A Soft Mist Production - "Upside Down Rainbows" (5:01)
Dr Sud - "Zaffiro" (Jazz cut) (3:59)
DatSIM - "Influx" (4:40)
The Rabbit Hole - "Tail Groove" (4:27)
Review: No matter your particular preference in the deep house world, this various artists' outing from Q1E2 Recordings is sure to have something for you. Mike Riveria & Marco Ohboy, for example, tap into an early sound on 'Euphoria' with its big, brash piano stabs and whistles, while A Soft Mist Production keeps it all cuddly and deep with languid chords draped over gentle drums on 'Upside Down Rainbows.' DatSIM brings in some space-tech vibes for a deft rhythm and neon infused sound on 'Influx' and The Rabbit Hole's 'Tail Groove' has a mad double bass sound jumping about beneath frantic jungle breaks.
Fountain Of Life Joy Choir Under The Direction Of Kevin Yancy - "I'm So Happy" (Marc Davis & Sadar Bahar edit) (6:17)
Rev Charles H Nicks Presents The Baptist Assembly Of Free Spirit Mass Choir - "Optical Illusion" (Marc Davis & Sadar Bahar edit) (7:20)
Review: If you go to the sort of quality dances where you might hear old sound disco then there is a good chance you will have lost your shit to this one at some point the past. It is a disco gospel 12" curated and edited by Chicago pair Sadar Bahar and Marc Davis. First, they up the energy levels on the joyous Fountain Of Life Joy Choir Under The Direction Of Kevin Yancy tune 'I'm So Happy' which is high speed, high spirit and life-affirming goodness. Then they tweak Rev Charles H Nicks Presents The Baptist Assembly Of Free Spirit Mass Choir's 'Optical Illusion' with swirling big band energy and magnificent organ chords.
Review: Rebirth kicks off its 2024 with a remix EP that serves as "a tribute to the Brescian music scene in its many facets and declinations." The full original project is a complete 12-track album that brings together many different sounds, scenes and generations, with the best bits now assembled on this new 12". The revered deep house master Fred P opens up with some texture spiritual synth depths, K-Lone brings some nice house swing to his version of 'Paline' and edit maestro Rahsaan also keeps it paired back and late night on his soulful take on 'Scent Of An Old Life'. A great reimagining of some moving musical adventures, then.
Mood II Swing - "Closer" (feat Carole Sylvan - King Street Moody club mix) (6:17)
Ananda Project - "Cascades Of Colour" (feat Gaelle - Wamdue Black extended mix) (6:46)
Review: Earlier this year, legendary NY house label King Street Sounds was acquired by Armada Music. The Dutch imprint plans to reissue many of the well-known - and lesser-celebrated - gems from the King Street vaults in the months and years ahead. To kick things off, they've delivered this vinyl sampler featuring some of the stable's most admired cuts of all time. So, we get Dennis Ferrer's iconic remix of Blaze and Barbara Tucker's gospel-powered soulful house anthem, 'Most Precious Love', the 'King Street Mix' of Jovonn's legendary deep, bumpin' tribute to New Jersey's Club Zanzibar, 'Back To Zanzibar', Mood II Swing's hot and heavy 'moody club mix' of their own Carole Sylvan collaboration 'Closer' and the all-time deep house classic that is the Wamdue Black extended rework of 'Cascades of Colour' by Ananda Project. Simply essential!
Review: New label Taf Kif kicks off with this classy VA package from some cool cats who know how to lay down a slick groove or two. First up on this distinctly 80s-styled package is Axel Boman, who brings some of his signature sparkling melodies to a synth-pop indebted jam entitled 'Oasis'. Meanwhile Velmondo follows up with something a little more trippy and adventurous on 'Echo Welt', before MLiR inaugurates the B-side with the sultry tones of 'It's Baby Time'. Lusille completes the set with the hazy Afro house deviations of 'Une Longue Route', riding a swung groove that offers something different from the everyday cookie cutter house we know so well.
