Review: After an absence of a few years, 40 Thieves return to Leng Records with one of their most special releases to date: a hook-up with long-time Patrick Adams collaborator Gary Davis and long serving soulstress Cinammon Jones. What's on offer is a re-make of one of Jones' songs, 'The Gift', whose sweet lyrics celebrate the arrival of a new day. 40 Thieves take, explored first in the A-side 'Disco Mix', sounds like it was designed to be danced to during a San Francisco sunrise - think dub disco delays, hypnotic grooves, bubbly electronics, languid guitar licks and gentle melodies. Over on the flip, they take the track further into 'woozy 6am open air dancing territory' on a superb, stretched out 'Disco Dub' mix, before peppering a killer drum track with spaced-out electronics on the 'Beats' version.
Review: The diffuse hues and retro-feeling colours of the artwork on this new 45rpm from Star Creature perfectly embody the downtempo and Balearic sounds within. They come from A Vision Of Panorama who seems to ever more have the dance floor in sights over his last few releases. That's not to say these are banging tunes - but they do have lovely grooves. 'Piano Sunset' is a real spine tingler with 80s keys and mid tempo drums that come alive with crisp hits and a fresh bassline. 'Lost In Palms' then has a shuffling and low slung groove with nice wet hits. Add in some more lush chords and you have a real pearler.
Review: A Vision of Panorama and Star Creature continue their successful collaboration with another lovely 12" for lovers of classic house. Following the sold-out Fusion To Illusion LP, this new offering blends deep beats with hints of boogie and r&b in a fine showcase of the duo's signature sound, which is effortlessly cool, timeless, and trend-defying. Featuring vocal contributions from Sykes and Stacie G, the A-side delivers smooth, loungey vibes and includes the 12" version of 'Purple' which has been previously available only as a 7". The A-side also includes the instrumental track 'Ear Dreamin',' while the flip focuses entirely on instrumentals and brings a futuristic yet nostalgic edge.
Review: This third volume of instrumentals continues the faultless Isle of Jura label's deep dive into dub versions and beyond. Side one takes in references from UK street soul and reggae and features two late-'80s tracks by Howard Hill with machine-led rhythms, rudeboy reggae skank and soulful pads. Protek's 'I Love to Dance With You' is a proto-house gem featured in a Jura Soundsystem mix and here it gets a loving re-edit by The Nightlark. Side B includes an instrumental-driven track with spacey FX from The Cool Notes' and Ilija Rudman's 'Dub 4 Love' which is a knowing nod to acid house's golden era.
Review: Philip Leroi has had many musical lives over the years, variously recording as Linntronix and alongside Danny Sugarman as Stylus Heat. Atlantic Brain is his latest project, with the EP for Prins Thomas's Internasjonal label being his most high-profile to date. The key cut is 'Brother', a sparkling, melodious and attractive slab of electro marked out by squelchy bass and star-fall melodies. Rising star Alan Dixon delives two takes: a gorgeous, largely beat-free 'Piano Reprise' that sits at the rhythmic end of the ambient spectrum and the squelchy nu-disco-goes-deep house 'Love Attack Mix'. Elsewhere, 'The New Normal' is a shuffling and ghostly electro-not-electro number and 'Sticky Fingers' is a pleasingly wayward acid excursion.
Review: This compilation captures the essence of the Balearic sound, offering a sun-drenched journey through diverse electronic styles. 'Stay Cool (& Less Horny)' sets the tone with its laid-back groove and infectious melodies, while 'Ketkeys' adds a touch of psychedelic flair with its swirling synths and hypnotic rhythms. On the flipside, 'Chug Love' delivers a dose of feel-good energy, its pulsating bassline and uplifting chords guaranteed to get bodies moving. 'Tiny Nancer' closes out the compilation with a dreamy atmosphere, its ethereal textures and Balearic-infused melodies creating a sense of blissful escapism. This is a must-have for those seeking a sonic escape to sun-kissed shores and blissed-out vibes.
