Back in stock: Deep House

Review: Renowned producer Bodeler makes his mark on the newly emerging Minimal Brooklin label with a masterful display of minimalism on his A1 cut, then respected Argentinian Franco Cinelli remixes and delivers something immersive. On the B-side, Nicola Brusegan and Camilo Gil unite to create a soulful deep house track complete with lush chords and pulsating basslines, and this one is paired with a remix from Jorge Caiado that is sure to electrify dance floors thanks to his knack for crafting statement-making sound and pulsating acid vibes.

Review: Close Counters of the preferred kind... Lovers Dance Academy is the third, cosmic jazz-house LP from the word-playful ensemble from the Australian duo of Allan McConnell and Finn Rees. Eschewing much of the kitsch tropicalia of Soulacoasta and Soulacoasta II, their first and second albums from 2018 and 2023 respectively, the pair have decided to minimalise and sophisticate their sound here. Ahead of a nationwide tour (and beyond), this sweetly balanced record not only marks out Melbourne and Narrm as twin hotspots of the Aussie scene right now, but serves well as "a metaphor for the power of collective energy", with rousing hats and sprung sound design making for an infatuating, feverish disco sound. The master mix is ever so slightly pushed to the limit, inciting a people's disc-overflow.

Review: Ninja Tune favourite and sometime lo-fi house pin-up DJ Seinfeld continues to prove he was always about so much more with a new collab alongside Confidence Man that he describes as "quirky, naive and an ode to all the summer flings out there". It came about after the pair hung out a few times and enjoyed each other's company and the tun itself has already been something of a mini classic during festival season. As well as the original with its catchy drum loops, pop leaning vocal hooks and lush strings, there is a cheeky UK garage version that has even more irresistible bump and a Carlita remix that reworks into something different but equally essential.

Review: Oozing with slippery sound design and euphoric exudate, Andrey Djackonda, Etzu Mahkayah, and TooRare team up for a next-gen talent demo in EP form, well and truly showing any other upstart how trancey-prog-minimal house is and should indeed be done. Said to have been designed to create a feeling of uplift and positivity - and yet in our opinion, the record touches on relatively more neutral and trancier moods, ones which could go either way - the likes of 'Que Le Jour Se Leve' and 'Sunrise In Amsterdam' are highly maximised, entelechic tech-trance progressors, highlt reflective of the verve and dedicated so far enshrined in the work of Saint Petersburg label MixCult.

Review: UK label Rezpektiva unearths another gem from the archives, this time shining a light on Fade 2 End, the elusive duo of Nick Woolfson and Mark Shimmon. Their output may have been limitedijust two releases in 1996ibut what they left behind is a masterclass in deep, rolling, late-night techno. 'Sundance' sets the tone with its undulating rhythms and hypnotic loops, while 'The Passage' weaves together tough beats and drifting synth lines. 'Dreams' and 'Daze' lock into a mesmerising groove, all heady atmospherics and resonant grooves. On the flip, 'Another Day' and 'Another Night' explore the contrast between euphoria and tension, their hypnotic vocals pulling the listener deeper into the groove. 'Feel The Magic' rounds things off with a shimmering, dreamlike quality, balancing lush pads with crisp drum programming. Fade 2 End had a rare touchitracks that feel alive, shifting and evolving as they play out. Now, thanks to Rezpektiva, these lost classics finally get the attention they deserve.

Review: Gemini's In Neutral has always been regarded as something of a second wave Chicago deep house classic; an album that was celebrated by the heads on its' initial release in 1997, but didn't have the wider impact it probably should have done. Since then, it's been tricky to find on vinyl - unless you're willing to pay inflated online prices, of course - so this licensed reissue from ChiWax is a welcome surprise. In Neutral remains arguably Gemini's best work, and mixes thumping, hypnotic, Detroit techno influenced deep house jams with a smattering of deeper, jazz-flecked downtempo excursions (see "Ahi"). The album also features a sterling chunk of early Chicago boompty in the shape of the superb "?".

Review: After two decades entertaining dancers in Santiago, Chile, the Rock Tha House crew have decided to launch their own label. With local legend Camilo Gil and Mexico City-based Mario Flores at the helm, the imprint aims to showcase Chilean talent - though this compilation style debut EP features cuts from artists based all over the world. Nima Gorji sets the tone with 'Get Me Out Of Here', a hypnotic and mind-altering fusion of minimal house sparsity and deliciously psychedelic electronics, before Quenum delivers a typically Chilean blend of oddball house drums, weird noises and Villalobos style effects. Over on side B, Carlo Gambino's 'The Goddess' is a tech-tinged chunk of deep house haziness, while Mihai Popovicu's 'Nimph' is a classical-sounding chunk of ultra-spacey tech-house deepness.