Review: In the summer of 2023, Upgrade Records launched via a nostalgic, party-starting EP from the previously unheard artist In 5 D (likely an alias for someone a bit better known, but don't quote us on that). For the label's return, long-serving DJ/producer Buckley Boland (best known for his releases on Made To Play, Black Riot and One Records) is the man at the controls. What he's delivered is a nostalgic, sample-rich affair that combines the angular wonkiness and mind-mangling noises of early-to-mid-2000s tech-house with nods towards vintage acid house, electro-house and the hard-to-pigeonhole house filth of the (long gone) Music For Freaks label. Basically, it's all fun-time, party-starting fare, with the bump-and-squelch of 'Daft Sandwich', the bustling brilliance of 'Nude Night' and the break-sporting hustle of 'S/A/M Real Man' standing out.
Alex Burkat - "Take It Away" (Kalyptra remix) (6:14)
Kalyptra - "Young Indigo Theme" (5:44)
Alex Burkat & Matt Cif - "Magneta" (4:53)
Review: For their second 12" release - which comes on the heels of a great debut - the Only Child label presents a fresh soundscape for a fictional Manhattan neighbourhood. It takes the form of a split EP on which Alex Burkat offers his interpretation of modern deep house on 'Take It Away', while Kalyptra brings a distinctive Ecuador-meets-Philly influence with his remix. The label hopes that the fusion of these styles creates an ethereal, body-moving soundtrack that captures the essence of walking through the streets of New York City in 2024, while 'Kalyptra' adds his own heady and dreamy tech house sounds and Matt Cid steps up to collaborate on closer 'Magenta' which glistens with melodic radiance.
Centric House - "Alright Alright" (Micky More & Andy Tee remix) (6:20)
Micky More & Andy Tee, Don Carlos - "The Music Of Your Mind" (feat Taka Boom) (7:36)
Review: Groove Culture taps into an effortlessly timeless house sound with this new remix 12". It sees the in house production team step up on the B-side to remix Micky More & Andy Tee, Don Carlos, Taka Boom's 'The Music Of Your Mind' and the result is a super smooth, soulful roller with passionate vocals and disco sprinkled percussion. Ahead of that, Centric House's 'Alright Alright" (Micky More & Andy Tee remix) is a piano-laced and joyous house bumper with elastic bass and hands in the air energy.
Review: Synkronized is just three releases deep now but is already an assured and reliable outlet for fresh house sounds. This latest offering takes the form of a various artists EP and opens with the brilliantly spaced out electronic house of'Lorenzo Chiabotti & Just_Me's 'Darko FM'. It's a silky one with balmy pads that encourage you to dive right in. Martin M's 'Pleasure Minds' then strips things backed to a nice and empty but rolling groove and on the flip Chad Andrew & Imbue get crunchy with their broken beats. That leaves just Den Haas with his mellifluous and pillow deep house cosmic delight, 'The Spot.'
Review: Sweat It Out Records kicks off their tasty Sweat Sampler series with their first volume, cutting niftily across four exceptionally sweaty bops, spanning tongue-in-cheek deep tech reworks and downtempo disco delights. First off is the dream team of Cid and Havoc & Lawn, whom together deliver a hilariously effective house version of America's 'A Horse With No Name'; this is shortly followed by Saturday Love, Kon and Furious's 'Come Out', a rejigged nu-disco samosa packed with some rare vocal spices; then there's 'Give It To Me' by Marco Lys and Ben Miller, a bass-driven bouncer unafraid of lasershot winddowns, injunctive vocals and risers; and finally, there's Set Mo's 'Could I Be', the anthem of the bunch, whose buildup and drop is alarming, affecting, cumulatively awe-striking.
Santonio Echols - "Piano In The Light" (Emanuell Echols mix)
Brian Kage - "This Saturday Night"
Ryan Sadorus - "Down Below"
Review: Upstairs Asylum is kicking off the year in some style with a couple of killer new EPs. This one is the first in what is presumably a new series to showcase the talents of the Motor City. Mike Clark & Marcus Harris get things underway with 'Hey' which has a subtly uplifting feel thanks to the bright, sustained chords and cuddly drums. Santonio Echols's 'Piano In The Light' (DJ Emanuell Echols mix) is laidback, playful deep house with magical chord work and Brian Kage brings his classy depths to the smooth grooves of 'This Saturday Night.' Ryan Sadorus brings things to a close with the smoky 'Down Below.'