Review: Swedish talent Beatconductor is back with more of his masterful mash-ups, this time looking to pop icons like Taylor Swift and more commercial house artists like Peggy Gou for inspiration across the four cuts. 'Fallin' is a nice laidback and loved-up summer vibe about the feelings of falling in love, 'Sugar & Spajs' brings old school US soul sounds to another mid-tempo groove embellished with big horns and 'Tell Me U Luv Me' is a nicely heated and cosmic disco stepper with some big vocal stabs. 'Peggy Swift' closes with effortlessly breezy and catchy disco-pop.
Review: B2 Recordings is a label run by Greek talent Bengoa as a platform to offer up his own diverse sounds. Here he serves up a new single featuring Pan that is sublime, seductive and deep. The vocals you will recognise from a classic pop hit but here they get all resung in an even more libidinous fashion. The drums roll, and the percussion is loose, and bright but soft chord stabs heighten the mood. Flip it over for an instrumental version of 'Thelxis' that is all about the late-night grooves. Two stylish sounds for romantic moments.
Review: French disco singer Maeva Borzakian delivers a stupefying pair of electro-soul tracks to Six Nine, expanding on early feedings on 80s soul and Anglo-Saxon pop for a fresher modern twist. Raised in Paris among jazz musicians, Borzakian rejected the tutelage of her family in favour of self-taught disco productions and performances, which led to her building a career as a resident performer in her home city's many clubs and bars, studding the casts of over 20 different band projects so far. This limited UK press bottles the new and exclusive track 'Hey You' - a synth tomming wake-up slap that exhorts the bad actor in an earlier, controlling relationship - and a T Groove remix of 'You're My Ecstasy', an emotive loller with a finito feel and a drive towards empowerment.
Review: Don Carlos should by now be known to most house music crate-ologists as Carlo Troja from Verase, Italy -not Euvin Spencer from Kingston town. Alas, confusion still runs rampant over the ambiguity surrounding the Don Carlos name; if only they'd heard just how great this new EP from the former North Italian nuff-sayer truly was, they'd never forget the difference, of course! 'Italian Paradise' is a fresh, still dripping-wet house EP out via Groove Culture; its lightweight organ triplets, electric piano smears, and lens-fogged sunglass strings are what makes it *it*: a more than suitable release for hammock skygazing and/or wooly garment shedding.
Review: Casinoboy makes a triumphant return to Duca Bianco with a sparkling EP that once again shows his studio mastery. Previously featuring alongside luminaries like Rune Lindbaek and Khidja on a well-received compilation, Casinoboy's latest kicks off with 'Honesty' which is a blend of Balearic and breaks that brings a shuffle-and-wiggle experience with uplifting samples and an old-school UK rap edge. 'This Feeling' has a catchy Street Soul feel, while 'Searos' mixes up ambient sounds and Spanish Guitar to evoke the essence of the White Isle. Closing with 'Astral Go Go,' really pumps the party in ways only he knows how.
Review: Since making her production debut last year, Courtney Clarke AKA CC: Disco has released a handful of inspired and colourful singles which the boundaries between styles. The Lisbon-based Aussie is at it again here. She begins with the sun-soaked ambient shimmer of intro track 'Feel The Peak', where decidedly Balearic classical guitar flourishes catch the ear, before heading towards peak-time dancefloors on the wide-eyed dancefloor synth-pop flex of 'Touch The Vibe', which sounds Pet Shop Boys' Chris Lowe after a fistful of happy pills. She lays down another atmospheric interlude before going darker and moodier on the psychedelic nu-disco throb of 'Me Gusta Is Dead (Period Pain Mix). The new beat-meets-proto-trance throb of 'Yes Papi (Miami Daddy Theme)' completes a fine EP.