Review: Sean Johnston curates a compilation that feels as much like a love letter to a bygone era of cosmic and chugging dance music as it does a blueprint for the future. Across this translucent red vinyl double LP, he assembles a narrative that stretches from the dub-tinged grooves of Weatherall-inspired rhythms to rich, enveloping basslines rooted in the darker corners of the dancefloor. These selections capture the ethos of A Love From Outer Spaceinot a style, but a sensibility, where tempo slows and subtlety reigns. Rather than overwhelm, the tracks reveal their power gradually, layering textures and grooves with a painterly touch.

Review: Mother is Logic1000's debut album. An alias of Samantha Poulter, the Berlin-based DJ and producer explains it has been insured by her becoming a parent. "I felt so much love and inspiration entering into motherhood that I just needed to create something really powerful," says the producer who hails from Sydney and has collaborated on the lad single 'Grown On Me' with her husband and long-time creative partner Thom McAlister. It is an album that runs that gamut from broken beats to smoky soul, shuffling basement grooves to heady and hypotonic, dubbed-out rollers.

Review: This reissue brings a sought-after Italo-disco classic back to the dancefloor. Originally released in 1984, it's a timeless anthem with infectious melodies and pulsating rhythms capturing the essence of the era. The reissue features three distinct mixes, each offering a unique flavour. The 'New York - London Mix' is a vibrant and energetic journey, while the 'Free House Mix' takes a more laid-back approach, its hypnotic groove perfect for those hazy after-hours moments. The 'NU Style Mix' injects a contemporary twist, updating the classic sound for modern dancefloors. Whether you're a seasoned Italo-disco aficionado or simply a lover of feel-good dance music, this reissue is a must-have.

Review: Anthony Naples is a revered album specialist by now. Orbs is his fifth full-length and one he describes as "a moody portal of shoegazed and slo-mo songs suspended in thin air." The New York City native really taps into new territory here, expanding the sound you might expect from him with all new samples, instruments and liquid synths. Drum beats are scant and rhythms move slowly, unfolding with great depth and narrative as you are left to do plenty of thinking while suspended amongst the details. It is another immersive listen, high in texture and beautiful in execution.

Review: Although nowhere near as celebrated has his New York contemporary Joaquin "Joe" Clausell, Antonio Ocasio has been offering up spiritually enriching house music on the Tribal Winds label since the late 1990s. Here he debuts the Soulciety Music Series via a 12" containing two ear-catching collaborations. COFLO lends a hand on A-side 'Protecting My Piece', a fine slab of synth bass-propelled spiritual house piled high with Latin percussion, elongated synth solos, dreamy pads and addictive piano hooks. Cee Elesssad joins Ocasio in the studio for B-side 'Agbara', a deliciously positive, sun-soaked number that adds excitable, jammed-out organ solos to a rubbery and life-affirming piano-house groove

Review: Now busy running a popular studio in Brooklyn, Will Holland has less time to devote to his popular Quantic project. While that is very much our loss, he does at least reappear occasionally to remind us of his talents. 'Tropics', his first release for well over a year, is therefore a rare treat - with the emphasis on treat. The A-side title track does a good job in combining his often-explored Cuban and South American musical influences with the bass-heavy shuffle of Prins Thomas style dub disco. Over on side B, 'Born Again', featuring Laura Roy on vocals, doffs a cap to his formative releases of the 2000s on Tru Thoughts, while 'Japanese Knives' is a chunky, string-laden workout reminiscent of some of the Quantic Soul Orchestra's most picturesque instrumentals.

Review: Label regulars Roberta and Trilaterals are back on Worldship Music to take part in the latest Herald Tarccs instalment. Reelsoul is a new name to join the fun and pens up with 'La Costa' which is a throwback disco house sound with wild melodies and big horn leads vying for attention and getting hands skyward. Trilaterals bring plenty of percussive funk and jumbled drum brilliance to 'Flo Jo' and Teflon Dons taps into a Philly sound with the string loops of 'DONTWANTU2GO.' Roberta's "Hang Back' is a classy little jazz-house number.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Like many of Detroit's deep house and beatdown producers, Delano Smith has been an integral part of the city's musical landscape for nigh on 30 years - something amply demonstrated in the fascinating booklet accompanying his long-promised debut album. Musically, An Odyssey is typical of Smith's previous output, mixing smooth, hypnotic groovers and jazz-flecked deep housers with just the right amount of basement soul and melodic complexity. Given that the tracks - all previously unreleased - were recorded in the last two years, it's no surprise to find that the tracks sit together beautifully. Making a high quality deep house album is notoriously tricky, but Smith has achieved that feat - and with a style and grace that marks out house music's true masters.

Review: Nick Curly's Cecille label has been a foundational outlet for European house for what feels like decades now. It has evolved through a number of sub-styles but never strayed too far from solid tech house and that is where Boman finds himself with this Dolce Dar Ninety EP. 'Courtyard' is loopy and swirly and one to get the vibes going, while 'De Bongo Man' is a more playful and percussive groove. 'Dolce Far Niente' kicks like a mule with turbocharged techno stabs and 'Good Old Sunny Day' shuts down with big synth smears and bold downstrokes that make for quite the upbeat house banger.