Live At Robert Johnson Germany Vinilo y CD

Review: Established as a record label some four years ago, Live At Robert Johnson have really come to the fore as representing the best of contemporary European deep house alongside the likes of Dial and Running Back. Here, the Frankfurt institution returns to their recent triumphant Lifesaver compilation with this addendum 12" release featuring the productions from Roman Flugel, Lauer, San Laurentino and Tuff City Kids. Flugel opens proceedings with the rough and moody "More Is Not Enough" which brandishes a beat that can't help but get in your face. This is complemented by the calmer, sumptuous New Beat stylings of Lauer's "Hector" and the richly colourful "Final Landing" from San Laurentino. "People Is A Crackhead (Tuff Hamlet Riddim)" is not only the best track title in a hot minute but yet another original dancefloor slayer from Gerd Janson and Lauer's Tuff City Kids, opting for the Germanic digi dub meets tuff house route.

Review: Phillip Lauer has been impressive form in recent years, delivering typically driving, melodic and left-of-centre blends of cascading nu-disco, intergalactic techno and shimmering deep house for the likes of Beats in Space and Running Back. Here, he joins forces with little brother Jacob under the Hotel Lauer alias. Pleasingly, Brudis is a predictably strong EP, flitting between raw, acid-flecked 808 electro (the excellent "Smend"), Italo-influenced Detroit futurism (the deliciously sci-fi soaked dancefloor release of "QD", which comes replete with reliably cheap-sounding melodies), and thumping, late night hypnotism (the decidedly bassy, rolling groover that is "Calcit").

Review: Lea Porcelain, the new wave retroverts from Frankfurt am Main could very well be the next big thing that you've never heard of. The original version of "Loose Life" itself is quite difficult to locate on the interwebs but we're sure it's hard to compete with local legend Roman Flugel's slow burning remix on offer here. Darmstadt's finest Benedikt Frey is onboard too, giving "Similar Familiar" a makeover that's as unique as pretty much all his other work: part techno, part cosmic or even industrial. It's brooding, wall of sound guitars and vocals drowned in reverb battle it out against pounding 909 snare attacks and screeching synth leads. Awesome!

Review: LARJ presents the new Holographic Witness EP by Mano Le Tough, a ploddy and wondrous journey through free-floating tones and nice fluffy sonic clouds. Made by an Irishman in Switzerland, this music is truly a social democrat's dream: the track 'Holographic Witness' describes a melodic whirled world of buzzing basses and silly string, while 'Free Floating By' does just that on a cumulonimbic layer of clicks and snaps.