Review: Oceanic Zones is a brand new album on a brand new label. CCO is the artist and the fledgling label is Silum which is brought to us from the Liechtenstein Alps via Zurich. This is a stylish electro outing with elastic chords and silky pads that all, we are told, explore 'the layers of the sea.' The A-side is the more cheerful and represents the light-flowed upper regions of the ocean while the flip side is where things get darker and more menacing, as you would expect as you head down to the ocean floor.
Charlotte & Reinhard for WeCanDance - "To Be Free Again" (extended) (5:10)
Ollie Loudon - "LMT" (extended) (6:21)
Lily Ko - "Pure Rubber" (5:58)
Biancolato - "Resolution" (edit) (5:46)
Review: We're promised Mellow Magic and that's precisely what we get, across four tracks emerging from disparate corners of the globe but united in a common mission to provide beats that work on the more relaxed end of the dancefloor. Belgian duo Charlotte & Reinhard of Rheinzand fame kick things off with a slow motion Balearic version of a well known 80s MOR classic. Ollie Loudon's 'L.M.T.' finally makes it to vinyl after long being a secret weapon in Gratts' DJ sets, where handclaps and languid strumming meet a gentle but infectious groove. Flip it over for the more tracky affairs, as Japan's Lily Ko makes an impressive debut with 'Pure Rubber', an original mix of disco foundations and always snazzy but never showy 80s synth play. Melbourne's Biancolato finishes things off with understated deep house shuffling that adds just a touch jazzy keys and dreamy, wispy pads.
Peter Seiler - "Timebend" (feat Sheryl Hackett) (4:32)
Eoism - "Ultraverse" (5:00)
Voertuig - "Cego" (5:19)
Voertuig - "808 Ambient Jazz" (3:45)
Eoism - "Even Flow" (5:45)
Review: Colkin from Raw Soul and Mauke Club sets the tone on this new FUTUR compilation, which has been curated by Benedikt Meger with a spherical acid house meditation. Peter Seiler's track, a standout from the reissue of his debut album Flying Frames, features Sheryl Hackett's soulful vocals and merges song structure with jazz improvisation. Eoism from Pulse Drift, Undersound, and Inch By Inch delivers low-swung electro flavours perfect for sunset vibes while the B-side opens with Voertuig of Tonal Oceans and Cobra Club who presents a seriously raw acid jam followed by an experimental, jazzy piece, reminiscent of the 90s downtempo era. 'Eoism' closes things with a floating, futuristic banger, going to make a well rounded (in more ways than one) and ultimately very useful piece of vinyl.
Review: 'Back For More"' by Cool Million stands out as a true Neo-Boogie classic. Originally released in 2010, this infectious dancefloor anthem has become a coveted gem among DJs and collectors, with original pressings fetching remarkable prices due to its limited run of just 1,000 copies. Featuring the iconic vocals of Eugene Wilde, the title track is a soulful synth funk jam that continues to dominate playlists worldwide. The flipside offers another smooth midtempo delight featuring DeeDee alongside Wilde, further showcasing the duo's knack for crafting irresistible grooves. Now, in 2024, Cool Million is set to reintroduce their signature sound with new recordings, while simultaneously delighting fans with a limited re-release of the original pressing. This is an essential addition for any serious vinyl collector or DJ looking to elevate their sets.
Review: Reissued from the original Sedsoul 7" first laid down in 2010, and then a further digital 'House Session' edition in 2015, Cool Million and Eugene Wild are again 'Back For More'. Clearly, the Danish-German production duo, when in collaborative cahoots with r&b singer Wilde, are prone to redound to milking the dance for all it's worth; we gather that for as long as this tune is out, they'll always want their seconds and thirds, else they wouldn't eat, so to speak. So too does this third edition of the stellar, four-alt-mix 'Back For More' prove just as funky as it did at the moment of its original release fourteen years ago; Wilde rides the groove with serious flux, assuring the fulfilling of said prophesied return against spiccato strings and a curvaceous synth bass. There's even a karaoke version on there too, just in case you'd like to flaunt your underground soul intel at your next knees-up.
