Review: After years of silence following the loss of Sonny Knight in 2017, former Lakers members Blair Krivanek and Cy Pierpont return with their new project, Ace Box Shift. The duo have made plenty of standout contributions to the soul revival scene before now and here they debut on Secret Stash Records with another pair of fiery instrumental cuts that work exceptionally well for DJs and dancefloors alike. They find Krivanek's jazz-infused guitar work meeting Pierpont's pounding rhythms with raw, funk-driven results that make for a bold, high-energy comeback that pays tribute to their roots while also moving things onwards.
Review: Superfriends is a new label project from German tech house duo Andhim. They take care of the first release and export outside the usual realms on opener 'Tosch (feat Piper Davis).' It has an air of DJ Koze's hazy nostalgia to it with gentle tumbling drums, broad bass notes and plenty of lo-fi texture. 'German Winter' is not as harsh and cold as the season it is named after, instead layering up subtly hopeful, sustained chords over a groove that's not too heavy, not too airy. 'Mond' brings smeared and smudged melodies, flutes and pianos together over a dubby, delightfully deep house low end. 'Horse Society' closes with the distant sound or bird tweets, a hooky percussive lead and plodding kicks for day-time open-air dancing.
AfroQbano - "El Bucanero" (feat Kevin Ford - Dez Andres remix) (4:40)
Review: Chicago label Future Rootz is a collective of mix media DJs who all play and rework global roots, tropical bass, world electronic and Latin house. Who better to do that than Detroit's Dez Andres, a deep-diving DJ, house head and producer with Cuban roots. He goes first here with 'El Trombone', which has a signature low-end thump with sunny Latin vocals, joyous horns and florid melodies. He then slows things down with one of his trademark remixes of AfroQbano's 'El Bucanero', which has noodling bass and poolside charm.
Review: Smiling Phases returns with its second outing and hands it over to Parisian producer Arve, who clearly has a deep understanding of many different genres as the two tunes he serves up go way beyond the predictable. Opener 'Pyroclast' is a fast and physical one that blends radiant house grooves with deep, disruptive rhythms and myriad cosmic synth lines that swirl around the mix. 'Tephra' is another busy workout with pumping drums and an array of different synth textures spraying around the groove. On the B-side, 'Pyroclast' gets a remix by Belgian producer DC Salas, who takes it into retro-future 90s trance-techno territory and Italy's Paolo Mosca, who injects warmth and depth as well as a little cosmic mystery.
Review: Spanish musician Bass Lee comes through with a dynamic rockers-style instrumental on his latest 7" release, 'Enlightenment.' The single has a killer groove and smooth dub vibes and comes from Lee's upcoming album, which, on this evidence, is going to be a vital pick up when it drops. The single was recorded and mixed by Roberto Sanchez at A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio and he does a fine job of fusing deep, roots-inspired rhythms with rich melodic elements that cut through nicely. The band's stellar lineup includes Sanchez on drums, percussion and piano, with Lee providing bass and lead strings, while additional contributions come from Reuben Telford on strings and clavinet, and Saioa Jorrin on alto sax.
Review: Leeds-based label Turnend Tapes showcase the wide and very assured skills of Malmo man Martin Abrahamsson aka Bauri across a choice selection of five tracks from the more thoughtful and atmospheric end of the techno scale. That's not to say there aren't grooves aplenty going on. Opening track 'Zoom0036' has some irresistibly shiny, downbeat electro moves, offset by a touch of Autechre-like ghostliness. 'Jody' comes on like Drexciya at their perkiest, with a soupcon of Air Liquide's cheeky phasing, while 'Sunrise (take 2)' has the majesty and simplicity of Aphex's first 'Ambient Works'. Flip it over for 'Easter Sunday', where streamlined polymetric machine funk and solar flare arpeggios do a merry dance, before 'Feeling Reprise' finishes things off with spiralling half-speed beats and yet more melodic grandeur rising out of the mix. Abrahamsson has a long, impressive pedigree with more alter egos than you've had hot dinners, but this is up there with his most original and confident efforts. It's a Flow-brainer.