Review: Detroit legend Marcellus Pittman, a member of the iconic Three Chairs collective, teams up with renowned producer James Curd for the AtNosphere EP, marking his debut on Shall Not Fade. This 10" brings all the classic Detroit deep house elements togetherilush synths, smooth vocals, and rolling drum patternsicrafting a track that feels timeless. Curd, known for his work on the GTA soundtracks and various films, adds his production expertise to this collaboration, making the EP a must-have for fans of both Detroit house and masterful production. Two heavyweights on one record, delivering deep house at its finest.
Review: Since the inception of the 803 Crystal Grooves imprint in 2018, Cinthie has been steadily unveiling her own material on the main label, while the sub-label Collective Cuts was inaugurated in 2019 as a platform for friends, associates and beloved producers in her circle. The past five releases on the platform have welcomed material from the likes of UC Beatz, Azuni aka Washerman, Anaxander, S3A (Sampling As An Art) and KETTAMA among others, while here the label welcomes some fresh talent from the Dutch capital, namely D Stone and Milion, who've been releasing their raw house sound on the likes of PIV, Moscow Records and Cecille respectively in recent years. 'Next Morning' is an uptempo full-body-scan in the form of speed garage / garage house, taking after but not fully submitting itself to tropes and motifs of deep and jackin' house (synth organ, rampant swing, etc.). Anthemic moods throughout, and with an added sense of 'slap' not otherwise heard often, we don't bet many selectors would be likely to go wrong with this one.
Dave & Omar - "Starlight" (Grant Nelson extended mix) (6:16)
Chocolate Fudge Band - "Everything" (DJ Fudge extended mix) (6:57)
Dave & Maurissa - "Look At The Stars" (Dave's Starshine club mix) (7:48)
Opolopo - "Looking For You" (Peter's extended Organ) (6:02)
Review: Soul meets speed garage on this new V/A EP from Z Records, blurring the lines between the genres in just the way we like it. The opening track - Grant Nelson's mix of 'Starlight' by Dave & Omar - is a euphoric, piano-laced uplifter which both sonically and lyrically urges us to reach for the sky. That's followed by the DJ Fudge production 'Everything' by Chocolate Fudge Band, featuring lots of live instrumentation and a Curtis Mayfield style vocal, while over on the flip, 'Looking For You' proves to be a deep and bouncy cut filled with soulful Motown vocal chops and an organ workout worthy of any Sunday service, over a beautifully wonky house framework.
Review: Twilight is the latest piece by long time DJ, producer and remixer, Dominic Dawson. The Japanese label Flower, has released this single to 7" complete with a remix for the second side. The title track is a catchy and funky house track that while the remix is a bit more Balearic and beachy. Both versions have their place in any house setlist and will set the tone for any eclectic DJ set. With the DJing background Dominic has, he is a great guide to setting the mood with music. Like the title artwork suggests, this is perfect music to watch the sun go down to.
Review: Stefano De Santis kicks off Ten Lovers' new 'Best Of Various' release with 'Murk'; as the name suggests, this is indeed a dark workout from Rome's finest. The tone is set thereout for a thoroughly varied V/A, blending every curious hallmark from jazzdance, G-funk, Chicago house and progressive. The opener is a muted but no less expansive start, establishing the broken, one-beat-eliding, live-drummy mood that is then heard throughout. Batavia Collective's 'Rearview' thematically harks after an unconscious joy, considering what can only be implied, not stated, by way of a gorgeous, what sounds to be largely live, modal synth squeezer on which the slowdown is the real highlight. Future Jazz Ensemble's 'Over The Rainbow' is by far the most challenging, blurring any woulda-been established lines popularly splitting 'live' and 'electronic' with a reverb-drenched generative fill workout, while closer 'Outer Heaven' from Takahiro Fuchigami, hailing from Fukuoka, rounds things off on a note of Hancockian jive.