JKriv - "Better Than Her" (feat Saucy Lady & Tortured Soul) (4:39)
Kim Anh - "In The Stars" (5:06)
Cody Currie - "Ghost" (4:48)
Review: Razor-N-Tape's Family Affair series makes a welcome return here with a third great instalment. This series is something of an annual end-of-year tradition by now (OK, it's arriving a touch late) and this one hits as hard as any with five tracks taken from the full and standout compilation. It is two great remixes of classic RNT material that gets things underway with Ezel offering a dub of Cor.ece and Bruce Leroys sublime deep hose mix of Guinu, then JKriv's 'Better Than Her' is a fat bottomed bit of deep cut electro funk and elsewhere Kim Anh gets raw and cosmic, and Cody Currie's 'Ghost' is broken beat perfection.
Deborah Sasson & MCL - "(Carmen) Danger In Her Eyes" (Curses Revamp) (6:38)
Philadelphia Five - "Not Leaving Without Jerry" (Andi Revamp) (5:11)
JWB Hits The Beat - "House Fatale" (Curses Revamp) (7:01)
Voyou - "Houseman" (Stockholm Syndrome AU Revamp) (5:51)
Review: An EP that takes you through elevated 80s-inspired coldwave and synth soundscapes, matching nostalgia with modern production and featuring a seamless fusion of proto-techno, EBM and synth-pop. Side-1 opens with Deborah Sasson & MCL's 'Danger In Her Eyes' (Curses Revamp), a thrilling reimagination of new beat and synth-pop. The addition of vocal samples elevates its vintage essence, delivering a futuristic gem that's both haunting and danceable. Next, Andi's rework of 'Philadelphia Five's Not Leaving Without Jerry' injects energy with its uptempo groove, merging EBM rhythms with a dash of disco flair for an infectious, club-ready cut. Side-2 starts with 'House Fatale' (Curses Revamp) by JWB Hits The Beat, an ode to late 80s synth-pop akin to My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. Chopped vocals and melodic synths create a hypnotic, era-defining vibe. Finally, Stockholm Syndrome AU's revamp of 'Voyou's Houseman' leans into heavier industrial and EBM tones, blending them for a powerful conclusion. This collection is a great example in reviving and reinventing vintage sounds, offering a fresh perspective on timeless styles.
Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca - "Days Of A Better Paradise" (5:57)
Saucy Lady - "Passport To My Love" (5:52)
Misiu - "Love Me Do" (5:59)
Clive From Accounts - "It's Not That I Don't Care" (5:16)
Review: JKriv & Co. at Razor N Tape serve up possibly their biggest release yet, if this one is anything to go by. The first edition in the label's brand spanking new Family Affair series features the pairing of legends Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca on 'Days Of A Better Paradise' kicking off the A side, before Saucy Lady's late night boogie-down biz on 'Passport To My Love'. Flip over and you're treated to a seriously lo-slung cosmic disco dub on Misiu's 'Love Me Do' and finally Clive From Accounts tells it straight up on the acid jazz joint 'It's Not That I Don't Care'.
David Dingess - "Hyper Love" (Toni Rossano edit) (4:17)
Jaegerossa - "The Buzz" (6:07)
Cruisic - "Inspector Norse" (Slowly remix) (4:47)
FSQ - "This Is Carribean Disco" (A Tom Moulton mix) (6:28)
Review: Midnight Riot help the listener carve out their own personal Balearic headspaces with their new compilation Balearic Headspace, likening the "experience" of Balearic not just to a sound, but an affect, one that cannot be experienced without specific records or specific times and places. Do we believe it to be true? We may or may not, but that doesn't distract from the whopping curation job here, with most tunes on offer consisting of both total newness and reworks/revisions by the Midnight Riot crew; this 12" is a four-track selection of a wider 19-track digital comp. Our highlight has to be the ultra-smeary Tom Moulton mix of 'This Is Caribbean Disco' by Fsq, which floats atop a serious floe of stretched-out axe bubble and echoing crosstick, as its lyrics deal in word-painted themes of being held underwater. As mindfully, cognitively Balearic as it gets!
