubtedly one of the surest bets for delicate, considered deep house music from Japan, and he makes his first appearance on his home label for 2015 with the sumptuous tones of the Newwave Project #2. The title track is a patient stalker that lets the percussion shuffle in a skittish manner, while strings dangle nervously over head, and yet the whole experience is a soothing one. Musk turns in a remix of the track which heads into more obviously spaced out territory with some decidedly cosmic bleep tones, before Kuniyuki switches up his styles for "Newwave Project #4" with a track clearly fuelled on the heat and passion of early synth pop arpeggios and industrial experimentation.

Review: A mesmerising blend of organic textures and synthetic precision, delivering a fresh take on techno and house. The title track, 'Upside Down', kicks things off with a clever nod to the glitch and microhouse era of the very early 00s. Its gorgeous melody and intricate layering make it both nostalgic and forward-thinking. 'Eyes Between Letters' follows with a deeper bassline and spacious, intricate production. Side-2 opens with 'Beyond Light & Shade', where Asian-inspired melodics weave seamlessly with a balanced blend of techno and house, offering a richly textured and emotive piece. Closing the EP, 'Complementary Senses' delivers profound depth, bringing an introspective quality to its lush production. A unique release tailor made for fans of innovative, boundary-pushing electronic music.

Review: Axel Boman's 2013 debut album "Family Vacation" was something of a triumph, so it's heartening to report that this belated sequel is every bit as inspired. He begins in fine style by delivering his most loved-up and glassy-eyed track yet - a Sister Sledge sampling chunk of rushing sunrise deep house - before flitting between booming sub-bass and more bliss-inducing musical flourishes on the down-low throb of "Slave To The Vibe". There's an intoxicating and exotic feel to the gently percussive cut that follows, killer ethno-house jam "Paid By The Rhythm", while "Copacabana Dub" is an expertly executed exercise in deep house/Latin percussion fusion. As if that lot wasn't enough to set our pulse racing, trippy slo-mo house chugger "Don't Bug Me" and opaque deep techno shuffler "Konoba Boba" are both suitably sublime.

Review: Here's something guaranteed to ensure a rush of excitement in deep house heads everywhere: a brand new album from much-loved U.S producer Fred P. It's the first under the previously unused F.P-Oner alias, and his first studio outing since 2013's Black Jazz Chronicles set, Codes & Metaphors. Unsurprisingly, the simply titled 5 is as inspired, sumptuous and melodious as you'd expect, with gentle dub house, jazz and - in the case of the wonderful "Infinite Love" - Detroit techno influences. While much of the album is slinky, sensual and ultra-deep (see the fabulous "Visions of You" and "Sleepless in Shibuku"), there are a couple of thrillingly percussive moments to get the pulse racing, including the African-influenced tribal workout "The Realm of Possibility".

Review: Mule Musiq boss Toshiya Kawasaki has pulled out all the stops for the sixth installment of the label's popular I'm Starting To Feel Okay compilation series. Whereas previous editions issued on sublabel Endless Flight have been restricted to single CDs and 12" samplers, this sixth round of Okay arrives across a double CD and two double pack vinyl editions. Furthermore it's packed to the rafters with exclusives and unreleased tracks from the label's stable of like-minded deep house producers. As you'd expect, this first part has plenty to enjoy from the hypnotic, Detroit-influenced pulse of Julius Steinhoff's "Downtown" and Axel Boman's woozy, picturesque "Anytime Is Fine" (which seemingly features a riff inspired by an obscure boogie classic), to the sinewy strings and bustling rhythms of Johannes Brecht's "London" and Fred P's typically musical "Electric Bridge". Classier than San Diego bruv.