Back in stock: Progressive House

Review: Floating Points' new album, Cascade on Ninja Tune pushes the cult producer's sound into all new territories. The eight tracks, each up to eight minutes long, allow his to explore sounds and grooves in full form while a subtle homage to Manchester runs through the album. Tracks like 'Afflecks Palace' featuring harp melodies and electronic bleeps, and 'Key 103,' named after a beloved local radio station, is another delight. Nearly a decade after his debut Elaenia, Floating Points has masterfully integrated his experimental ventures beyond club music into these expressive dance floor creations and remains in a class of one as a result.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Melodic progressive house is lended an extra twinkly resonance on this new one from Guy J, topping up his myriad releases for Lost & Found Records. 'Fire' blends stuttering stab arpeggios with rainsoaked harmonics and risers, while 'Last Standing' builds to similar elysiums, sounding like the lovechild of Four Tet and Avatar in its triplet-trance, woodblock-snared peaks.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Guy J's new release feels like the beginning of a journey, one that stretches out across time and space. The A-side, 'Million Years From Now', is a sprawling, hypnotic piece that evolves slowly but deliberately. It's a seamless blend of subtle soundscapes and deep, progressive elements, a track that gradually unfolds its layers like the opening chapter of an epic. There's a sense of the unknown here - a quiet, steady build that doesn't rush, instead allowing the listener to be enveloped in its future-facing atmosphere. On the flip side, 'Just Rain' brings things back to earth with a weightier, more rhythmic approach. It starts off with a thudding kick, drawing you in with its pulsing bass, but it's the delicate interplay of melody and groove that stands out. The track ebbs and flows, building towards a peak that feels both inevitable and wholly satisfying, showing Guy J's mastery in creating dancefloor moments that hit with precision. It's powerful yet restrained, with every element in its right place, creating an emotional resonance that lingers well beyond the track's eight-minute runtime. This is a promising start for his new label - an ambitious, forward-thinking project that looks set to take listeners on a journey into the deeper realms of progressive house, where sound and emotion intertwine effortlessly. Guy J's vision is clear, and it's one that demands attention.

Review: The first release on down2earth marks a confident starting identity for the Netherlands label, landing them somewhere in the domain fidgety cheek-acid dance of the 21st Century variety. And with a name alluding to the careful manner by which docking ports interlock in aerospace, a common sci-fi trope, this is a wicked first entry to the game by Naone. Sullen percussions mark the opening two tracks, while the B-side offers the most meat on the bone, with 'The World Is A Fire' igniting our desire, trailing an especially musky exhaust trail of dreamy spurts and little melodies behind it.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


The 11th release on Random Vinyl finds Pax Romax featuring Brian Ice paying to respect to an original masterpiece while also serving it up for a new generation of ears. First up is the extended remix of 'Fade To Grey' which is a deep and cosmic disco workout with libidinous vocals. '2067' is a second production by Pax Romax that layers up jittery arps and twirling pads with a low-slung disco groove. The "Steve's Strange mix" is a codeine paced retro-future disco trip with standout synths and the Master Mix is more airy with lush pads up top was made by the late great Marc Hartman who passed away in August 2024 at only 58 years of age and serves as "Marc's epic swan song as we say, in Dutch," explains his label partner.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Amazing! has put together a very specific and worthwhile compilation here with Music For The Radical Xenomaniac Vol 1: Hedonistic Highlights From The Lowlands 1990-1999 offering up a wealth of zoned out and dreamy electric gems from lesser known artists. everything from house to trance, ambient to downtempo to progressive all comes through from these tunes which are unified by their subtle sense of uplifting joy and hopeful melodies. Dream Company's breaks-lead 'Space Page' is one standout as is Ramon & Theo's lush and percussive 'A Quest Of Thousands.'

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


If you heard the first volume in this series there is no wonder you are back for the second. METAFLORA II carrie son from where that one left off with the Habitat label tapping into the latest and freshest techno and prog from new and established artists alike. Each of these has already been road tested and so is a proven banger with Mind Against & Cay and their new single 'Floral' opening up. The ensign 23 cuts come from the likes of Fedele, SebraCruz, Momery and many more. It comes on eight sides of wax in a great sleeve making it an essential cop for DJs.