Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Part one of Refuge's new La Decima V/A 12" series hears select tunes from select artists, all of whom have made significant contributions to the label's catalogue over the years. Spanning everything from firmly driven nu-disco to scratch n' sniff garage house to Chi-style stompers, we're more than enthralled by this well-rounded resonator. The best of the bunch has to be Demuir's 'Vibez High', which moves unabashed and stringy, its clawing claps, freeze-locked funk licks and scraping open hats painting a vivid street scene set outside the house.

Review: This new 12" on Aliens On Wax declares that Chicago Jack Is Back and we are fine with that. The raw, early, street wise sounds of the Windy City are still some of the best house has ever given rise to and that is encapsulated across four new cuts from Gettoblaster and two collaborators. First it's Baggi on 'Throwin' Down' (feat Chip E) then it's Terry Mullan on 'Armando's Ghost'. The flipside has the solo cuts though both feature house legends Chip E and Joe Smooth making this the most authentic package of jack you will have heard in some time.

Review: Gideon Jackson and Eddie Richards are bona fide tech house titans who have more than helped to shape the genre since day dot and the All Rise EP sees three of their finer past glories gathered together and remastered and pressed on lovely red wax. The excellent 'Biscuit Barrel Blues' opens with exactly the sort of compelling drum work you would expect and it is imbued with some prying synths and sultry vocals. There is an irresistible glitch and dryness to 'Pull Tab 2 Open' and its smeared pads that make it perfect body music then 'Crying' (Gideon Jackson remix) brings a more heavy tech house sound with extra dub weight. Perfection.

Review: 'Ski Jacket 87' is a compelling slice of watery warmth and womblike wonder from Edinburgh's Jacksonville, the latest signee of the city's equally esteemed fast-riser imprint Chateau Chapere. A two-decade fixture of the Scottish scene now, the Hizou and Innershift affiliate evidences his production abilities inasmuch as he does a concern for the dancefloor also. Something between a funky French touch and Mr Fingers-esque dream house is built and or felt here, though this isn't the kind of dream house that can really be achieved or constructed in reality, rather more so accessed only through the sublimity of the sonic daydream.

Review: Igor Jadranin returns with another interstellar EP that redefines genre boundaries. Blending boogie basslines, futuristic synths, vintage drum machines and lush flute, piano and vibraphone melodies, the producer delivers cosmic electro-boogie with a playful edge. Tracks like 'Gangster Electro' bring hard-hitting beats, while remixes from Byron The Aquarius and A Vision of Panorama expand the palette. Byron's haunting 'Midnight' mixes crunch with eerie vibes while Panorama's Nu-Balearic twist adds sunrise warmth to the original. It all adds up to a bold 12" from the much-loved Chicago label.

Review: He may come from noted house stock (his dad being one of the residents at Glasgow's Sub-Club for decades), but Jasper James' continued success has been built on his undoubted qualities as a DJ and producer. The latter is clearly evident on the Glaswegian's first EP for ChiWax, which follows earlier lauded releases for the likes of Steel City Dance Discs and Optimo Trax. He goes for the jugular on opener 'Factor 50', peppering a raw, analogue bassline and sweaty acid house beats with sparkling piano riffs and occasional hands-in-the-air moments, before opting for a more Kerri Chandler-influenced sound on 'NY Fuzz'. 'Lost Trax' is a riff-sporting jack-track that sounds like it could have been made in Chicago in 1988, while 'Webster' is a gorgeous, analogue-rich deep house workout.

Review: Jamiroquai always had a unique sound that sat somewhere between pop, house, disco, funk and cosmic delight. His great singles were always ripe for remixing and few do it better than house man Michael Gray. Here he tackles the evergreen 'Space Cowboy' with a Good Vibe Zone - extended mix that layers in some nice funky, soulful drums and lavish cosmic melodies that make it perfect for cultured clubs. On the flip of this new 12" from Sultra is a dub mix that is a little more playful and party starting. Both tunes are sure to raise the roof.

Review: Makin' Moves ushers in 2025 with a fiery four-tracker from Detroit's Javonntte, a producer whose journey through the city's vibrant musical landscape is etched into every groove. A veteran of the early 90s house scene, Javonntte honed his craft alongside luminaries like Blake Baxter and Amp Fiddler, his experience evident in the sheer breadth and depth of this collection. 'Chicago' is a pulsating homage to his hometown, its jacking rhythms and soulful chords imbued with the spirit of the city's dance music legacy. 'Good Vibration' exudes a radiant energy, its infectious melodies and uplifting vocals a testament to the joyous side of house music. 'What' takes a darker turn, its hypnotic groove and yearning vocals conjuring images of late-night introspection and soul-searching on the dancefloor. 'White Wing Dove' is a glorious ascent, its gospel-tinged chords and soaring vocals are exemplary of Javonntte's ability to weave spirituality and dancefloor energy into a cohesive whole. A great reminder that Javonntte's deep roots in house music continue to nourish his creativity

Review: 'Decide' was the third single from Jay-J's debut artist album, Love Alive. It comes on 7" via Anorak and has the wonderful vocal brilliance of Big Brooklyn Red adding some soul to J's sophisticated r&b production, all remixed byTortured Soul's Ethan White two different ways. 'Decide' (Ethan White Easy Trax mix) is as lush and soulful as house music gets with swirling pads and organic drum hits over the rolling bassline all working to seduce any floor. On the flip is his Lazy Boy dub which has more skip in the drums and the chords are brighter and more central, but the deepness remains.

