Review: LEGRAM VG & Rubber Ducky Records have come together for this playful Game of Tunes series, and the third entry in it offers four more wafty tech house delights. Baldov's 'Dance Connection' is a balmy and breezy opener with some warm synth injections to soften the rickety tech beats. Sif B's 'Small World' is a bubbly cut with sci-fi motifs and Buenaguas's 'Music Or Noise?' Marries distant cosmic pads with sparky synth sequences that make for some nice colourful combinations. Alich's 'The Evidence' is the best of the lot - a pent-up, garage-tinged kicker with ass-wiggling beats and acid prickles. Pure heat.
Review: We shall never apologise for our love for the work of Steve O'Sullivan. His contributions to the world of dub techno are second to none. They are also mad consistent both in style and quality which means they never age. Here he steps up to Lempuyang with his Blue Channel alias alongside Jonas Schachner aka Another Channel for more silky smooth fusions of authentic dub culture and Maurizo-style techno deepness. Watery synths, hissing hi-hats with long trails and dub musings all colour these dynamic grooves. They're cavernous and immersive and frankly irresistible and the sort of tracks that need to be played loud in a dark space. In that context, you'll never want them to end.
Scienza X - "DLC" (Steve O'Sullivan SOS Deeper dub mix) (7:17)
Scienza X - "Decoding Signals" (Pedro Goya Acid remix) (7:45)
Scienza X - "Decoding Signals" (San Proper's Weird Samurai mix) (10:34)
Review: Apollo hammer down four new ones from Scienza X, the Portuguese duo whose shocker 'ARL001' release flung itself hard at our ears in 2023. Embodying associations of "heavyweight machinery, minimal influence and an outlaw spirit" as enthused in their bio, 'DLC' and its Steve O'Sullivan SOS remix strut an omnipotent variety of influences, from bleep techno to dubby minimal, as we relish the surplus joy embodied in the gaming concept of downloadable content. Then 'Decoding Signals' provides a licked EBM-esque weight and a slick, twinkling breakdown from Pedro Goya to top things off.
Markus Enochson presents Suedojazz - "Sober" (5:14)
Review: TLM celebrates its 50th vinyl-only release with an exceptional offering of jazz-lounge house intonations. Legendary Canadian Mike Perras knocks down the first domino with 'Life Goes On', a jazzy house cut driven by a captive Rhodes groove. Craig Bratley follows with a deep houser featuring Tim Hutton on trumpet, while Mark Turner honours the legacy of Blaze on the A. The AA, meanwhile, introduces DFRA Experience Jazz Band from Argentina with 'Isolation', a smoothened pure jazz cut composed by Diego Ruiz and featuring Pablo Raposso on piano, Hernan Cassibba on double bass, Gonzalo Rodriguez De Vicente on sax, Joaquin Muro on trumpet, and Bruno Varela on drums. 'Sober' by Markus Enochson closes things out on a double bass boomer 'Sober', effecting a truly loose bonhomie.
Review: Detroit-raised, London-based Demi Riquisimo assembles a dynamic mix of label favourites and fresh talent on Love State, the 22nd release from his Semi Delicious imprint. This six-track V/A hears offerings from Demi himself alongside Clint, Swoose, Lulah Francs, Dukwa, Anastasia Zem & Asa Tate, blending club modernity with classic analogue dance influences, sampling every sonic cate from Italo to tech house. Best among the bunch has to be Swoose's 'Re/Vision' and Anastasia Zems' 'Eternal Beauty', which bring together wasted electro, Italian new beat and trance for well-measured tinctures of dreaminess.
Review: Sasha's journey from trailblazer in the late-90s to one of the most influential figures in the dance music scene is a saga that feels as expansive as his discography. Having spent decades shaping the sound of progressive house, his career is a masterclass in reinvention i and collaboration. Whether you're hearing him weave his magic through orchestral synths, deep baselines, or finely tuned atmospherics, it's clear that Sasha never rests on his laurels. His latest collaboration with Joseph Ashworth continues this legacy. Known for his work with labels like Anjunadeep, Needwant and Pets Recordings, Ashworth brings his textured, melody-driven style to the mix, further enhancing Sasha's exploration of emotional soundscapes. The single 'HiFiHi' adds another layer to Sasha's ongoing journey, with the original mix offering cinematic build-ups and euphoric moments, while the LoFiLo Mix opts for a more introspective, vulnerable tone. Together, the tracks highlight a refined maturity in both producers' craft, reinforcing Sasha's place as a key figure in contemporary electronic music.