Review: Norm Talley's Upstairs Asylum label approaches its 20th outing with more of that low-key, high-quality house tackle it has long been associated with. Black Eyes is behind the beats and opens up with the nice and lazy, low slung grooves of 'Gerry The Fish Whisperer' then 'Valley Of Sharks' gets more raw and percussive with its energy. 'Soul Fish' lands on heavy, knackered sounding kicks with soft shakers along for the ride and 'The People Want Hydro' closes down with heady pads swirls and wispy motifs that occupy mind and body as one.
Review: The Blassics is a creative crew from Scandinavia featuring the likes of Hanna Lotti, Joona Venalainen, Juha Sarkkola, Ville-Pekka Jarvinen and several more musicians. They have turned out several brilliant instrumental albums over the last decade and show their chops again ion this new 7" via Funk Night. 'Addis Hop (part 1)' collides funk, jazz, spy theme soundtracks and hip-hop into a storytelling sound with a driving bassline and shimmering chords and keys. It comes in two parts, and both are effortlessly evocative and mesmerising.
Review: There are tens of members of The Blassics crew from Scandinavia, including Joona Venalainen, Juha Sarkkola, Ville-Pekka Jarvinen and several more, and they are expert genre-fusionists who draw on funk, soul, jazz, hip-hop and more to cook up their brilliant instrumental sounds. They have been doing it for more than a decade and have plenty of great albums to their name. Here they return to Funk Night with another red-hot 45 rpm. 'Fishing Break (45 mix)' is powered by raw drum breaks with brassy horns and cowbells for company, then 'Nokova' slows things down and allows a more sultry trumpet to take the lead. 'Lunki Mood' slows it down even further for late-night and loved-up jazz-funk introspection.
Review: Margate-based Braga Circuit showcases a refined signature style and knack for killer sampling with this standout debut on Air Miles. 'Fall' kicks off with amped-up chord stabs and brilliantly well-swung, rolling kicks that soon get those hips moving. 'Closer' oozes summer cool thanks to the balmy chords that soften the percussive, garage-flecked house drums. There is also plenty of Kerri Chandler soul in these here beats that makes them all the more essential. 'Filter Feed' layers up dusty perc and thudding kicks with sultry vocal whispers. It's steamy and irresistible and last but not least, Leod is another talent from the coastal town of Margate and remixes this one with a more direct and dubby style.
Review: Bruce is back for the second release from Poorly Knit and it's an experimental three-track for more out there dancefloors. 'Belly (Two Mississippi)' has hurried drum loops that flap and underlap beneath tortured pads, shrieking elephant trumpets and ghoulish vocals that really are unsettling. 'Burned Alive (More Gauze)' as you may guess from the title, is another freaky bit of rhythm and sound with distant alarms, mangled vocal fragments and a dub underbelly. 'Hot One (Chapped Lips version)' is a wispy and minimal soundscape full of paranoia and intrigue. Play loud, but only if you dare.
Review: Brazilian talent Rafael Cancian has grown in stature thanks to solid outings on the tasteful likes of Razor-N-Tape and Hot Pot Records. Now with that profile established, he heads out with a new label of his own in the form of About Disco. He inaugurates it with a quartet of edits that he has already been deploying to great effect on various dancefloors around the world. 'Sounds Chicago' does indeed with raw drums and great keys dancing over the beats. 'Ti Amo' has a more funky undercarriage and disco percussion, 'D'Afrique' again brings a funky bass riff to the fore with some psyched-out sounds for company and 'Opera' shuts down with some late-night and soul-drenched synths over intimate and stripped back house drums.