Deepstar - "Sugar" (feat Donna Allen - Richard Earnshaw remix) (6:33)
Deepstar - "Sugar" (feat Donna Allen) (7:51)
Melba Moore - "My Heart Belongs To You" (Groove Assassin remix) (6:15)
Melba Moore - "My Heart Belongs To You" (Ron Carroll's BMC vocal Classical) (8:08)
Review: Soulfuric Recordings, a pillar of house music history founded by Brian Tappert and Marc Pomeroy, continues to deliver with the reissue of Donna Allen's 'Sugar.' Originally released in 2002, this track showcases Allen's r&b vocals alongside Pomeroy's signature groove-driven production. The package features two versions of 'Sugar,' including Richard Earnshaw extended mix, which highlights and the original version. On Side-2 remixes are complemented by two standout versions of Melba Moore's 'My Heart Belongs To You,' with a Groove Assassin extended mix and a Ron Carroll BMC vocal mix. Despite being over two decades old, 'Sugar' retains its vibrant energy and classic appeal, embodying Soulfuric's legacy of influential house music. This reissue celebrates the timeless quality of the track today.
Review: After years spent serving up tasty, digital-only singles, Polish imprint That's Right Dawg Music finally makes its vinyl bow via a six-track mini-album featuring some of their most-checked catalogue cuts. Demarkus Lewis kicks things off via the carefully crafted disco-house release of 'TGIF', before Federfunk slams down the jazz-sampling peak-time punchiness of 'We Keep It Groovin' and Jazzmik offers up the funky deep house bounce of 'Get Him Outta Here'. Over on the reverse, Oggie B cannily combines mind-mangling electronic stabs, pumping beats and orgasmic vocal samples ('Steady Old Foot'), Makson makes great use of vintage rap and disco guitar samples on the energy-packed house thump of 'Last Man Standing', and Casserta and Jonny C join forces on the bass-heavy garage-house bump of 'Party #1'.
Mo'Funk - "Bring Together" (feat Roland Clark) (5:37)
Review: Robsoul Recordings has continue on the rich tradition of superb France deep hose for many years after the first wave of artists and labels came and went. This third edition of its Classic Sampler series is another joyous one that opens up with the jazzy loops and soul-drenched house grooves of Demuir's 'From Paris To Strasbourg'. Vincent Caira's 'Back Again' is more solid and raw but no less heartfelt then Mo'Funk & Roland Clark cut lose with an unabashed piano sound on 'Bring Together' that will get hands in the air. Three timeless tracks that really tap into the original spirit of house music.
DIM KELLY & Maya Safar - "Like When We Love" (7:29)
DIM KELLY - "Rising Child" (6:25)
Review: Dim Kelly has previously proven to be one All Day I Dream's most reliable contributors, unleashing a series of EPs full to bursting with emotive, soaring and subtly tech-tinged progressive house treats. He has a trademark sound of sorts - think sweeping strings, life-affirming melodies and sumptuously dreamy chords - and it can be heard loud and clear on his latest three-tracker. Check first Mondigo collaboration 'Homily', where eyes-closed male vocals and melancholic piano motifs rise above immersive chords and suspenseful tech-house beats, before admiring the more uplifting and colourful dancefloor bliss of the Maya Safar-voiced 'Like When We Love'. To round off another immaculate EP, Kelly reaches for twinkling pianos, luscious orchestration and more metronomic beats ('Rising Child').
Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca - "Days Of A Better Paradise" (5:57)
Saucy Lady - "Passport To My Love" (5:52)
Misiu - "Love Me Do" (5:59)
Clive From Accounts - "It's Not That I Don't Care" (5:16)
Review: JKriv & Co. at Razor N Tape serve up possibly their biggest release yet, if this one is anything to go by. The first edition in the label's brand spanking new Family Affair series features the pairing of legends Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca on 'Days Of A Better Paradise' kicking off the A side, before Saucy Lady's late night boogie-down biz on 'Passport To My Love'. Flip over and you're treated to a seriously lo-slung cosmic disco dub on Misiu's 'Love Me Do' and finally Clive From Accounts tells it straight up on the acid jazz joint 'It's Not That I Don't Care'.