Review: Discotecas kicks off a new label devoted to tidy disco edits. This one opens up with the brilliantly sleazy 'Disco Steel' which is all about the rickety drums and filthy bass down low. It's one that is sure to work the club into a real peak time lather. There is a strong Blaze-style deep house vibe to 'Love to the World' with its low-slung beats and bass and snaking bassline overlaid with seductive spoken words. The vibe completely flips for 'Any Day Disco' which brings tropical vibes, Latin flair, wild percussion and a shuffling samba rhythm to close things down in colourful fashion. A fine first EP of edits.
Review: The freshest 12" Balearic vinyl release on the block comes courtesy of Discotecas, a label who prefer to home in on underground house and Balearic edits. The release features four tracks: 'Move', 'Like Syrup', 'Take It' and 'Always Forever', all of which are essentially lost vestiges of well-known songs. Some parts are genuine edits, sometimes they aren't and instead function as made-from-scratch imitations, but that's part of the art. Whether or not they're built on wholly original samples is superfluous - as long as the tracks pique the brain's deja-vu receptors, as they do with, their slap-basses, clavey shakers, and sultry beachside vocals, then we're good.
Review: Whoever is behind the Discotecas series has certainly got access to some seriously good re-edits. As with its predecessors, volume six in the series lands with no info about the identity of the editor (or editors) involved. Whoever it is, they've done a bang-up job - as inspired opener 'Perceptive', a deliciously dubby and spaced-out take on a hybrid electro/proto-house gem from the mid 1980s, proves. The retro-futurist fun continues on 'Kazbah', a fine revision of a brilliantly odd, breakbeat-fuelled Arabic acid record, while flip-side opener 'Bass Instinct' sits somewhere between bleep & breaks and early speed garage. Closing cut 'Ask a Dream' is arguably the best cut of all: a sublime slab of saucer-eyed early deep house of the kind that should probably be listened to as the sun comes up.
Para Siempre (feat Florencia - Italo Balearic vocal mix) (7:32)
Para Siempre (feat Florencia - Elements Of Trance) (5:42)
Para Siempre (Italo Balearic instrumental mix) (7:31)
Review: Fett Burger and Cato Canari, a Norwegian DJ and producer based in Tokyo, have teamed up to brilliantly Balearic effect here on this new outing on the cult Sex Tags UFO label. They offer up three different versions of 'Para Siempre' that are all suited to sunset sessions on the beach. The tune features Florencia and first comes as an Italo Balearic vocal mix which is doused in lush synths and has steady bass rumbles below the rich chords. The Elements Of Trance mix is perfect for when things head indoors to the club with its weighty low-end thud then the most trippy and loved-up version comes at the end.
Review: While hardly a "Holy Grail"all bar a few people didn't know it existed until recently, D.J Never Sleep's sole single, the private press gem 'Teorema', can certainly be described as "buried treasure". It was reportedly the work of some experienced Italian producers, though its' sound is all Spanish guitar solos, early house-meets-Latin freestyle beats, joyous Piano riffs and evocative female vocals, it is pure formative Balearic house. This Thank You reissue not only showcases the original EP's two leading mixes (track two here, the more chugging and synth bass-sporting rework, is the pick), but also a never-released, effects-laden 'Never Sleepy Beats' drum took, plus versions in Spanish (B1) and French (B2).
Review: Some suitably sizzling summer fare here from the dusty-fingered Thank You crew, whose latest reissue focuses on a little-known, house-era Italo-disco gem from 1990. First time round, the single was a private press seven-inch, meaning that only a limited number of copies were ever pressed up. In its original vocal mix form 'Tengo La Sangre Caliente' blurs the boundaries between Euro-synth-pop, colourful Italo-house and Italo-disco. It's good, but the accompanying instrumental mix is even better. Over on the flip, Castro delivers two killer re-edits: an extra-percussive version that emphasises the more house and Flamenco-inspired elements of the 1990 original ('Tengo Las Castanetas Caliente'), and a sweat-soaked 'beats' version for those who like getting busy in the mix.
