Back catalogue: House

Review: It is four and a half years since Third Ear released 'Detroit Beatdown Volume One'.
The first of the three volumes of the Detroit Beatdown Third Ear project was completed
with the cd release of the complete 'Detroit Beatdown Remixes' in 2006. 'Volume Two' will
be spread across 5 eps through 2007 and 2008. A 2cd and limited vinyl box set will complete
'DB2' before getting into the remixes and 'Detroit Beatdown Sessions' eps again. Check!

Review: Yadava made a sterling debut appearance last year with the fully realised "It Rains Here" album on Church, and now he's following up that strong start with this equally excellent four tracker for Ad Hoc. The Manchester-based artist leads in with the natural bump and flex of "Grapefruits" and his jazzy chops are plain to hear throughout. "Heart Strings" lets spiritual strings and plenty of reverb shape out a misty mood that it's impossible to resist, while "Camomile Samba" brings a more uptempo feel to his honey-coated production. "Go Slow" finishes the record off on a supremely mellow beat down for those oh-so-sweet chill moments after the party.

Review: Banoffee Pies' Limited Series is back with its 7th instalment, coming through with yet another marvelously diverse compilation of artists and tunes that all lead to the dancefloor. The vibe is on a house tip throughout, with each artist showcasing their own thing: Yadava's opener is deep and mystical, while Sameed's "New Bell" transforms a jazz groove into a 4/4 bombshell, and Gallegos' "Wang Dang" opts for the broken beat stance. On the B-side, there's more broken percussion madness via Ed Eldridge's "290318", and Toma Kami's "Soil" bangs the kick drums out amid a sea of beautiful piano chords. Ready and primed.

Review: Yam Who? return with their first production of 2007. "You Don't Care About Our Love" is a monster release. The a-side a cover of the obscure British disco cut, China Burton's "You Don't Care About Our Love". Yam Who? has created a contemporary upbeat chunky boogie masterpiece complete with Norman Anderson's soulful falsetto vocal delivery.

Review: Just one step before the 40 releases on Deep Explorer, the label dives into jazz waters with this "Jazz City" Mini LP by Gregor Yan. Six cuts for those that like to swing. Includes a reshape version by New Jazz Fakers.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: We don't know who Your Ex is (lol) but what we do know is that they go beautifully deep here across a pair of jazz-tinged and seductive deep house delights. First up is 'Lima' which opens with swirling pads and steamy sax motifs that drift up top and mean love is in the air as the lush chords melt the soul. On the flip is 'Keep Shining' which is a more dynamic cut with a well-swung groove and the sort of rich piano chords that really hit home. Add in some crisp percussion and more mellifluous sax licks and you have a pair of timeless and truly musical house gems on a vital little 7".

Review: Pierre-Alexandre Busson, a producer known for his multifaceted talents in both music and photography, steps further into his Destiino alias with a darkly ambient collection that stretches across downbeat house, industrial electronica and melancholic disco. Having made his name in the world of French electro, Busson's transition to Destiino was marked by an exploration of improvised compositions following his participation in a sound installation at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017. This shift from his previous styles allowed him to dive deeper into moody, atmospheric landscapes. The current project, released under CHLOE's Lumiere Noire imprint, comes as a continuation of this artistic exploration, breaking from the dancefloor-driven energy of his past work to embrace a more introspective and expansive approach. Opening with 'Yokohama,' Busson sets a pensive tone, layering soft synths over a minimalist beat. 'My Crush' follows with a reflective yet upbeat mood, while 'Somlake' (feat. Inigo Vontier) weaves light, meditative textures. 'Transe Has No Speed' dives into dense atmospherics and 'Imagery' introduces a rhythmic, bodily groove. The second side offers 'Musique Electronique Repetitive,' using looping motifs to create a trance effect, while 'La Houle' brings fluidity and 'Morning Routine' soothes with its gentle vibe. 'Pulsar' (feat. Inigo Vontier) pulses with cosmic rhythms, and 'No Pain' closes with a melancholy, reflective note.

Review: The London-based CHURCH imprint is often too underappreciated and too overlooked given how much wonderful music it has put out since its first releases began to appear about 6 years ago and, most importantly, it is often overlooked in terms of diversity. Unlike popular opinion, they do not simply release house or tech for the floor and, if this new LP from debutant Yadava is anything to go by, they have mastered the art of eloquence and experimentation. It Rains Here is a beautiful LP, balancing its moody tones between trip-hop, balearic, and something not quite definable. Whatever the weather, this is a great source of good vibes, both on and off the dancefloor; it's funk music for the next decade, from the heart of London's streets. Check it and cop it! Warmly recommended.

Review: Throughout his long career, Kevin Yost has always infused his warm, tactile deep house productions with large doses of jazzual flavour. It's little surprise, then, to find him compiling a typically touchy-feely CD full of contemporary "electronic jazz". In practice, that means a mix of shuffling nu-jazz, broken beat, deep house and hip-hop-tinged cuts from the likes of Guy Monk, Euphonic 7, The Dream System and The Square Playa. Yost himself provides a trio of typically tactile tracks, all of which blur the boundaries between deep house, jazz and downtempo compositions. Some may argue that The Jazz Influence 4 isn't that jazz, but it's certainly packed with smooth, jazz-flecked fare.

Review: Safe Trip is a new label endeavour from Dutch producer 'Young' Marco Sterk which launches with the amusingly titled Sorry For The Late Reply: Various Remixes For Various Reasons. Those clamouring for some new music from Sterk following his much-loved debut album Biology may be disappointed by a compilation of his remixes, but there is much to appreciate here! Not least his opening heat-treated rendition of Michael Ozone's "Hetropia" which could easily be mistaken for a Hessle Audio B-side (indeed we've heard Ben UFO play it at least once!) Young Marco completists will be happy to see previously unreleased dubs of Jacco Gardner and Zulu Pearls have made the grade too. DJs will get plenty of mileage out of a double pack like this! We can't wait to see what else is due on Safe Trip.