Review: The Samosa label returns with Part 2 of the Re-Funk Head project, once again showcasing top-tier disco grooves. Opening up is Dirty Elements & Drunk Drivers feat. E.M.E with 'Disco Ball,' a sassy, high-energy track featuring a standout brass ensemble, while track 2, 'Ain't No Doubt About It' by Moplen, entices with disco beats, bongo rhythms, and a masterful bassline. Jazzyfunk's 'Sexy Thing' continues the disco theme with soaring strings and a punchy bassline, perfect for any dance floor moment. Closing the EP is DeGama's 'Feel The Groove,' a powerful tune blending house vibes with blues-inspired guitar and sultry saxophone. Re-Funk Head Part 2 is essential for serious funk fans.
Review: Considered "the absolute Don of Italo piano house", Don Carlos is up next on esteemed NYC label Razor N Tape with an EP of rare vintage house from the archives - 30 years old in fact. For the uninitiated, Don (Carlo Troya) and S-Tone (Stefano Tirone) released two records on Italian imprint Calypso in the early '90s under the alias Montego Bay. Features the emotive, late-night garage of 'Music All Night' (Deep In Milano mix) followed by the low-slung dancefloor heater 'Keep Dancing The Boogie' on the A-side. The flip offers the life-affirming vocal cuts 'Waited So Long' and 'Gotta Keep Dancing' respectively which perfectly capture the zeitgeist of house music's golden era in the early '90s.
Dr Packer & Elektrik Disko - "My Lovin'" (extended mix) (6:04)
Dr Packer & Elektrik Disko - "My Lovin'" (Elektrik Disko extended mix) (5:14)
Mattei & Omich & Re Tide - "Give Me Your Love" (feat Katy Alex - extended mix) (5:27)
Re Tide & Lukas Setto - "Me & You" (Dr Packer remix) (7:07)
Review: Next up on the Fool's Paradise vinyl sampler is a four-tracker of glitzy and emphatic proportions. Vol. 3 opens with Dr. Packer and Elektrik Disko's 'My Lovin', which vexes us of our infidelities in the promise of being lent "all our love tonight", a vocal motif that swirls endlessly around its discoic mix. Mattei and Omich follow up with exactly the same theme, though it would seem that the former promise has been foreclosed upon, since the central vox is now asking the listener to "just give me your love", with an added dash of urgency to boot, and not the other way round. The B-side, not purely coincidentally, we think, dominated by the producer known as Re-tide, moves much more profligately, abandoning much of the A-side's glamour for the more immediate appetites that drive, but do not temper, disco's soul.
Review: Satya deals in a certain brand of deep house that is dreamy and organic. It's perfect for the cosier dancefloors out there, the more heady crowds who don't need big drops and samples to get their musical thrills. If you are one of those people then get your ears around this superb new various artists 12". YokoO & Zone+ offer one of the standouts with 'Once I Had It"]' which pairs subtly swirling pads with cuddly deep drum loops. Hermanez has his kickstand with a little more weight but they are no less hypnotic, while Moya (US) brings some enchanting strings and yawning vocals to 'Meliora' and Electricano keeps it nice and warm and liquid with the supple loops of 'Universal Language.'
Review: MyHouse YourHouse based out of Cordoba, Argentina is back with this excellent various artist EP. Get ready to be transported to a world of sound, as they leave you entranced and captivated. Let the rhythm spin you on a journey of excitement and discovery. On the first side, Ruper Eliis nails that classic '90s NYC swing on the groovy "3Dimension" followed by Martin Bellomo (Momentz) with the deep and introspective cut "Earltraxx". Turn over the disc and you're then treated to label boss Rypli's trippy minimal funk jam "Past Is The Past" and finally Bernards serves up some proper late-night mood music on the ultra deep "It Doing Fusion".