Review: ?aru is a non-profit label from Romania that sits at the sharp edge of the minimal underground. This new double pack of striped back tech gems will see all proceeds donated to dog shelters and NGOs supporting stray pups. Sensek opens with a slithering and groaning groove, 'Machine Morality,' for shadowy afterparties and Gringow brings a haunting melody to 'Towards The Dark & Cold.' Broascka's 'Epitelius' is an abstract affair with microscopic details scattered over a deep, dubby grove and Dragomir closes with two cuts - 'Alone With You' is a woozy late-night roller and 'Illusions feat Adina Oros' is a blissed out downtempo sound for the post-club hours.
Review: Houston's Seven Davis Jr continues his musical explorations via his Secret Angles imprint, serving three floor-focused cuts on 'Is This The Apocalypse'. The long-serving US producer, vocalist and DJ is unafraid of experimentation, and his latest offering delivers a set of forward-facing house and techno hybrids. Stripped, straight to the point, simultaneously familiar and fresh i the club room is very much the focus here. The energetic opener 'I Should Be In Japan' arrives with semi-sung vocals echoing over sleazy bass and fierce four-four rhythms, before 'PBS (Party & Bullshit)' ups the tempo with jacking drums driving spoken-word sass over a stripped-back topography. Finally, the title track powers over swung house drums, with its magnetic bass hook and looped samples providing the bed for paranoid bleeps and call-to-action vocals.
Got To Find Dub (feat Benedek - bonus track) (6:49)
Review: While much of Mark Seven's work on his Parkway Rhythm label leans into the vocal end of the NYC proto-house/formative garage-house spectrum, his occasional 'Parkwerks' EPs are designed to delight those who prefer stripped-back, synth-heavy dubs of the kind released back in the day by the likes of Paul Simpson, Boyd Jarvis, Winston Jones and Timmy Regisford. There are plenty of "hard, raw and raunchy dubs for DJs" on this belated third instalment, with the Stockholm-based Brit offering up bassline-driven, freestyle-inspired brilliance ('Thrust'), cowbell-laden post-boogie proto-house ('Runnin' Dub') and echo-laden NYC electro ('Time Storm'). He also joins forces with fellow proto-house enthusiast Benedek on the lightly acid-flecked, Chicken Lips style brilliance of closing cut 'Got To Find Dub'.
Review: Sgt Slick kicks off their new own Sgt Slick Recuts label which is presumably going to deal in red hot edits of big house and disco tunes, with a new four 12" that does just that. 'Replay' is feel good house music with funky bass and soulful vocals that will get hands in the air, no doubt. 'Wait' then pairs a well known vocal line with some super smooth and rolling soulful house groves and 'In The Air' is another one with a timeless singalong vocal that is reworked into some percussion laced house beats. Add in the big disco of '45 Theme' and 'Running' and you have a versatile EP.
A Paris State Of Mind (feat Eve - main vocal mix) (6:31)
A Paris State Of Mind (instrumental mix) (6:31)
A Paris State Of Mind (Vick Lavender Sophisticado remix) (9:05)
Unbleached (6:23)
Review: Kai Alce's NDATL Muzik is one of our favourites for deep house so imagine our delight to learn that it now branches out with a new sub-label, Nutria Sounds. Its debut release is a gem from Shaka with Eve's soulful vocals capturing the essence of Paris through organic textures and sultry melodies. The main vocal mix has jazzy chords and a carefree vibe, while 'Unbleached' is a more driving deep house cut with dancing keys and low end heft. The ever-on form Chicagoan Vick Lavender also steps up with a signature jazz-infused remix that is refined yet ready to work the 'floor. This is a fine debut for Nutria Sounds, which seems like it is going to be another vital outlet for heartfelt and classy house.
Review: German label Telum's sister label Aurum marks a return to wrecker rekids with another light-set payload, this time enlisting the aid of the talented Silat Beksi for chapter five in the so-named series. Through hypnotic, minimal grooves, deeper-shades bass and a life-before-your-eyes nostalgia - going heavy on the filtered samples on the likes of 'Sefirot' and 'Dao' - Beksi reproves those who'd doubt his craftmanship, submitting to the ancient way of the tao.
