Review: Baia Club is a new collaboration between Really Swing label head Quiroga, vocalist Whodamanny and Dario Bass. They serve up a low slung boogie-down beat with "Shine On" on the A side, in all its neon-lit early '80s glory that's sure to get 'em moving on the dancefloor. Over on the flip, the House mix does exactly what it says on the tin; classic early '90s vibes with some awe-inspiring piano solos, sparking chord progressions and cool rhythms - like the label's name suggests!
Review: Much loved Michigan techno and ambient virtuoso John Beltran wraps up the so far so excellent Back to Bahia 7 series with the a final volume that proves to be the most dancefloor focussed offering yet. Leading with 'O Patio,' Beltran shows his class with a blend of jazz-funk and MPB that comes with a rather sunny Ibiza-inspired twist while echoing the vibes of Latin greats like Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. On the flip side, 'Belle Isle' is a perfect party anthem for those outdoor sessions - think beach gatherings or cookouts and you won't go wrong. This has been a brilliant series and while it's a shame it's over, this is a fitting way to end it.
Review: Detroit's John Beltran can do no wrong if you ask us, and what he does do is always famously varied, from sound design for TV to melodic techno excellence via ambient beauty. Here for MotorCity Wine he revisits his Back To Bahia series with a third volume that finds him flexing his Afro-Brazilian deep house chops. The 7" opens up with the jazzy boogie of Lsaura' which is steeped in Minneapolis funk and will get cultured dancefloors in a spin. 'As The Sunsets' that appears on the flip and is a superbly emotive sound with wispy late night melodies and glowing harmonies and shuffling Latin grooves. Essential.
Review: Celebrated composer, producer, techno talent and ambient craftsman John Beltran is a real Detroit don and now he is back on one of the city's own labels, Motor City Wine, with Volume 4 of Back To Bahia on 7". This one finds him going even deeper than before, starting with 'Laguna', which will soon uplift you with its Afro-Brazilian drums and live bass from James Simonson next to lush keys. 'Just Beyond The Sun' then gets fully Balearic with its mix of sultry trumpet, shuffling and Latin-tinged rhythms and wispy cosmic chords. A real delight.
Review: Blundetto unveils a captivating folk single here that features the ethereal voice of French singer Juliette Magnevasoa. 'La Playa' is an acoustic-rich cover of Marie Laforet's 1970 classic and this rendition has a new vocal whose unique timbre adds depth and all-new charm. Together, the artists create a delicate harmony of softness and melancholy and blend soothing tones that evoke timeless beauty. Already heralded as a classic gem, this subtly evolved new version of 'La Playa' offers a serene and heartfelt sound for intimate moments.
Review: New label Taf Kif kicks off with this classy VA package from some cool cats who know how to lay down a slick groove or two. First up on this distinctly 80s-styled package is Axel Boman, who brings some of his signature sparkling melodies to a synth-pop indebted jam entitled 'Oasis'. Meanwhile Velmondo follows up with something a little more trippy and adventurous on 'Echo Welt', before MLiR inaugurates the B-side with the sultry tones of 'It's Baby Time'. Lusille completes the set with the hazy Afro house deviations of 'Une Longue Route', riding a swung groove that offers something different from the everyday cookie cutter house we know so well.
Review: James Alexander Bright's new sinle, Cool Cool, is a sonic kaleidoscope brimming with vibrant sounds and deep emotion. Bright's distinctive voice, reminiscent of Eddie Chacon, Beck or Michael McDonald, shines throughout. His multi-instrumental prowessiplaying guitar, bass, keys, and moreiadds layers of complexity to the record. Cool Cool illustrates Bright's evolving sound and unwavering creativity, making it a compelling addition to his diverse discography. The 'ECLA Beautiful dub' adds a great alternative version that provides a broken down moody version of the original to balance the 7". Both sides are excellent.
Review: Philadelphia's cultural significance doesn't quite resonate in the same way on the European side of the Atlantic as it does back in the States. Of course we all know about Philly Cheese Steak, Hall & Oates, and The Roots, but the extent to which the biggest city in Pennsylvania acts as a melting pot for creativity, without really shouting about it, is really quite remarkable once you lift the lid. And we've not even mentioned It's Always Sunny... yet.
Cutting to the chase, far too late, Alex Burkat, is a case in point for the talent at work in said metropolis. A producer and DJ who has graced labels like Mister Saturday Night, Permanent Vacation, 100% Silk and Third Ear Recordings in the past, here he turns his well-tuned ear to ambient work, delivering three accomplished drone outings that do as they should - hypnotic, tunnelling, creeping but commanding.
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.
Review: Ghost Box present the CD edition of their latest record by freakish scene-dazzlers Beautify Junkyards, Nova. Despite the record's immediate imagism bringing together news clipping collage, and connotations of scrapheaps and salvaging indicated by the band's name, the sound of the record is anything but adjacent to these themes. The six-piece psychedelia/acid folk band command a wide foundry of instruments, smoothening any rough edge into a shared, sonically doughy dream, beautifying a well-sifted haul of believably, formerly scrapped instruments into a pristine assemblage. Though it builds on motifs heard in 60s and 70s film soundtracks, echoing spaghetti Westerns and early sci-fi, the record's best moments are its seemingly impossible electronica syntheses, such as the unassailed critical mass of trickling drum machine, spring reverb, tonal murmur and near-atonal noise reached on 'Raridade De Contrastes'.
Review: The second part of the Dancefloor Records reissue series on Emotional Rescue comes in the form a true house classic - Chicago legend Andrew Komis' 'It's You' is an original deep house bomb. It's essentially a cover/updated version of ESP's track of the same name, but this 1989 version is tougher, heavier and deeper with a variety of mixes - the New York-London, acid-infused Free House and drum heavy NU Style Mix - all designed to rock big sound systems.
Review: The traditonal way to start a review of any Micko Westmoreland release - and with as is to point out that he's best known for playing Jack Fairey in the mock glam documentary Velvet Goldmine, but with a second strong album in his new, flanked -by-legends incarnation and some highly memorable video promos featuring a succession of alternativ ecomedy greats, that could well be changing. Expect spiky English podst-punk songwriting a la XTC or even Pulp, with recent singles 'Autosexual' and 'What's In A Name' (which includes guest vocals from Kevin Eldon numbering among the highligths.
Review: The Mellophonia label offshoot Fusion Sequence won us over with its well-presented and great-sounding first EP, and now a quick follow-up does the same. This one is another various artists affair that starts with some nice futuristic robot disco from Vanity Project. There is more organic and lush Balearic from Bobby Bricks and Pacific Coliseum follows that spine-tingling Ibiza sunset vibe. On the flip side, there is everything from late-night electronic house to lazy disco via Sorcerer's blissed out 'Just For Love' which would entrance any dance floor. There's as much quality as there is variation on this one, which makes it a useful EP indeed.
Review: There is a wealth of talent on show on the third EP from the Fusion Sequence label which has put together this six-track deep house sizzler. The Variable Club' 'Biorhythms' is perfectly warm and dynamic for cosy backroom moments and Alpine DJ then brings an old school piano feel to 'Pepe Nony' before A Vision Of Panorama zones you out on lush chords and reverential keys on 'Kissing The Sun.' The flipside offers the more dark and heads-down 'Many Stories' while the blissed-out and feel-good grooves return with Common Mode's 'Bassface.' Body Corp shuts down with the slower, seductive sounds of 'Take It Or Leave It' which rounds out a top-class EP.
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