Dennis Ferrer - "How Do I Let Go" (feat TK Brooks)
Rain: A Lil Louis Painting - "Give It Up" (Masters At Work club mix)
Mood II Swing - "Sunlight In My Eyes"
Kimara Lovelace - "Misery" (Lil Louis club mix)
Review: Now under new ownership (international dance music powerhouse Armada Music, fact fans), long-serving New York house imprint King Street Sounds is doing a good job in showcasing gems from its vast archives. This second label sampler contains four more genuine must-have cuts. First up, there's a chance to admire the deep, soulful house wonder that is Dennis Ferrer's 2008 hook-up with honeyed vocalist K.T. Brooks, 'How Do I Let Go'. It's followed by Masters at Work's deliciously loose, disco-influenced deep house revision of 'Give It Up' by Lil' Louis' Rain project (first released in 2000), Mood II Swing's DIY Soundsystem favourite 'Sunlight In My Eyes' (easily one of the greatest deep house jams of all time) and Lil' Louis's swinging garage-house rub of Kimra Lovelace's 'Misery'.
Reel It In (feat feat Madaline - Fingers remix) (5:53)
Between Us (feat Madaline - instrumental dub) (6:40)
Reel It In (feat Madaline - Summer Acid Burn) (5:49)
Review: 40 years have now passed since Larry Heard made his first record. Heard is, of course, without peers when it comes to deep house - he pretty much drew up the blueprint after all - though he does occasionally invite other producers to bask in his reflected glow. That's the case here, as he and Memphis-based Michael Kuntzman (an artist who has previously released music on Heard's Alleviated imprint) deliver a notable collaborative 12". Guest performer Maddaline whispers, sings and vocalises her way through the dreamy, richly electronic and sonically pristine 'Between Us', which is accompanied by a typically gorgeous 'Instrumental Dub'. There are two versions of 'Reel It In' - also featuring Maddaline - too: the deep tech-house shuffle of Heard's'Fingers Mix' and the back-to-Chicago-87 flex of Kuntzman's 'Summer Acid Burn' take.
Review: The endlessly fertile scenes that are minimal and tech house yield more essential DJ goodness here as Bread & Butter assembles a selection of talents for this ninth various artists' release. Alex Font & Aron open up with 'Walking On Clouds' which is not as airy and dreamy as it might sound, but does lay down a nice deft minimal groove. Beiger has a more sunny outlook with the mellifluous synth clouds of his 'Audible Illusions' and Mihai Pol then brings ouse late night jazz house cool to his 'Bip Bip.' Iuly B completes a varied package with the heady loops and wispy cosmic synth motifs of 'Bouncing Lights.'
Review: Youandewan's Small Hours label is indeed small but beautifully formed so far. This fifth transmission is another doozy that collects four different artists who all operate on the spaced out end of the electronic house and minimal spectrum. The Former Landlords kick off with breezy and balmy 90s tech house style sounds on 'Council Pop' then Session 4000 go 'Off' with plenty of sci-fi pads and clipped, kinetic drum programming as well as some playful vocal samples. Mop Py' 'Beskar' is a more psychedelic late night wonder with gurgling bass and lovely neon synth trails. Jad & The complete this essential slab of wax.
Review: Focused on artists from the great anatine peninsula that is South America, Mirror Vinyl Series reflects the techno-house multi-talents of many an artist from Argentina to Bolivia to Ecaudor to Peru to Suriname to Uruguay to Colombia to Venezuela to Brazil... there are simply no limits on locale, except for the featuring artists' ancestries themselves, and that to hail from SA is a must. Here, after a stellar set of digitals recently from Sofia Duz, Zolbaran, Atemporal and Marcos Coya to name but a small few, we're now heard hearing the Uruguayan ur-builds of Marcos Coya ('Sabes Que Si'), the chord-smeared minitech funk of Colombian boheme Donnie Cosmo, and/or the hoarse breaks, seedy acids and "what do you wanna take tonight?"s of guileful Brasiliera, Guile.