Max Sinal Vs KingCrowney - "Intentions" (feat Liv East) (3:24)
Slxm Sol - "NYBB" (5:40)
Hitch 93 - "Uno, Dos, Tres, Four" (8:00)
Rob Redford - "Garden Party" (6:19)
Soul Groove - "Blues Kitchen" (6:29)
Flying Moth - "Edith" (2:55)
Review: Since its inception in 2023, Soul Quest Records has released some superbly deep and soulful records. To prove the point, the Hackney-based label has decided to serve up a compilation style EP featuring fresh cuts from current artists and new signings. Max Sinal joins forces with King Crowney and vocalist Liv East on the ultra-deep, super soulful warm-up sounds of 'Intentions', before Slxm Sol cannily combines loose-limbed drums, warming bass, sensitive chords, tactile Rhodes keys and soulful vocal snippets on 'NYBB'. Hitch 93 doffs a cap to Chez Damier on the excellent 'Uno Dos Tres Four', Rob Reckford delivers some bright MPC-house action ('Garden Party'), and Soul Grooves goes deep, gently dubby and spacey ('Blues Kitchen'). The gentle broken house sunniness of 'Edith' by Flying Moth completes a fine EP.
It's A Flesh Wound (Christopher Ledger remix) (7:35)
Review: Dubliner Noah Skelton brings a deep four-track helter-skelter to Zingiber Audio, topping up a well-travelled catalogue whose earprints are borne in the discographies of Amour, Daydream and Mayak. 'Formentario' and 'Pacer' deepen our hearts with fulsome beats n' bass, carefully constructed to manifest in the listener a looser, undammed destiny. 'It's A Flesh Wound', meanwhile, subtly balances emo-breaks and curious acid jazz, with a popout FM and dancing piano plinks proving particularly pacific, not least when set against *those* chords.
Review: Cracking the back window open, Sleep D aerate our inner herbaria with a gas exchange in progressive techno, letting us in again on their outdoorsy brand of photosynthetic dance music. Always deepeneing their connection to the natural world, the EP opens with 'Green Thumbs' before vine-whipping us into the curious perks of 'Mountain Ash'; both nail a blithe, fairylike spirit, and the flushed-out, unencumbered feel of braving a hike after a cucumber face mask. 'Acheron Cauldron' carries the listener to a volcanic peak, where relentless kick and pulsating bassline brings us to seismic climax, leaving only eerie whispers. Closer 'Magma Flow', finally, is a trance-inducing finale hearing a slowed but thicketed texture, as brambles and stamens cloud our vision of a synth aurora.
Review: Chicago born, Detroit-raised Delano Smith is one of the foundational artists of the contemporary house scenes. In 2023, he revealed he was suffering with a rare form of cancer but as this new EP title suggests, he is still here and still crafting high-grade sounds. 'When I Was Young' kicks off with his signature smoky drum loops and train travel sense of hypnosis. 'The Rush' is another heads down jam, this time marbled with eerie pads and wet clicks and claps that oil the groove while 'Rewired' shuts down with real late night delicacy and evocative minimalism.
Review: After a decade away, this revered Japanese producer returns to the label where his journey first took flight i with a stunning fifth release EP. Effortlessly blending deep house and tech house sensibilities, he crafts a polished, deeply musical EP that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. Side-A begins with 'Summer Solstice', a crisp, melodic opener built on a minimal, techy grooveisetting a next level production right from the drop. 'Be With Me' follows, locking into an addictive rhythm, its deep, elegant production highlighting his seasoned touch. On the flip, 'The Loop Machine' stretches into deeper territory, an epic builder that grows patiently and powerfully, perfect for extended sets. Finally, 'Winter Solstice' brings a surprising yet fitting close, with a funky electro glide that feels clean, fluid and inviting. As if the seasons were changing. This is a masterclass in restraint, groove and feelingia welcome homecoming for an artist who's clearly leading the way.
Review: Lisbon's Hubble Recordings present their sixth release so far, keeping firm to their artist-specific EPs approach following brilliant releases from Kaesar, Costin RP, Miroloja, Octave and Alex Pervukhin. The latest is from tech house hurler Sublee aka Stefan Nicu, whose flight-booking impulse is as strong as ever, here having stopped over from far-flung Romania. After a string of both digital and vinyl stopovers, 'Personal Universal' appears as the pendular follow-up to 2024's Rawax debut 'Simple Two', bringing hugely doubled vocal cantata to a fervent acid build on the title track, while ensuers 'Simple One' and 'Laculesdesample' bring fidgety synth double bass and unorthodox percussions. A personal universe we'd never want to leave!
Review: French DJ and producer Suburb Beat keeps it street with this neat EP on Sounds of Style Records. The opener has a different kind of swagger with crisp, broken, dry drums and lingering bass notes topped with an aloof vocal. It's a nice new twist on tech house and the remix from Nenor layers in more bobbing beats and muted neon tones for a future house feel. It's a tune that again features late-night sounds that hark back to early West Coast tech from the likes of Fresh & Low and 'Aint Got No Home' shuts down with warming deep house tones that come with a sleek electronic edge and subdued sense of cool. Lovely.
