Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: Back ion 2021, the relaunched Foliage Records imprint offered up a killer mix from NYC house legends Mood II Swing, the must-check Deep Rooted. Soon, the revitalised label will release a sequel, with long-serving British deep house don Atjazz at the helm. This sampler EP boasts six of the highlights from that set - all remixed and reworked by Atjazz himself. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the tense, slowly building deep-tech shuffle of Halo''s 'Glorty (Atjazz Galaxy Art Remix)'and the sun-splashed 6am bounce of Atjazz's remix of Dominique Fils-Aime's gorgeous 'Sun Rise', to the dreamy dancefloor wooziness of Ralf GUM's 'AWA' (re-imagined by Atjazz as an Osunlade-esque spiritual house workout) and the jazzy, bass-guitar-propelled broken house excellence of 'On The Road (Vocal Mix)', a three-way collab between Atjazz, Kelli Sae and The Realm.

Review: Kid Fonque presents the sixth instalment of his label Stay True Sounds' compilation series. Showcasing the best of South Africa's dynamic musical talents, this 15-track volume of intense deep house and Afro house cuts is not to be passed over. Highlights on this 12" sampler edition of the wider comp include 'We R 1', a technologically driven, syncopated, trippy Kalahari jam by China Charmeleon and Hypaphonik; and 'SARS' by Beatsbyhand, a hollering ambient amapiano mystery.

Review: After a blistering first 'Hot Creations Sampler' EP heard an inaugural black-gold palm tree get blown down, with everyone to hear it, now comes a gratifyingly quick follow-up, this time with Steve Bug, Denney, Joshwa, Vintage Culture, Vinter and Hot Since 82 all in tow. No-one misses a kick, with Bug & Denney's opening gambit 'That Beat' locking down a morse bassline against stereo planed beat axis; Hot Since 82 contrasts with the incredibo 'Sonedo', which relays pop dance saxophony a-la Alexandra Stan through a believably ecstatic deep house filter. Second's the best!

Review: The third edition in Ten Lovers' Coin series hears Marcello Cassanelli, Caruso and Helen McCormack fuse churnout disco, chicken pickin' guitar and Rhodes solos, in an extravaganza of fresh, sartorial dance music. Never pressing too hard, Cassenelli's 'Starlight' and 'Tropical Breeze' go easy on the master channel, with unhurried pan flutes, roiling strings and twizzling G-synths stuck loosely to a soft but firm electro-tropical backbeat. 'Dream Horizon' is a brilliant outerlude on which to close the side. On the flip, Caruso & Helen McCormack allude equally to the Manchester Street Soul scene of the late 80s with 'Have & Hold', whose razor-edge r&b vocals and low-slung progression lend the record a surprise twist. Their 'Love You More', meanwhile is lushness personified, before Caruso's 'Central' chugs magnficently towards the run out groove with oozing synths and glitterball glamour.

Review: On Demuja's label Blueprint comes an milestone six-track EP made up of breezy, ultraviolet house tunes, celebrating the imprint's tenth anniversary in the form of a bite-sized sampler referencing a wider compliation LP. With both familiar and fresh faces in tow, we're gripped by the selection on offer: Hall's synthetic glam-funk jam opens proceedings with whistly synths, while Makez' 'Train To Saturn' accelerates towards ever-faster ends, and Basic Soul Unit's 'Souljourn' takes the B's cake with knocky, tactile *perpetuum mobile*.

Review: How is it that this EP from Warren Harris, aka the deep house maestro Hanna, is now 20 years old but still sounds like tomorrow music? Such is the vision of Harris that his off-grid grooves and sparkling cosmic melodies have aged to perfection. The pads weave in and out of the wonky kicks on 'Metropolitan' to make for an outlier soul sound. 'Cottage' pairs more wispy melodies with cool-as-you-like drums and on 'Healing' there is a sunny day feel with glistening and golden keys and louche drums persuading you to sway. 'Afternoon In Paris (NY mix)' brings some swaggering jazzy swing and busy keys work that again transcends space and time. This is one of the many classics on Theo Parrish's Soul Signature label.

Review: SQNC's debut release on Sequence Records delivers an electrifying clash of styles. Hearthug's playful energy opens the A-side with 'Beep Blump Beep (Sex Mix)', a bouncy track that effortlessly commands the dancefloor. 'Moonrush (Original Mix)' follows, taking a more acidic approach while maintaining that signature groove that's undeniably infectious. On the B-side, Cybercafe - Adam Dirk'heim's brainchild - establishes its cybernetic identity. 'Hyperdrive' is an immersive experience with deep kicks and distorted synths, creating a pulsating rhythm that draws listeners in. 'Katorza' takes things further with a retro-futuristic edge, adding a hypnotic energy that makes it perfect for late-night sets. It's a dynamic fusion of playfulness and intensity, showcasing the unique approaches of both artists while setting the tone for Sequence Records' future. This release is full of depth and dancefloor potential, marking the start of something exciting for the label.

Review: Ah, Hot Creations, home to the hippest house music that cites disco and 25 year-old club anthems as its inspirations. Here, label head honchos Jamie Jones and Lee Foss revived their Hot Natured project for a sweet stroll through smiley vocal house territory in the company of one-time electrofunk revivalist Ali Love. "Benediction" is good for what it is - a vaguely deep, pleasant Hot Creations record - but the real killer here is the remix of former single "Forward Motion" by crusty old US garage head Mark "MK" Kinchen. He recalls those glory days of tough but groovy MK dubs with a rework straight out of 1993.

Review: Brit producer Anish Kumar and Hagop Tchaparian, former guitarist with indie hopefuls Sympoisum, unite on a two-part exploration of electronic sound. 'Part 1' unfurls gently with minimal percussion and ambient field recordings, creating a spacious atmosphere that builds in subtle intensity. 'Part 2' shifts gears, introducing deeper basslines and more driving rhythms, blending organic sounds with electronic textures to evoke a sense of movement and place. The result is an introspective, evolving soundscape that invites repeat listens, revealing layers with each spins.

Review: If you like the sound of a mystical fusion of ancient Japanese folklore and contemporary electronic music, this EP created by Italian producer Volantis and Japanese artist Hiroko is for you. Inspired by a psychedelic experience in Kobe, it blends hardware synthesis with haunting vocals to cook up otherworldly spiritual realms. The title track merges Hiroko's narration with Japanese train sounds while summoning ancient beings while Eden Burns' remix intensifies the ritualistic atmosphere. 'La Kappa' features Hiroko's playful vocals over dreamy sequences with Fabrizio Mammarella's Italorama Version adding a touch of Italo disco. The whole thing was co-produced with Niccolo Barozzi and bridges East and West seamlessly.