Review: Big Love's popular compilation-style A Touch Of Love series returns for a sixth instalment, with boss man Seamus Haji once again showcasing a quartet of tried-and-tested treats. Fittingly, he kicks things off with 'Serious', a kind of hbrid heavy garage-house/disco house affair featuring organ solos aplenty and vocals from Chicago legend Mike Dunn, before Moon Boots joins the dots between sweet 80s soul and nu-disco on the synth-powered vocal number 'In My Life'. Heavy, French Touch-inspired disco-house vibes are provided by DJ Fudge ('Escapade'), before Dutch rising star Danou P - with a little help from pal Jamie 3:26 on vocals - delivers the organ rich deep house/garage-house fusion of 'Fly'.
Makez - "Train To Saturn" (feat Dwayne Franklin & NPO303) (6:41)
Basic Soul Unit - "Souljourn" (7:23)
Hubie Davsion - "Entno" (4:23)
Review: On Demuja's label Blueprint comes an milestone six-track EP made up of breezy, ultraviolet house tunes, celebrating the imprint's tenth anniversary in the form of a bite-sized sampler referencing a wider compliation LP. With both familiar and fresh faces in tow, we're gripped by the selection on offer: Hall's synthetic glam-funk jam opens proceedings with whistly synths, while Makez' 'Train To Saturn' accelerates towards ever-faster ends, and Basic Soul Unit's 'Souljourn' takes the B's cake with knocky, tactile *perpetuum mobile*.
Review: Foliage has some respectable heritage in the realm of upfront house music for deep-digging heads, having released work from the likes of Mood II Swing, Mark de Clive Lowe, Jimpster and Jesus Gonsev. This new sampler brings together four immaculate joints which reach from a recent Atjazz reworking of Halo's 'Glory' to Moon Rocket's powerful Afro house throw down 'Reciprocity', Jimpster's immersive remix of Funkky to the Fka Mash 'Re-glitch' of N'Dinga Gaba's 'Summer Breeze'. It's all bursting with soul and perfectly tooled for the floor, so slip one in your bag and you'll have four gems just waiting to give your party a proper lift.
Review: If you like classic r&b and Afrobeat then get your lugs around this where both sounds meet in a perfect fusion on this German-Nigerian collaboration. Featuring modern, warm drums and potent basslines, this release kicks off the Sedsoulciety Recordings Gold Line series aimed at showcasing contemporary styles. 'Tell Me What You Want' is presented here in two versions: the Afro Vibe Mix on the A-side and the Groove Mix on the flip. Both tracks bring plenty of heart and also dance floor heft so get things underway in great style.
Tell Me What You Want (Rob Hardt Afro Vibe mix) (4:22)
Tell Me What You Want (Rob Hardt Groove mix) (4:51)
Review: Classic R'n'B and Afro Beat have found a harmonious blend in this standout reissue from Sedsoulciety Recordings. This release is not just a fresh take but also a revival of a collaboration that brings together the best of both worlds. "Tell Me What You Want" is back on the scene, and it's showcasing why this fusion was so groundbreaking. The A-side features the Afro Vibe Mix, where warm, pounding beats meet the rhythmic pulse of AfroBeat, all wrapped in the smooth elegance of modern r&b. On the flip side, the Groove Mix takes a more driving approach, maintaining the track's lush vocals while ramping up the energy for a dance-ready vibe. This reissue kicks off Sedsoulciety's gold line, a new series set to highlight the freshest takes on genres including Rap, HipHop, Neo-Soul, and Neo-Funk. Each release will delve into powerful beats and sophisticated vocal performances, reflecting the label's commitment to contemporary, genre-blending music. "Tell Me What You Want" serves as a prime example of how classic sounds can be revitalized to resonate with today's audience. This exclusive vinyl release is a testament to the enduring appeal of both R'n'B and Afro Beat, and it's sure to be a coveted addition to any collection.
