Back catalogue: House

Review: Lake People's Foreverer, released on Remote Scope, takes listeners on a dynamic journey through deeper realms of minimal and tech house. The album opens with 'S'Pace,' a track that impresses with its polished production and melody reminiscent of Black Dog, setting a sophisticated tone. 'New Seeds' continues this exploration, blending techno and house with a futuristic edge. The title track, 'Foreverer,' introduces a jungle breakbeat layered with an IDM atmosphere, providing an intricate and textured experience. On Side-2, 'Floating Pikes & Pines' delves into early 90s IDM, filled with unique bleeps and sounds that evoke the feel of a computer language. 'Short Path' stands out with its excellent acid work and futuristic IDM groove, offering a fresh take on familiar sounds. The album closes with 'The Solution Of The Problem Of Life,' an ambient outro that serves as a soothing and reflective ending to the record. Foreverer is a next level production that needs to be heard.

Review: The second offering from Ascension on Wax sees label co-founder Lavan dropping four tracks of gently uplifting house that will seduce and tempt you on the dancefloor rather than batter you into submission. 'For The Love' featuring Manpaintinghouse is hazy and lightly jazzy, a skippy beat nailing it down, before the chunkier four to the floor of 'Folk Song' paves the way for more luxurious instrumentation and some sassy spoken word. Flip it over for the teasing, swirling 'Daamn' and a Black Eyes remix of 'For The Love', which slows things down a notch and takes sonic scissors to the vocal narrative. All four are great and, despite being on the mellower side, or tailor made for DJ use. Top notch all round.

Review: Eight further sonic spirits are conjured on the seventh edition in Damian Lazarus' annual compilation series. Emphasising deep house and techno grooves with a hypnotic flavour, the procurement here is exemplarily brooding; Dino Lenny's 'I Have Sampled Father' marks a sure turn away from the openers' cleaner-cut mesmerisms with a smoky, funk-inflected haze, bringing rhythm guitar and paternal murmurations to a surreal montage. The monologuing mood continues on the equal highlight that is Upercent's 'Where Are You', whilst Enamour's 'Jackpot' rounds out the show with the record's only brightly-lit minimal triller. The record is marked by sensuous, distant, familiar voices throughout.

Review: Theo Parrish has green-lit a couple of back catalogue reissues from his Sound Signature label this month and this one originally came back in 2010 and found him on production duties and Bilal Love on the vocals. The Melloghettomental EP is an archetype Parrish offering - dusty, lo-fi beatdown and house fusions with muted but meaningful chords and aching vocal hooks. You get all that on blissed-out opener 'Can't Keep Running Away', superbly soulful live bass work on 'U Bring Me Up' and heavier, more griding grooves but still sublime vocals on 'Why Wait'. The title cut is an off-grid mix of sci-fi melodies and diffuse chords, shimmering drums and low slub bass. Sublime.

Review: Anacalypto Records' second release revives a gem from the Dutch electronic scene. Originally released in 1998 by Luc Wacherlin, aka Luca, on Orlando Voorn's Slamdunk Records, this four-track EP represents one of the label's final releases. Described in its press release as "beautiful, elongated, shimmering, Detroit-style trancers for the morning after the night before," it delivers on that promise. The tracks blend Detroit's vibrant techno with Sheffield's deeper sounds. From the liquid synths of the title track to the hypnotic grooves of 'Indian Summer,' the EP's immersive warmth and intricate compositions capture the essence of '90s techno, restored for a modern audience.

Review: After a three-year break, Swedish producer and DJ La Fleur is back with 'Vasen', her long-awaited debut album. The pandemic led her to pause her music career as she returned to Sweden from Berlin, putting her Pharmaceutical Science degree to work in Stockholm's hospitals. This significant life shift followed a decade of running her Power Plant label and accomplishments like being named Mixmag's breakthrough artist, releasing an Essential Mix, and performing at major festivals like Creamfields and Awakenings. During this hiatus, La Fleur reflected on her artistic direction through her challenging time. Originally planning to release her debut in 2020, she instead waited until the timing felt right. 'Vasen' is a sleek, emotionally resonant exploration of house and techno, a collection born from both personal and musical growth that finally feels ready for the world to experience.