Review: Milan duo Eternal Love made their debut last year on local imprint Polifonic's Itria Vol. 2 compilation and follow up here on Sydney's Planet Trip. Comprising of four tracks, the Altar EP features some Balearic rave inspired by the late '80s Ibiza sounds as heard on 'Flotamos', while the following cut 'Terra Trance' is as much a zeitgeist of that magical era with its loved-up vibe. Over on the flip, we really enjoyed the celestial and new-agey groove business of 'Geo Geo'.
Review: Exquisite Balearic inquisitors Archeo Recordings' one mission is to dig up the lost paleolithic fossils of pelagic yore; this time they unearth the 1984 LP stylings of Ettika, with thier self-titled debut track. This bop has gone down in time as an initial obscurio, one that flew well under the radar until, apparently, tastemaker Vidal Benjamin 'rediscovered' it in a bargain bin. Then plugging it via the ironically named 'Balearic Nightmare' mix, it became an overnight re-sensation. It's easy to see why its popularity lay dormant for so long; it was originally made for a 'back-to-work' scheme aimed at unemployed immigrant youth in Rouen, France, so its utilitarian function has since been transcended here. Now reissued on fresh 12" with three newer mixes, 'Ettika' testifies to the fact that we simply need to look harder, and in the unlikely places, for the still undiscovered species of banger out there.
Review: Faze Action's Afro series hits a fourth and final volume with Zeke Manyika and Faze Action themselves at the helm of two new singles. The vibes on this one take their cues from Afro Latin and Balearic worlds with opener 'Maswera' bringing nice open-air festival sounds, rich horn work and expressive drum funk. Manyika's chants are the icing on the cake for this one. Then comes a nice dubbed-out remix of 'Rugare' by Faze Action with lively disco drums and loose-limbed percussion. The original on the flip is a more straight-up and dazzling disco cut while a paired back instrumental of 'Maswera' closes things down in style. Timeless Afro bombs for sure.
Review: Blair French is the next quality artist to make their debut on the increasingly vital MotorCity Wine imprint out of Detroit. He brings hints of Balearic as well as signature smoky deep house from the 313 to his work here. 'Ancestarians' (Physical Mix) also has pan-African influences, jazzy melodies and rich organic percussion while the Spiritual Mix is all about going deep into ambient bliss. 'Champagne Kiddie Pool' then looks even deeper into the musical niches of South America with dembow rhythms overlaid with lively claps and cosmic chords. Last of all is 'Sandbox Fossils with driving bass from James Simonson and guitar from Ryan Gimpert.
Review: From P60 is an alias of Zoltan Nagy who this year marks the significant milestone of a quarter of a century in the music game and he celebrates by launching his new label Midnight Fashion Chill with his 'Fallin' EP. Over the years, Nagy has done it all from deep house to Balearic to lounge and downtempo and here brings that touch of class to six superbly soothing sounds that fuse all that and more. The opener is pure horizontal bliss, 'The Times We Spent Together' is a slow-motion daydream, 'Fallin' (with Jaidene Veda) is pure soul-soothing magic and 'When' is a gently lilting ambient soundscape crafted to perfection.
Out Of Luck (feat Adriano Prestel - DJ Friction remix) (5:36)
The Other Side (feat Adriano Prestel - Marian Tone '85 rework) (4:35)
Interlude I (0:44)
The Other Side (instrumental) (4:21)
Out Of Luck (DJ Friction remix - instrumental) (5:41)
Out Of Luck (Soundrays mix - instrumental) (4:36)
Interlude II (0:21)
Review: The Outer Edge rounds off their series reworking tracks from the archive of lesser-known German 80s outfit Ghia. This time round, they're offering re-imaginations of an instrumental synth-funk track first featured on last year's Don't Look LP, 'Message From The Other Side'. This time round, the band has recruited vocalist Adrian Prestel and re-imagined it as colourful and authentic synth-number simply titled 'The Other Side'. As well as a solid instrumental take, we're also treated to a superb Marian Tone take which blends bits of the 1985 demo with elements of the 2023 re-recording. Elsewhere, there are also three takes on previous single 'Out of Luck': squelchy and crunchy neo-boogie vocal and instrumental versions courtesy of DJ Friction (the disco one, not the d&b producer of the same name) and a more low-slung, dub disco style instrumental revision by Soundrays.