Review: Esuoh Limited's third outing takes the form of another various artists offering, and it explores an on-point mix of garage, house and tech. Ale Castro gets things underway with the bubbly bass motifs and retro stabs of 'IDWTAD' with a vocal refrain repeating the line 'I don't want to talk about drugs'. Hurlee's 'Spectral Echoes' is a super breezy house cruiser with sugar chords and more widescreen smears adding the oil to the drums while a simple, effective vocal hook brings the soul. There is a darker, more heads down energy to Housewife's 'Jus A Lil Bit' then Midas Field's 'Groover' brings class, jazzy magic and plenty of fist pumping fun.
Review: Johnny Clarke is of course, a roots reggae legend with a vast, and high-quality, discography that has contributed to the evolution of the genre over many years. For this one he teams up with Green Cross on 'Never Give Up On Jah', a heavyweight drop on Heartical in France. Clarke's unmistakable voice delivers a message of perseverance and spiritual strength, and it serves as a fine reminder of roots reggae's enduring power to move you in more ways than one. The riddim is deep, warm and dubwise and on the flip is the flaky, wobbly, Green Cross cut 'Style Ah Weh We Love.'
Review: Commonsur is a rather elusive duo based between Geneva and Madrid. Now they finally present a stunning self-titled debut EP that blends their meticulous take on contemporary soul with an undercurrent of quiet optimism. The music draws from years of experience as multi-instrumentalists and producers in the European music scene and finds the artists craft a sound that's heartfelt, refined and deeply human from front to back. British-Spanish vocalist Rolita graces three of the four tracks and her rich, emotive voice adds extra lovely warmth and emotion to the polished grooves so that the result is a debut that feels both personal and expansive-music rooted in feeling, built with care, and delivered with understated power.
Review: The Fruit Medley series has been hella juicy so far so we're glad another edition is ripe and ready for picking to kick off the label's 2025 season. This one features all newcomers starting with Cromie's 'Timereite', a chubby and clubby tech pumper with full throttle rhythms. Wilba's 'New Recipes' has lush synth smears over grinding low ends that echo early West Coast tech, and Darren Roach then gets a little deeper on the percolating 'Brettski Colectski'. Lazer Man's 'Time Of Ghosts' closes down with a mid-tempo, off-kilter house cut with steely drums and distant alien activity.
Review: Marking Indica Dubs' 100th release in serious style, 'When Jah Come' by Danman takes the form of a powerful tribute to the late Jah Shaka, whose influence shaped generations of dub and roots sounds and musicians. This long-anticipated dubplate was famously championed by Shaka himself and comes laden with deep, earth-shattering basslines, spiritual vocals that touch your inner psyche and militant rhythms with unmistakable reverence. It is a celebration and a memorial that honours Shaka's legacy while showcasing Danman's ever-commanding voice and Indica Dubs' unrivalled production strength.
Review: This newly formed and already brilliant label is back with more previously unreleased instrumentals that bring a different twist and dancefloor edge to classic sounds from the rock and indie world. First up we get a subtle edit of 'Sound and Vision' which has a nice fat and funky bassline bouncing beneath the splashy drums as nice acoustic guitar melodies ring out next to glistening retro-future pads. It's a cosmic trip that oozes soul then things slow down on the flip with 'Young Americans'. This one is a nice go-slow instrumental with funky and expressive horn work taking the lead over the fat-bottomed drums and bass.
Review: This latest Unxpozd release has taken a hot minute to arrive but it's been worth the wait, because once again DJ Aakmael shows off his deep house class. '6minutes' kicks off with the sort of whimsical late-night chords that soon get you dreaming as the loveably lazy grooves slouch on. 'Just A Track pt. 8' shows Aakmael's sample skills as he chops up the sounds with some nice jazzy keys. You won't find a groove more lush and smooth than the gently cosmic 'Track 123' while 'Autumn' is perfectly stripped back to chunky kicks, slowly ascending chords and a hint of Kerri Chandler soul with a gospel vocal hook.