Review: Daniela La Luz returns with her third album, System Reset, on her own label Dimension Of Being Human. Created after her long illness and her father's death, it parallels the planet's delicate state and the duality of joy and mortality in life. Written in Berlin and Munich, the artist connects past, present, and future as she sings in English, Polish, and Arabic. The AI-generated artwork complements her music's blend of light and darkness in a record that stylishly spans jazz, house, techno, pop, wave, electro, ambient, and dub while offering both dance-friendly tracks and beatless interludes. It's a poignant and personal work.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Small scratches and surface marks on records; label defect on disc 1, side B***


Vick Lavender presents a captivating journey through soulful house music with 'The Time Traveler'. This double LP is a testament to Lavender's deep understanding of the genre, seamlessly blending classic influences with a contemporary edge. From the infectious grooves of '4-11' and 'A Space Love Affair' to the hypnotic rhythms of 'Acid Outpost' and 'Archive 80', the album is a masterclass in soulful house production. Lavender's collaborations with Ammawhat and Angel-A add further depth and dimension, while tracks like 'Misty' and '1981' showcase his ability to craft emotive and atmospheric soundscapes. The extended mixes on Side 3 and 4 provide extended journeys into Lavender's sonic world, highlighting his skills as a DJ and remixer. This is a must-have for any house music enthusiast, a timeless collection that will transport you to the dancefloor and beyond.

Review: This new long player from Ministry of Sound is their contribution to Record Store Day 2024 and it takes the form of a bunch of mixes of London Grammar's various different tunes. Global house outfit Camelphat feature a couple of times with some nicely emotive and upbeat sounds, 'Strong' gets a jump up drum & bass rework from High Contrast, Henrick Schwarz brings his emo house touch to 'Wasting My Young Years', MK adds some dance-pop sheen to 'Oh Woman Oh Man' and Dennis Ferrer remixes 'Sights' into a tense tech cut with snappy drums.

Review: Los Hermanos' On Another Level, originally released on Submerge in 2005, gets a well-deserved remaster and re-press, reaffirming its status as a Detroit techno classic. This album stands as one of the most soulful and spiritual collections to emerge from the Motor City, blending techno with rich, emotive depth that few records can match. The new tracklisting is the real highlight, now including long-sought-after anthems like 'Birth of 3000', 'Quetzal', and 'Resurrection'. These tracks, which previously only appeared on a deleted 12", are finally available again, giving fans the full experience of Los Hermanos' finest work. However, one notable omission from this re-release is 'Lines Of Nazca', arguably the strongest track from the original pressingia loss that might sting for die-hard collectors. Still, On Another Level remains a vital piece of the Detroit techno canon. It's a testament to the staying power of the genre and its capacity for emotional resonance, even within its most mechanical frameworks. This remaster brings a renewed clarity to the album's sound, making it feel as fresh and impactful as ever. For anyone with a love for Detroit's deep, soulful techno, this reissue is not to be missed.

Review: LP Giobbi, the jazz-trained pianist and dynamic producer, continues to break boundaries with her upcoming sophomore LP, Dotr, through Ninja Tune's Counter Records. Known for her spontaneous, live collaboration and eschewing the rigid structures of electronica, Leah Chisholm aka LP Giobbi draws deep inspiration from her jazz roots. Her fresh approach and commitment to live performance make her one of the most captivating and influential DJs and producers in today's electronic music scene. Dotr promises to build on her already impressive career, showcasing her distinct fusion of genres and live improvisation.

Review: The 2013 album, Ain't Nothing But A Groove, followed in the footsteps of its predecessor back when it as first released. It found the cult favourite LTJ delve into the rich world of disco and 70s groove with his unique touch. Mixing contemporary sounds with the timeless vibe that had become his trademark, LTJ explored this musical landscape like no other and brought forth a fusion of old and new that captivated listeners then and will surely do so again now as it gets a reissue on double vinyl via IRMA.