Review: Swayzak is a micro house, minimal and techno duo, aka James S Taylor and David Brown from the UK, whose name alone will get many older dancers hot under the collar. Their craft was second to none during their peak and here we get a reminder of that with a new outing on Rawax. 'Floyd' is a jazzy dancer with live claps, spinning hi-hats and louche grooves all topped with synthetic synths that never quit. 'Doobie' is a more deep sound with late-night headsy vibes. The drums are supple, the synths squeal and spoken word mutterings add a human touch. Two well-realised and effective cuts from Swayzak.
Review: New York City's underground stalwart Sweater On Polo returns with the debut release on Signal Route. His Mechanical Confusion EP draws inspiration from early 90s Chicago techno and basement house so it echoes the gritty, raw style of labels that dealt in that sort of stuff, like Dance Mania and Relief Records. Across the six cuts there is an intergenerational dialogue between past and present with acid house, techno and synth punk all capturing a familiar old-school angst and texture but with a fresh twist. 'Land of Code' is one of our favourites with its rising percussive tension, deeply buried bass pulse and dusty analogue drums.
Review: Cabale Records is a Parisian label that has, for the last few years been exploring the minimal techno world. It now branches out with its first various artist release featuring some tasteful tune makers starting with Pheek. He brings some loose percussive energy and wonky drum funk to his opener then Mod303 layers in dreamy and immersive pad work to deft, subtle drums on 'Paris City Zoo.' Night No Tori Vs Hubble keeps it deep and dubby with the late-night introspection of 'Deja Vu' then Sten's 'Slope' is a trippy afterhours sound with tumbling synth smears and percolating dub tech beats.
Everybody Movin', Pt 1 (K. Maverick And E. Thoneick remix)
Everybody Movin', Pt 2 (Guy Schreiner remix)
Ultimate Funk (Tocadisco remix)
The Beat Goes On (Mousse T remix)
Champs Elysees Theme (Jamie Lewis remix)
Tribute
Together
Give A Lil' Love, Pt 2 (Erik Kupper remix)
Review: First put out back in 2007, Soundz of Freedom is a landmark album in Bob Sinclar's discography. The French man has long been a towering figure in the world of house music with many chart hits and a DJ diary that takes him on endless trips around the globe. This album helped get him there and is now being reissued for the first time as a double vinyl. It has already been certified gold and features collaborations with renowned stars such as Axwell, Tocadisco, Ron Carroll, Jamie Lewis and Mousse T. Between them they explore plenty of accessible house sounds from deep to vocal to Afro-leaning and they have all aged well enough to still do a job to this day.
Review: The Situation collective, led by Mr. Mulatto and Frank Situation, returns with their new album Audio Proxemics. It's a rich, genre-blurring journey across nine tracks of soulful nu-disco, jazz-infused house and broken beat featuring global collaborators like Javonntte, Venessa Jackson and Faze Action's Robin Lee. The album highlights Situation's deep musical roots with live instrumentation that ranges from shimmering keys to brassy horns and guitars which elevate each track beyond mere tool status. From the club-ready sparkle of 'Mrs Donovan' to the sun-drenched groove of 'Bullit,' this is a warm, musical celebration perfect for summer days and late-night sessions.
Review: Voices In My Head is a time capsule from the house music golden year of 1992. Crafted by the genre-bending trio Some Other People aka Mark Lord, Matt Frost and Steve Jueno, the album is a dynamic blend of deep house, tribal rhythms and breakbeat with bleepy electro and techno that all make it a heady listen as well as a physical one. Each of the eight tracks feels vital and distinct and was born from a studio process that was as spontaneous as it was inspired. Now reissued for the current prog revival after originally being released on their cult UK label Infinite Mass which once rivalled even Warp Records, it features lost gems like 'Ghost House' and 'Orbitality'.
Review: Dynamic house duo Steffi & Virginia are back with a new album Patterns of Vibration and once again deliver real freshness on Dekmantel. The eight tracks were all crafted over three months at their Candy Mountain studio in Portugal and perfectly capture the duo's signature sound-a mix of emotional depth and dancefloor energy. From the tribal mood of 'Nightflight' to the euphoric chords of 'Stab Stealer,' the album channels years of experience and joyful moments, and of course does a fine job of blending Virginia's radiant vocals with Steffi's precise analogue production. Their chemistry shines through here on a set of effective, emotive cuts will turbocharge any set.
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