Review: Chicago has many legendary figures, but one who stands proud among many is DJ Deeon, a low-end legend and widely considered to be the true Godfather of ghetto house. He dropped this EP originally back in 2013, and it is one of many that soon became classic, which is why it gets this remix from Chiwax. 'Happy' perfectly summarises Deeon's sound - booming and heavyweight kick and drums, smart samples looped perfectly and big hooks. 'The Truth' speeds things up and brings that Ghetto sleaze, and 'R U Sure' is a more minimal sound that still bangs like a heavyweight. 'Gigabytes' is full of caustic synths and blending melodies that bring sheer chaos to the club.
Review: Chiwax is reissuing a couple of the very many superb EPs that DJ Deeon has put out over his peerless career. The Windy City native is known as the Godfather of Ghetto house and always brings more bump and sleaze to his sounds than anyone else. His Freak Mode EP dropped back in 1994 but still sounds like nothing else as it pioneered a new juke and footwork sound. 'Yo Mouf' is tight, loopy, manic and irresistible club music. 'Work This Dick' brings his signature tongue in cheek vocal filth, 'Off Freakmode' has a futuristic twist and 'Hoodrat' is non-stop drum funk for sweaty situations. A legendary EP.
Review: Italian turbo talent Earwax brings his techno perspective to this new one from the Dolly TS series. 'Upstairs Downstairs' soon sweeps you up with its buoyant and bouncy techno drums and wavy cosmic synth lines. 'Protection' then gets more dark and heads down with a menacing low-end throb and increasingly edgy percussive through-line. There is comic tension and turbulence to 'Key Of Life' with its unsettling and eerie synths and banging drums, and last of all is 'At The Door', which races on with hints of original 90s techno rawness. Very useful, high-functioning techno.
Review: EEE keeps it simple, with the artist, label and EPs all given that simple naming convention. It means there is nothing to focus on but the music. Which is fine by us as this 18th such outing is another doozy that should slip into your record bag post-haste. 'Track 1' has 90s organ chords and a deep, rolling bassline working together to soon get you moving while sustained pads and dry per add detail as a tempting vocal lures you in. On the flip, things are a little less pared back with some widescreen synths adding cosmic scale to the potent tech house drums. Tidy tools.
Review: Blkmarket Underground Music Party Edits is a sub-label to the influential Blkmarket, an esteemed label and event series in New York. Contrary to what that catalogue number might indicate, this is actaully their second release and has Facets at the controls. First up is 'Computers' with its raw and snappy analogue drum sounds and late-night synth details. 'Time Of War' is another full-fat blend of analogue drum thump and driving synth motifs, 'Talk To Me' has crashing cold-wave synths and deadpan vocals and 'Paranoia' has loopy vocals and moody atmospheres for freaky dancing. 'Lies' and 'Dub To Destruct' shut down this varied and retro-tinged EP with jerking rhythms that will do plenty of damage.
Review: Faris Pashion returns with its first release since Autumn/Winter 2021, and despite the hiatus, it has lost none of its elusive house and disco magic. The new one is a two-track celebration of Italo disco and house that is sure to bring out the most high-energy struts on the dancefloor, or get spins for style cats at Milan Fashion Week. 'Ital Come Out' kicks off with some funky and percolating Italo melodies next to lush chords that speak of a balmy summer's evening dance in the open air. 'Say To Ya' then gets deep and silky with a gooey bassline and cosmic melodies next to a soul-stirring but subtle vocal that oozes cool and late-night charm.
Review: The Treasure team keeps up the momentum of its early release with another fruitful dive into the annals of house history. This time, they have dug up more nuggets from FR and have refined them for contemporary floors. 'ET Is Coming Home' (vocal) is a slow and dubby cut with percolating live bass and muted horns next to some Ubiquity style vocal soul. The instrumental allows the superbly loose-limbed and live drums room to really shine, and then comes an epic, 10-minute-plus jazz-drenched house odyssey that's alive with swirling cosmic radiance and busy chords and synths. A real trip for proper music heads.
