New releases last eight weeks: House

Review: Alkemy's Come On EP, released on Mondo Groove from Italy, delivers a captivating blend of deep house with influences of Balearic and Italo house. Side-1 features the original version boasting a mid-tempo groove with a nostalgic 90s vibe and rich melodies. In contrast, the DJ Ralf remix injects a more upbeat and techno-infused energy, offering a futuristic twist to the original track. On Side-2, 'Cloud' presents a melodic and deeper journey into the realms of deep house, maintaining a danceable rhythm while delving into more introspective sonic territories. Meanwhile the GNMR Reworked version takes a leap into the future with its proto-techno sound and deep synth vibes, offering a refreshing and unique perspective .Alkemy's Come On EP demonstrates the artist's versatility and innovation within the deep house genre, providing listeners with four examples of quality dance music.

Review: This is the reissue of 2021's of the house music record Basement Grooves Volume 1 by Call Eden. After the first run of copies, the demand continued to slowly build as many couldn't resist wanting a copy of this excellent EP. All four pieces offer something special for that late night house music lover. Fans of labels like Nu Groove, Strictly Rhythm and the like will surely gravitate to gems like the beautiful 'La Riviera' and the Wild Pitch sound of 'Frome'. The B-sides are not just fillers either. We really like the groove on 'Gum' especially. This version comes on red vinyl to differentiate itself from the first edition.

Review: This cultured collaboration between Dirty Channels and Eternal Love extends beyond the Italian house scene with their debut single 'Take Me Up.' Featuring the talented vocalist Mariseya, the track's infectious energy is driven by a captivating piano groove that is very much reminiscent of the artists' deep Italian house roots but with all new style added in. Also featuring is a Diano Ross referencing gem in the form of 'I'm Coming Out' which is a pure house bumper for unadulterated good times. Gerd Janson adds his own touch to his remix and an instrumental is also included.

Review: DJ Fede has our minds turning to warmer climates, longer days and sun-kissed parties not only with the artwork but also the sounds of his new 12" on Balearia. 'Santa Eularia Des Riu' is the one original single and is a delightfully deep, dreamy sound with muted sax lines up top, chords that ripple and melt away and organic percussion that brings that 70s hint of Ibiza hedonism. A Midnight dub mix ups the pace only slightly, then the Jovonn Forest remix brings a subtle deep house dynamism to proceedings before the Atmospheric Sunset version cuts utterly loose and lays back gazing up at the flame-red sky.

Review: DJ Soch is known as the Italian Stallion because of his deep house prowess and here he lands on Four Framed Music with new EP Speaking of House that shows why. 'Dance With Me' is house music with what sounds like Roy Ayres style vibes melodies over the top. 'Happyness' has a more late night vibe with zoned out chords and 'Magic Day' then sings with a hi-tek soul and future facing chord work that reminds of Detroit. There is an infectious skip and joy to the warm, deep, jazzy vibes of 'Good Bye' that closes out the EP with a feel good factor that is hard to ignore.

Review: It might be one of the most famous hotels in Las Vegas but now the Bellagio lends its name to this new label. The first missive is a delightfully deep and classic house sound from Jacy. 'Sound Of Eleven' is coated in dusty chords and dreamy pads with an early 90s Italia feel, then 'After Dance' adds to the serene sense of hose escapism with more lushness. 'Sometimes' has a nice heavy groove and soft pads that linger in the air with real class. Last but not least is something of a Chicago jacker with 'It's You' layering up the toms. A sophisticated EP with a traditional bent.

Review: The unstoppable Fuse continues its X series with a meeting between Italian veteran Alex Neri and next generation Florence-rooted hero Mennie. The sound is big, bold and 90s on this EP, with 'Reality' setting the tone perfectly with its trance-informed arps, sensual rhythm section and 'outer space' speech samples. 'Find Me' has a slightly more intricate techno make up to its synth work, while 'Rockets' shrugs off the grandiose synths for a tougher rhythm track sprinkled with acid. 'Watch Me' completes the picture with a rawer, nastier workout that maintains that old-stool flavour the duo have laid down on this deadly release.

Review: London-based artist and Semi Delicious label head Demi Riquisimo brings some peak time future tech inspiration to his new Windows 95 Anthem EP on Higher Ground. He has already dropped signature sounds on Ninja Tune, DJ Tennis' Life & Death and collaborated with Carlita, UNKLE and TSHA, so is very much a man of the moment. In this EP he leans on Italo and acid for his melodic licks which are high speed and glossy as they surge over crispy beats and retro-future keys. Chloe Caillet and Spray also add their own remixes to this tidy new 12".

Review: The Milano Undiscovered series has been expertly overseen by Fred Ventura and now clocks up a third installment. It again delves into Milan's dynamic techno and house scene between the years of 1988 and 1992. Unveiling a trove of unreleased demos, it highlights the city's burgeoning underground culture during this period. Influenced by the pioneering sounds of Chicago, Detroit, London, and Sheffield, Milanese producers embarked on a creative journey, crafting their own distinct interpretations of electronic dance music. These demos offer a glimpse into the innovative spirit and diverse sonic landscape that defined Milan's contribution to the global dance music scene during this transformative era.