Tags: Detroit House

Review: Proper future classic Omar S!

Review: Here's something to get excited about: a cracking new cut from Detroit deep house legend Alton Miller, backed with a 'Sound Signature' translation from the equally revered Theo Parrish. Miller's version of "Bring Me Down", is something of a treat: a sparkling, starry deep house epic that's blessed with immaculate vocals from soul chanteuse Maurissa Rose. Parrish's translation is equally as stretched out and similarly enjoyable, but is far looser and dustier in feel, with warmer bass and beats that naturally tend towards the jazzier. It's naturally more in keeping with Parrish's work than Miller's, but retains enough of the latter's touches to be counted as a fine remix.

Review: Get ready for a rush-inducing dose of proper soulful vocal house from the mighty Dames Brown. On this record for Defected, Detroit's foremost trio of Athena Johnson, Lisa Cunningham and Teresa Marbury linked up with the mighty Amp Fiddler and Andres for a rip through house music as real as it gets. The original 12" mix of 'What Would You Do?' is hard to beat for raw, heavy-hitting groove and production, but there are some choice remixes included here for those who have different needs, whether it's the bouncy jazz funk of Two Soul Fusion's version or the smoother sound of Folamour creating a sleek disco house variation for the peak time crowd.

Review: Toronto label Selections has become a firm favourite with house heads and now starts a nice sideline with its Special Edition 2023 series. This one welcomes Lea Lisa with her track 'Conversation Between Us' (Heide Club Mix) which is straight up underground house for the heads. Then comes an unreleased Javonntte remix of Evenn's 'One For Love' that pairs things back to raw dub essentials. Dan Only's 'Love Saturates' then gets a fine and formerly unreleased remix by Italy's Black Loops that has pristine drum programming and a fine bassline. Add in Sean Roman's jazzy dancer 'Sir William' and Jamn Ensemble's 'Convection' and you have a timeless house EP.

Review: Here two of Situationism's compilation strands combine on one 12": 2up 2down, which focuses on high-grade deep house, and the In The Bag series of floor-friendly catalogue favourites. There's naturally plenty to get the blood pumping throughout, from the thrillingly off-kilter Afro-house rhythms of Mike Agent X Clark's 'My Journey Thru Africanism', and Javontte's sensational 2021 single 'Soul People', to the liquid jazz-funk/deep house fusion of BRS' fantastic 'A Night To Remember' - all rubbery bass guitar, huggable chords, glistening guitars, fluttering flutes and swinging beats - and the driving, gospel-influenced peak-time brilliance of Laroye's 'Best Girlfriends (Soulful Mix)'. To cite an old cliche, this genuinely is "all killer, no filler".

Review: Spanish label MATE host a four track, two artist 12" that stretches across the Atlantic to take in top house music talents from both sides. The Belgian duo Chasse follow their releases on Robsoul and Exploited take on the A-side, with 'Viola' proving a chunky but emotive offering held together by rhythmic sax stabs and suspended strings and 'Deep Link' a jazzier affair, the sax let properly loose as a plaintive piano loops atmospherically. The prolific Detroit producer Javonntte, a regular on the label, offers up the fantastic Moog improv wigout of 'Sunday Brunch Cocktail', registering some impressively original high frequency operations. 'When Music Feels' boasts a spoken word vocal from Javonntte's own sister and a more classic deep house sound with an uplifting, spiritual vibe. Maximum value for money via four very playable tunes.

Review: Motor City label Upstairs Asylum celebrates its roots in 313 with this new Dance Detroit EP featuring a wealth of American house innovators. First up, Reggie Dokes and Steve Crawford join forces on 'Fear Of Failure', a house track steeped in Detroit soul. Marvin Prather's 'Until' follows on with his stylish and soul-drenched grooves. Steve Crawford then goes it alone and turns up the drums on his potent 'Let You Go' (feat Tony B) and then get deeply emotional on 'Love Is Here' this time with help from featured artist Anthony Poteat. Prather and then label regular and Atlanta man Reggie Dokes closes down with his 'Not Ready.'

Review: The Scan 7 collective is known for its archetypal Detroit sounds and meticulously designed tracks. Always with a nod to Underground Resistance, the group put out its 'The Resistance' tune 11 years ago now back in 2013. Here it gets served up once more in its original form alongside some hefty remixes. It's a sophisticated track with lush strings and spoken word musings over buoyant Motor City house grooves. The Terrence Parker mix is even more house, with loopy bass bringing a soulful touch under the more florid claps. Last of all is the UR Detroit Rusted Metal mix, which is all fizzing synth modulations and dark broken beats.

Review: Alton Miller doesn't get spoken about as much as he should - he is a genuine Detroit pioneer who played the city's earliest house parties and decades later he is still turning out authentic and emotive deep house. Here he debuts on Mister Bear Records, a new imprint out of Berlin. First up is 'Am Forplay', a mid-tempo roller with heady chords slowly moving through the scales next to smoky vocal coos. 'For Me' is a more edgy and energetic sound with wispy pads darting about like fireflies over more percussive, tech-leaning drums. Last but not least is our standout - 'Sweet Love' (dub) with its delightful vocal and shuffling, cuddly deep house drums soon hypnotising you.

Review: Drivetrain and Melodymann hail from Detroit and Belgium respectively and together the've cooked up an incredibly affecting quad of tunes which we now hear pressed to wax via Soiree. An overarching homage to the classically 'slapdash' or lackadaisical feel of Chicago and Detroit house abounds, as the likes of 'Music Got Me' and 'Keep It Movin' work in the very same janky shuffles that would hear the latter ends of those genres bleed into US garage and come with palette-cleansing aperitifs in the form of vocal samples from various soul sources. Keep it coming.

Review: Carl Craig's Planet E is an archetypal Detroit label that has most often, most recently, dealt in techno. Well regarded veteran Junior Sanchez now arrives, however, with a track more couched in house music. 'Art O Fact' is bright, intense and electrifying house though - high speed sounds with hi-tek synth work and an all out air of celebration that channels the likes of Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. Luv4Detroit dubs it out and then a less busy, more paired back respire features on the b-side next to an edit. Timeless stuff from the Motor City.

Review: Brooklyn's toucan sounds has snapped up the signature of Dee Diggs for her long-awaited debut single and it does not disappoint. 'Toss It' is, like the artist herself, inspired by the Black, queer roots of house music and it come with lashings of disco energy, smoky vocals and glossy chords as well as a catchy pop riff that emplores you to set yourself free. A fine remix comes from Detroit's Ladymonix who makes things dark, sweaty and steamy and last of all is a Matt FX Glitz N Glam mix to make this a brilliant package.