Review: FABRICLIVE's artist-focused label continues to shine with a new gem from rising star Kiana Li aka Gyrofield. The tracks 'Akin' and 'Mother' are rooted in drum & bass and deliver a fresh, detailed sound that captures both atmospheric and melodic vibes. First up, 'Akin' offers balmy breakbeats and celestial propulsion, while 'Mother' combines big vocals, precise low-end brilliance and a twisted mix of techno. Reflecting on her work in accompanying notes, Gyrofield describes these tracks as free-spirited and transportive and they really do embody a journey of self-expression. Having been released on Critical and Noisia's Vision, gyrofield's music continues to cut through.
Review: After a low-key but high-quality outing on a white label project via Delsin, Spanish artist Annie Hall now makes a full appearance on the legendary Dutch label. This EP reflects her eclectic take on electronica, IDM and electro, as well as betraying a love of Detroit-inspired atmospheres. 'Divergent Thinker' journeys at pace on jittery broken beats with reflective cosmic keys and balmy pads. 'Managing Nothing' is a little more anxious and unsettling, but with lovely bendy synth lines and intricate drum programming and 'Ability To Multitask' then ups the ante with some snappy broken beats and gorgeous melodies. 'Practical Optimism' shuts down with rubbery, elastic bass and future-facing vibes.
Make Me Smile (Come Up & See Me) (Rehearsal instrumental) (4:08)
Review: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Steve Harley's iconic hit 'Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)', Chrysalis Records is serving it up on a limited 7" for Record Store Day. The single features the original version backed with a previously unreleased recording from Apple Studios, which offers a different perspective and nice twist on the original. 'Make Me Smile' was a UK chart-topper in 1975 and has sold over 1.5 million copies and is thought to have inspired more than 120 cover versions from artists like Duran Duran and Erasure. However, you can't beat the original, which is a glam-pop classic that continues to get love across generations.
Review: Milton Henry was a key figure at Wackie's in the early 80s and he left behind a legacy anchored by his acclaimed album Who Do You Think I Am?. Now, a long-overdue single release celebrates his work anew for both those who have always known and fresher ears keen to get a taste of his early authenticity. The A-side features a standout track from the album in its previously unreleased single mix and it is paired with a never-before-heard dub version. On the B-side, a fresh 2024 remix of Henry's mid-80s tune 'Make It Right' makes its mark, having originally featured on the Digital Dawn compilation. Wackie's producer Lloyd Barnes revisited the track and added a powerful horn line from Jerry Johnson, who also shines in the instrumental dub that follows.
Review: Debut release on the Canadian label imprint from two Icons Of Hip Hop with the the debut 45 with Otis . This 45 draws on hip-hop's golden moments drenched in soul samples .Up first on 'Otis', which is offered up as a vocal mix on the A-side. It's three minutes of beat-making perfection with muted horns sampled throughout, raw back-and-forth bars and dusty drums with plenty of guttural soul. Flip it over for the massive funk instrumental which is stripped of the mic-work and allows the rawness of the classic 6t's soul sample to really shine through.A great start to what is sure to be an essential label for hip-hop heads.
Ahnonghay (Kevin Saunderson original Reese mix) (7:04)
Review: Inner City's time on Network Records produced a run of timeless recordings that merged their signature vocal soul with the underground grooves of Detroit. This reissue of 'Ahnonghay' highlights that early golden era and finds the legendary Kevin Saunderson return to his techno roots in some style. The tune was originally released under his seminal Reese alias and marries that raw Motor City energy with sleek electronica that embodies the early techno blueprint. This 12" pressing includes the original mix alongside two standout remixes: Carl Craig's atmospheric reimagining and Dave Clarke's gritty UK techno take. All in all, a vital snapshot of techno's early evolution.