Nicole Moudaber - "Rise Up" (feat London Community Gospel Choir) (8:13)
Armand Van Helden & Mark Knight - "Down To Earth" (6:37)
Review: NEM 100.1 Vol 1 isn't your standard deep house compilation. With heavyweight contributors like Danny Howard, Nicole Moudaber, and Armand Van Helden, this release feels like a meeting of minds with a shared purpose: to push familiar boundaries into unexpected places. Danny Howard and Eli & Fur's If You Were sets the tone with a blend of understated house rhythms and finely layered vocals. There's nothing overblown here - it's precise, refined, and confident in its restraint. PAX and Rui Da Silva's Touch Me follows, reviving the iconic anthem with modern production sensibilities. The track is driven by its deep, chugging bassline and stabs of melody that feel like a nod to the original, but also refreshing in their approach. Nicole Moudaber brings a more atmospheric element to the fold with Rise Up, featuring the London Community Gospel Choir. It's expansive, combining gospel depth with Moudaber's signature techno edge, resulting in a track that demands attention without feeling heavy-handed. Closing things out is Armand Van Helden and Mark Knight's Down to Earthia production that melds classic house tropes with a contemporary spin. Its punchy, syncopated rhythm and laid-back groove avoid the typical tropes, instead offering something warm, slightly off-kilter, and entirely captivating. This is a collection that doesn't fall into the trap of overused house formulasiit's bold without overstating, intricate without being pretentious. A strong reminder that these artists still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Mowgan - "O Pa Mi Titi Deabe" (feat Jah Baba - Armonica remix) (7:08)
Yass & FNX Omar - "Fema" (6:15)
Review: Four cruel and bewitching dances are conjured on this split EP from MoBlack Records, the chart-topping Afro house label whose music has found itself on the well-used USBs of the likes of Dixon, Black Coffee and Ame. Immediately, one can hear the incipient threads of kwaito and amapiano on this shared vinyl slab, as traditional verbed-out Afro-style vocals hear neat processing along modern EDM production. Expository dreamers like 'Rahamah' segue calmly into headier and doomier cuts like 'Amanga' and 'O Pa Mi Titi Deabe'. All are replete with rare African call-and-response vocal samples lifted from evidently obscure sources.
Zopelar - "Move This Way" (feat Antonio Dal Bo) (6:28)
Retromigration - "Fret" (6:15)
Cem Mo - "Rushmore" (5:41)
Monty DJ - "Sat15" (5:25)
Review: To keep it in the family is to imply things stay pure and untainted, but the irony with the Keep It In The Family 12" series is that every record sounds raw and unsheltered. So, although 'Feel' and 'Move This Way' cycle through unperturbed and dreamatic sounds, their finish is rough, suggesting a well-wrought processing chain, the music having seen through many a prodigal battle. Retromigration's 'Fret' and Cem Mo's 'Rushmore' continue the mood of vintage deep raspiness, with one-up arpeggios closing out the final track with special glee.
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.
A Reference To E2-E4 By Manuel Gottsching (Mad Professor Qantas Crazy remix) (11:52)
Review: 'E2-E4' is of course a legendary bit of music written by a legendary composer. Here, Alex Kassian serves up his own extension version of it and takes us on a 12-minute electronic trip that will be perfect for the more adventurous DJs and dancers out there - not least in Ibiza this summer. Next to the escapist original is a flipside remix from the one and Mad Professor. He heads out on his own with plenty of mind-melting effects, dubby undercurrents and mesmeric leads that encourage minds to wander. A real pearler for the hotter months and beyond.
Milk & Sugar & James Hurr - "I Love Music" (extended mix)
Crusy - "Hey Girls, B-Boys" (extended mix)
Illyus & Barrientos - "DANCE" (extended mix)
Review: Top table house label Toolroom is back with another window into its current sounds. This 17th sampler is one that will likely get hammered at the annual parties in Miami for this year's conference. KC Lights & Welt open up with 'Fly' which is catchy dance pop with summery vocals. Milk & Sugar & James Hurr keep it on a similarly light and airy tip and Crusy's 'Hey Girls, B-Boys; reimagines a classic with extra rawness. Illyus & Barrientos shut down with more synth laced peak time house sounds on 'DANCE.'
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