Review: Earlier this year, DJ Scientist stumbled upon another early Ghia composition tucked away in the depths of a master tape. It was a treasure too precious to remain unheard. Sadly, the original track couldn't see the light of day due to sound quality and issues with the original vocals. To make matters more disappointing, no instrumental version survived. Thus, the only way to share this catchy boogie funk track with the world was to recreate it from scratch. And so, the Ghia saga unfolds once more, but in this chapter, there's a new and unique twist. 'Out Of Luck' draws its roots from the aforementioned lost track, originally composed by the group in 1985. This time, however, the song has been expertly reworked by Marian Tone, with new vocals by Adriano Prestel. The outcome? Quite possibly one of the smoothest and most refreshing modern funk tunes you'll hear this year.
Review: GI-YO steps in with a debut single on Sedsoulciety Recordings that fuses classic r'&b with a new-boogie vibe and modern pop flair. Packed with tight, punchy rhythms, a catchy bassline and vibrant keyboard riffs, this track exudes energy. GI-YO, a talented writer and producer, brings it all together by playing each instrument himself, with production support from Rob Hardt for that final polish. Released as an exclusive vinyl 45, this track is part of Sedsoulciety's gold line, showcasing a fresh, contemporary sound with undeniable groove and personality.
Review: Good luck... except, we're much likelier to be the ones who'll need the good grace of fortune, as opposed to the Melbourne mates' duo GL (which, we think, stands for Good Luck - we could be wrong). First released on the EP cassette 'Love Hexagon' - described as a homemade homage to chart-unfriendly funk and 80s romance dance - this contemporary showstopper of a tune now comes to limited edition 7" vinyl and recalls the pair's slick penchant for sporty major-minor chords and convalescent handclaps, conspiring to achieve a modern take on boogie and synth funk. With buskin socks and track headbands worn aflock, the pair pose in the middle of the basketball court, as 'Take Me Back' and 'When You See' set the soul alight by way of a nostalgic adolescent flambe.
Review: Contemporary classical seems to be having a bit of a moment in the sun right now a it breaks out of its traditional confines and makes a mark on the wider world. Bartellow, who is one third of the Tambien project and also goes by the name Beni Brachtel in the classical scene, is back on ESP Institute with a second full length. Noosphere brings together parts of some of his theatrical scores for WUT, Odipus and Antigone and Der Zauberberg amongst others. It takes in cues from Baroque and Impressionism with plenty of sweeping drama and moments of intense emotionality across four sides of sound.
Review: Be Strong Be Free debuts a new series here, Mellow Magic Worldwide, which will offer up a series of DJ weapons that have been produced by "worldwide studio buds." The first one opens with some superb tackle from Gold Suite whose brilliant 'Crush' is a slow-burning 80s jam and emotive rollercoaster that has made a real impact during road testing experiments. On the flipside is the mysterious Mancunian Visions Of Eden who debuts on vinyl with a lush deep house jam 'When It Has Past that has a subtle Balearic charm. Lastly comes Murrin who heads up the Puca Sounds label and co-runs Berlin party Fandango. His 'Maybe Tonight' is a late-night cosmic delight.
Review: The follow up to 'Sun Circles' is here: 'Jour De Fete' (French for "day of celebration") is a sweltering slab of festive inner city disco of the highest order. Flip the record for a mighty, extended dub by cult hero Conrad McDonnell of Idjut Boys fame. 'Nuff said.
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