Review: Haggerston-based production wizard Jeigo kicks off the year after a standout 2024 by serving his own label Fleurella Records' first release. For the occasion, he reissues his track 'Pearl Leaf' which sits in between the worlds of Bicep, Sasha and UKG. It has floating pads and airy, organic beats that carry you away on a melancholic mood with deeply buried vocals adding a blurry, heart-tugging hook. On the flip are two new and unheard jams. 'Headpains' is full of a flurry of breaks but is also laden with introspective emotion in the vocals and chords and 'The Days You Were Here' is a more downtempo cut with shimmering pads, pitched-up vocals and languid bass.
Review: Jordan GCZ brings a unique jazz-infused approach to techno on his latest release, which is a third for the good folks at Rawax. He has a complex sound but one that always remains buttery impactful in the club and pairs cerebral ideas with physical grooves, and all of it's crafted with an array of outboard gear and vintage synths. The opener blends melodic nostalgic charm with dusty house beats, while 'Timbit Acid' is an off-kilter acid workout and 'Beaver Tail' weaves together a tapestry of intricate synth patterns and glistening pads. Last but not least, 'All Dressed' offers a soul-infused take on mid-tempo techno that is deep, groovy and compelling.
Review: Jordan GCZ, who you may remember as half of JuJu & Jordash, brings a jazz sensibility to his take on techno. It's crafted on an array of outboard gear and dusty of synths, which lends it such a lovely, lived-in quality. His melodies are always meaningful, too, whether futuristic or nostalgic. There is a hint of the latter to the opener which has a whimsical charm over dusty house beats. 'Timbit Acid' is a wonkier workout with warped 303s, 'Beaver Tail' showcases masterful synth patterns and glisten pads that soften the speedy beats and 'All Dressed' is a nice twist on early Detroit techno with more freeform leads.
Review: Chicago's Tied label rolls out a 17th release as good as all the previous ones, this time with a four-track various artists EP that showcases emerging talents from deep, spacey electronic realms. Just_Me's 'Laser Brane' launches the journey with electro-funk propulsion, while Lumieux's 'In Your Space... It's Me In Space' drifts into cosmic grooves and ambient textures. On the B-side, Constratti's meticulously crafted 'Bind' delivers intricate synth delays and solid rhythms that capture the feeling of interstellar motion. Label head Max Jacobson and 97 Till close with 'Orion,' a break-infused and celestial house cut built for late-night floors.
Review: Warsaw producer Kampinos delivers a knockout trio of tunes for GAMM here that collide soulful drum & bass with deep musical roots. The standout opener is 'Good Looking Pepe,' which flips Pepe Bradock's seminal house love-in 'Deep Burnt' into a lush, jazzy roller a la LTJ Bukem. On the B-side, 'Joi' explodes with gospel fervour and raw amen breaks to make for an irresistible jungle anthem built for dancefloor uplift. Rounding things off, Kampinos offers a rich, emotive refix of Little Simz's 'See You Glow' which is both warm and intense. This is rather unexpected yet effective outing for GAMM with a fine mix of soul and roughness.
Keller - "That Kind Of Girl" (The Dukes original mix) (5:13)
Mark Funk - "Here To Stay" (5:48)
Danny Cruz - "Waiting (For You)" (6:55)
Makito - "Jackin With Millie" (6:31)
Review: If you're reading this you will probably already know that this Cruise Music series has been full of gold over the previous instalments. Whoever is in charge for curation has pulled it off again with four more funky and disco infused house gems. Keller's opener is a classy mix of filtered vocals and drum loops with an aching soul edge. Mark Funk offers a more party starting disco bumper with classic vocal hooks and Danny Cruz takes things onto a summer terrace with glorious horns and uplifting grooves. Makito shuts down with the dusty deep house shuffles and party atmospheres of 'Jackin With Millie.'
