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.
Review: The fourth release in the limited vinyl series BS-LTD features two new and exciting talents. On one side, we have Disco Stup, a rising artist from Hossegor, now based in London and studying sound engineering. On the other side, UK-based Swin, fresh off the success of his sell-out debut EP. He goes first with 'Broken Mute Point' which is a tech-infused disco with plenty of wet synth gurgles and snappy drums, then 'I'll Show You The Attic' ups the pace with more twisted loops. Swin's 'Entropy' bring pixelated colour and echo to a dubbed-out disco-tech groove and 'Loosing Their Minds' is more dubby and tippy to make for another fine outing.
Review: There has been a whole bunch of quality reworks of this particular soul seductress dropping of late and we are all for it. What set cannot be elevated with some super smooth r&b vocals and smoky deep drums? You get exactly that once more here with 'Paradise' the first to get a clubby rework. The drums stay nice and lo-fi and paired back, the percussion is warm and dusty and the vocal injects the heart aching soul you need to get a crowd all loved-up. On the flip side, UK house don Ben Watt brings his Lazy Dog remix to 'By Your Side' and it is rife with funky guitar riffs and loose, playful grooves.
Review: Schuttle's latest invites you into a simulated realm of post-biological optimism. The voyage begins with 'Splan,' where a divine arp propels you through fractal landscapes and interlocking melodic polygons which splurge joyful machine funk. In 'Melonweed Musick,' there is a descent into swampy marshlands powered by a breakbeat groove while an angel cleanses with serene chords. 'Kitchen Sync' takes things to 120bpm where acid and glimmering keys create a fusion of the known and the otherworldly. Finally, in 'Inspo 2000' a playful percussive edge guides you to a soft landing and ends what is a brilliantly evocative EP.
Review: Luke Seager is a young, fresh and exciting new prouder from Paris who makes his debut on the French label Beau Mot Plage here having already made waves with his digital outing on Mari.Te's Tresydos. He kicks off with 'Cloud Surfing' which is a nice rigid tech warm up then 'About' Em' brings some silky space-tech vibes with nimbler drums and pads, 'Oystero' keeps the intergalactic feels flowing with more percussive, balmy beats and 'Mean Street' brings a darker, more heads down and back room sound. A Techline TM remix is the moody closer you need for the afters.
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: Four artists with a taste for classic deep house infused with more than a touch of house line on the Silver Walker label's sixth release. Following releases on the likes of Local Talk, Balance, Traxx Underground, Mate, Quintessentials and upcoming projects on Nervous and NDATL, Shaka opens proceedings with a flurry of Hammond and plenty of exotic percussion, lie Alan Hawkshaw riffing with Underground Resistance. Glenn Davis (Wolf, Yore Records, Deeper Groove and Selections Records) delivers a deeper house workout on the A2 house track, the jazzy keyboard chords, fluttering flute and restless synths working real magic. One of the masterminds behind the Silver Walker label, Diego aka DFRA, comes on all perky with the saxes and soloing Rhodes, on the second side's opener, 'Nitewax'. Then we close with Damien aka Keymono (founder of several labels including Monocturne Records and Funkyshirts) laying on the handclaps of classic disco strings, the snippets of funk guitar and vibes the cherry on top.
Review: Traxx Underground hits a quarter of a century of releases with another faultless deep house 12". This one is from UK mainstay and Ultra Knites Records label founder Mike Sharon and he shows his love of classic US styles from the get-go. 'Body Talk' is a perfect blend of driving drums and balmy, heartfelt pads that swirl with real grace. 'Under The Groove' brings some superb swing to the drums with muttered vocals up top and 'Seduction' is another smooth-cruising and soulful late-night house gem. 'Floating' is another variation on the theme that again encourages you to empty your mind and go with the flow.
Review: Skatman's sounds often merge different facets of different genres into something fresh enough to pique the interest. This new album on Cognitive Prophecy is another case in point. It is club-ready tech and minimal but with standout character such as the squealing lead and auto-tuned vocal fragments of 'Fresh' which make it sound super futuristic. There is a warm afterglow to the vamping chords of ageless house jam 'Feel It' and 'Dream On' very much gets you into that mindstate with its widescreen synth smears.
Review: Stefano Chesti aka Stephno has been hella busy this year as this is already his fifth release of 2025. His sound is rooted in techno but with hints of jacked up early Chicago and that's clear again here. 'The Intermittent' is a raw roller with vamping chord stabs to keep you locked. 'Dritto E Tondo' has some brilliantly succulent and pining kick drums powering it along with raw-as-you-like hits and trippy synths and 'Romantic Dub' is just that - warm, zoned out, cavernous dub for late night love-ins. 'Sieben Null Sieben' brings analogue drum sounds and Windy City realness to the fore to close.
Review: Bristol's vinyl purists Sex Tapes From Mars continues its journey through the underground with the latest EP from Suburbia main man Cam Stockman. This four-track release is a raw and hypnotic dive into vintage analogue synthesis, acid-soaked basslines and sultry vocal hooks. Stockman shows he is unafraid to push into new relays here as he mixes up classic and contemporary sounds. 'Dreams In The RS' is turbo-tech with charming melodies, 'Chicktikka' brings lithe broken beats and cosmic rays and 'Useless' brings some twitchy acid playfulness before 'The Acceptance Speech' is a more whacked out deep house joint sent back from the future.
Canto Das Tres Racas (Kai Alce NDATL vocal mix) (7:55)
Caramba (5:09)
Caramba (Lex Wolf Technobloco remix) (7:47)
Review: Diogo Strausz brings some brilliantly authentic and escapist Afro house and deep house vibes to this steamy new platter from the Razor N Tape crew. 'Canto Das Tres Racas' has it all - tropical and loose-limbed drums with lashings of percussion, soulful vocals and rich chords with delicate acoustic guitars. The Kai Alce NDATL vocal mix makes it more club-ready but no less emotive, and 'Caramba' then brings strings to the fore once more with another eco-system of busy bird calls and busy drums topped with raw horns. The Lex Wolf Technobloco remix takes things into late-night territory but the Afro atmospheres still come on heavy.
Review: JKriv's classic Bukom Mashie Rework gets a deluxe revival in a delectable 7-inch package having long been hard to find if not out of print entirely. And now what's more it also features a fresh acid dub. The original eight minute opus has been expertly trimmed for a streamlined A-side stomper, while the B-side showcases a brand-new version with a reimagined arrangement. This edition is embellished with vibrant 303 acid lines and live flute by the talented Domenica from Underground System all of which ensure that it is sure to become a big summer anthem once more in 2024.
Review: The Top Secret label keeps things tight once more with a pair of very different jams, but both are going to get huge reactions when dropped at the right time. U first is 'Get Criminal' which is a rework of an MJ classic with his smoky vocals reusing by scene else in a more unsettling fashion and the original drums run through with some futuristic and molten melodies. On the flip is 'Eurotrance', a good old-fashioned piano rave-up with belting vocals, trance synths and euro dance drums. Lovely, fun, accessible and effective.
Review: Over Under marks a vital moment in Secondo's artistic evolution as he mixes up the functional with the experimental in-house and techno. Reflecting two decades of exploration, this new album recalls his early production style while incorporating lessons from the years. It opens with the kosmische pulse of 'Occhi Nuovi' and moves through various tempos and moods, from club tracks like 'Unlikely Companions' to deeper, reflective moments such as 'Solar Funk'. The album's progression weaves a carefully crafted narrative, blending alien funk, mid-tempo grooves and jazz-inspired texture that all shine bright.
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.
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