Review: Paul Johnson's 'In The Kitchen 95'' reissue brings back one of his most beloved works, originally crafted in 1992 and reimagined in 1995. This red vinyl 12" captures the energy of Chicago house in its purest form. The first side kicks off with 'Come On Children (Remix)', a high-energy funk-driven house track that gets the feet moving. 'Buzz Buzz (Remix)' follows with its warehouse-style house beats, perfectly capturing the raw, underground vibe of the era. 'It's House (Remix)' wraps up the side with addictive minimal techno grooves that emphasise Paul Johnson's signature sound, mixing deep house with elements of techno. The second side continues the momentum with 'Movin Baby', offering a funk-fueled techno journey, while 'I'm A Freak (& Your Girl Is Too)' adds a playful touch with its minimal grooves and vocal samples, reinforcing the sense of fun and freedom inherent to the house music culture. This reissue is a nostalgic reminder of Paul Johnson's influence, blending deep house, funk and minimal techno into a timeless dancefloor experience. Paul sadly passed away in 2021 but it's great to see and hear his legacy live on forever.

Review: Toolroom is a house label for big moments big tracks, big rooms, big DJs and main stages. This 15th sampler offering gives a snapshot of where the label is at right now with some new cuts from its biggest players. The boss himself, Mark Knight, kicks off alongside Darius Syrossian and James Hurt n 'I Got All This' which is bouncy and full of energy. Low Steppa, Jewel Kid offers the deeper, low sung and bass heavy menace of 'Big Busta' and CASSIMM, Mahalia Fontaine then come through with 'Say Yeah' (extended mix) which is a a passionate vocal anthem which throws it back to the early days of house. Wh0's 'Sunglasses' shuts down with a blaze of melodic stabs and filtered sweeps to lift you off your feet.

Review: Toolroom's 'sampler' series, which rounds up previously digital-only releases and sticks them out on action-packed 12" EPs, reaches its sixteenth instalment. Given the format, you'll be unsurprised to discover that there's plenty of bona-fide peak-time heat on show, starting with Mark Knight and James Hurr's excitable, filter-heavy, string-laden disco-house bomb 'You Take Me Higher'. Friend Within offers a scintillating blend of heavy acid bass, glassy-eyed female vocal samples, weighty beats and subtle disco samples on the superb 'Chain', while Martin Ikin and Winnie Ama opt for even heavier drums, warped bass, creepy electronics and dead-eyed spoken word vocals on the sweat-soaked 'Control It'. To round things off, we're treated to the tech-tinged funky house bounce of Flashmob and Raumakustik's percussion -rich 'Club Talk'.

Review: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and Joe Goddard, two luminaries of electronic music, have united to create Neptunes, a celestial collaboration that defies genre boundaries. This EP is a sonic journey through a vast, ethereal soundscape, where intricate synth work, pulsating rhythms, and haunting melodies converge to create a truly immersive experience. The title track, 'Neptunes', is a mesmerizing exploration of the namesake planet. Smith's modular wizardry conjures up a cosmic soundscape, while Goddard's rhythmic prowess provides a driving force. The result is a track that is both hypnotic and invigorating. Throughout the EP, Smith and Goddard showcase their individual talents while seamlessly blending them into a cohesive whole. Smith's ability to extract haunting melodies from her modular synthesisers is matched only by Goddard's knack for crafting infectious grooves. Together, they create a sonic tapestry that is as beautiful as it is complex. A testament to the power of collaboration and a record that rewards repeated listens, revealing new layers of depth and complexity with each play.

Review: Series Of Taboo presents its third release, collating the fiery, broken works of two ingenious verging on igneous artists. The first is the established Copenhagen producer Terry Tester, who sports a two-decades-long career as a turntablist and beatmaker. The second is the talented producer Jay Sound, the keyboardist and composer based in Detroit. Whether more a testament to biographical clout or the music itself, 'Rhythms From World Vol. 1' EP is a compellingly minimal broken beat bound-about, both tracks giving off ineffable moods of formal curiosity over concept ('Triplets' taking after the stave-straddling, crotchety musical three) and 'Loose Idea' sounding like, well, just that.

Review: The young but already well-formed Deep Inspiration Show label continues its dedication to quality deep house with a new EP that comes as part of their international artist series. Zarenzeit from Zurich and Roger Versey from Arkansas open with 'So Smooth', a blend of rich keys, soulful loops and dynamic vocals over a sensual bassline. Melchior Sultana hails from sunny Malta and follows with 'Nothing Like It Seems' which features silky chords and a shuffling rhythm ideal for late-night sets. On the B-side, Jan Kincl from Zagreb delivers 'Sugar,' a fusion of house and cinematic disco with organic drums while Spain's Barce closes with 'Stigma,' a melodic union of deep house and techno.

Review: London-based DJ and producer Steven Julien's music blends contrasts and has done so across more than a decade on labels like Eglo and his own Apron Records. In that time he has explored various styles, from house and techno to soul and boogie, often drawing on his own life experiences for inspiration. His eclecticism extends to his contribution to !K7's wonderful DJ-Kicks series in a mix that features artists like Ryuichi Sakamoto and Todd Edwards along with Julien's own tracks. The mix takes you on a proper ride from a peaceful afternoon to a euphoric night on the dancefloor, with plenty of big moments and killer jams along the way.