Review: Misty Lane is vocalist Elaine Desjardins, and she worked with producers Michel Bibeau and Ralph Mashats in the mid-80s. Two tunes from that time, 'Energy' and 'Controle', brim with charm and analogue warmth all these years later as they get served up in all their quirky synth-pop style with unmistakable Quebecois flair via Dark Entries. The opener pulses with snappy Roland TR-808 beats and proto-house vibes carried by Desjardins' refreshingly unpolished vocals, while 'Controle' slows things down into a tropical mid-tempo groove that echoes the atmosphere of Junior Byron's 'Dance to the Music.' This reissue is a delight for lovers of Italo, Canadian disco and eccentric synth pop.
Barbara Lewis - "Baby What Do You Want Me To Do" (2:36)
Tony & Tyrone - "Please Operator" (2:48)
Review: US American soul singer and songwriter Barbara Lewis had a smooth style that very much influenced rhythm and blues during her 60s heyday. She began writing songs at the age of just nine and as a teen, recorded with producer Ollie McLaughlin. Her best known tunes club high in Billboard charts and include 'Hello Stranger' and 'Baby I'm Yours' but here it is the swinging sounds and swooning stings of 'Baby What Do You Want Me To Do' which gets pressed up alongside Tony & Tyrone's Northern Soul gem 'Please Operator' which is more raw and urgent soul.
Review: The Instinct train rolls on with more of its signature and explosive garage goodness. Label head Burnski invites Mattik to take charge of this one and he comes good from the off. 'Bubble' has an impossibly naughty low-end oscillation, watery bass sounds and crispy 2-step percussion all designed to get top lips curled and floors bumping. 'Systemattik' is another smart garage workout with ragga vocals, snappy drum programming and warped synth stabs. 'Active' keeps things bumping with a retro UKG flavour and 'Megatone Saxon (Manchester Massive)' (feat TG) shuts down with irresistible rhythms and old school synth motifs as well as some rudeboy bars. Perfect.
Review: Italian producer Mennie lands on EYA Records here with an EP that hits plenty of contemporary touchstones: techno, retro synths, trance and faster rhythms. 'We Are Not The Plan' has a tech house edge but with cosmic pads and bright melodies, while 'Make It Easy' has playful top lines and a fizzing, textural synth bassline powered by crisp kicks. 'Engine' gets more physical with faster drums and snappy percussive layers, and 'The Story' grinds it out with mechanical stiffness and bleeping synth sequences that bring a retro-future flair. It's all perfectly colourful body music for knowing clubs.
Review: We assume that Nuts World Tour is a new label that will serve up sonic homage to each of the cities it names its EPs after. First up is the Big Apple with four cuts all named after four of the city's main boroughs. 'MNHTTN' is first, so it taps into myriad samples from the likes of Mobb Deep, Biggie Smalls, ODB and Aaliyah. They are all dropped over a leggy, rolling deep house groove with a wiggling baseline that its sure to be hugely effective and crowd pleasing. 'STTN ISLND' is more blissed out deep house and is again packed with hip-hop samples, which prove great fun decoding. 'BRX' is soulful, simple, seductive and 'QNS' gets a little more raw with a drilling bassline. 'BRKLN' shuts down with a final variation on the theme.
Review: 'Let Me Go' is the debut EP from Italian duo Pathagonia, which is made up of Noha and Alex Tea. They are a pair of minimalists who craft sounds for the late-night hours, starting with the title cut. 'Let Me Go' has warm solar winds blowing over the kinetic, crispy drums so makes for a nice soulful sound while 'Swirl' is heavier. The dub quotient is upped, the chords rattle and there's a heads down feel to the way things move onwards. 'Atomic' takes another tack - it's more sparse, airy and shady with whimsical synths doing a nimble dance over tight, loopy drums. Last but not least, 'Boys Can Cry' is a turbocharged but serene tech house wafter. All four are well designed and sure to appeal to real heads.
Review: This new platter captures UK dub pioneers Alpha & Omega linking up with Pensi & Iries Roots for a pair of new school dub cuts on the Livity-Ites label. The A-side 'The Signs' has mesmerising warrior leads and harmonicas that drift in and out over the yearning vocals and sleek digital synths amidst myriad effects. On the flip, 'Dub Signs' is a version with even heavier low ends and more snaking leads that are sure to hypnotise when played nice and loud on a serious system. Two crucial cuts for dub heads, whether old or new.
Maybe It Was A Dream (Mihai Popoviciu remix) (7:07)
YEAH (6:11)
Review: The Montreal-based boutique label, Aissa Records, a vinyl-only sub-imprint of Suleiman Records, continues to carve out a niche for sophisticated, nuanced techno with this new one from Pheek. 'Maybe It Was A Dream' merges ambient textures with crisp minimal techno that is dreamy and hypnotic. 'Goldfish Memory' is a track that feels both meditative and kinetic so is perfect for deep listening or late-night sets. On the flip, Mihai Popoviciu delivers a tight, club-ready remix that adds punch without losing the original's subtlety and lastly, 'YEAH' is a dubbed out and reverb-rich roller with abstract sonic details keeping the mind as busy as the body.
Review: The recently revived Hard Times Records revisits Karen Pollard's 1996 house anthem 'Reach Out To Me' with local lad and Leeds legend Paul Woolford dropping two standout remixes. First up is his extended mix, an epic ten-minute trip that features the scoring vocals with signature drums and sun-soaked guitar solos that hark back to the classic house era but not cloyingly so. Under his Special Request alias, Woolford then gets wild and delivers a breakbeat-driven remix infused with UK garage vibes and bass-heavy low ends that again join the dots between the past, present and future. Both versions have been road-tested and are already tearing it up thanks to Woolford's versatile production prowess.
Review: Rayonas is both an artist and a record label founded in 2021 that has dealt in some smart underground house sounds. This new one from the imprint begins a sub-series called Speedy House that is about, well, speedy. 'Things As They Are' pairs pensive ambient piano and a recognisable melodic motif with thumping and driving drums. It works well, frankly. 'Liquid' is another chunky, pacey house thumper with 'Labas Rytas ' then veering more into uptempo, funky techno that never quits. 'Laser Tag' has a loopy, underlapping bassline and gloppy pads and 'Dreaming' shuts down with a richer array of non-melodic colours for peak time trips.
Review: 2022 saw the unlikely return of late 90s New York screamo/"skramz" pioneers Saetia, who have seen a massive surge in popularity in the decades since their initial disbandment, due to being credited as a major influence by numerous affluent modern post-hardcore acts such as La Dispute and Touche Amore. Noted for their expansion of the chaotic "emoviolence" sound by imbuing their cataclysmic compositions with heightened melodrama, spoken-word vocals and poetic lyricism pulling from Greek tragedies, both their self-titled EP and sole full-length have been held aloft as quintessential blueprints for the genre in the decades since their original tenure. Following a hectic reunion schedule which has finally brought the group to new foreign shores across the UK and Europe, the three tracks that make up the Tendrils EP serve as their first new material in 26 years, marking the follow up to 1999's Eronel EP.
Review: Silat Beksi hails from Ukraine and has been serving up finely tuned minimal grooves for some time. This outing takes him to the young Duboka label for a trio of deft, lithe, sinewy sounds. 'Recognition' kicks off with a weighty and dubbed out low end but plenty of drive in the silky pads that loop in colourful patterns. It's a graceful groove which leads into the more lumpy and bubbly dub-tech of 'Sparkling Mouth', a Melchior Productions adjacent sound that is seductively smooth. 'Speak In A Whisper' gets more bitty and abstract with late-night afterparty energy and vinyl crackling bringing it to life. Fedo remixes it with more direct drum funk.
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