Review: Brooklyn is not often somewhere you think of when it comes to minimal, a sound more usually associated with European artists these days, unless of course, you're talking about early US originators like Dan Bell and Robert Hood. This release suggests that view is wrong with a trio of classy cuts. Mike Berardi's 'Helicopter Ride' is lively and jazzy and rides a nice broken beat. Samuel Padden's 'String Theory' is more icy and paired back to a minimal cosmic trip and Jay Tripwire's 'Floorboards' a wonky late-night charmer.
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.
Review: The Plastik People label has been going along nicely for its first few releases, with label head Marc Cotterell stepping up and coming correct last time out. Now he calls upon various artists with Dave Charlesworth taking care of the a-side of Nice Ripe Cuts. He offers two super slick garage cuts that cannot fail to make their mark on the club and it's no different on the flipside except D Lux & Y No combine first for '25 Miles' and then S R offers the irresistible 'Pressure.' An essential 12" for anyone looking to bring some fresh garage flavours.
Review: Massive jazzdance and UK bass fusions on the new e-glowup from Eglo (though the record is also released physically). Celebrating 15 years of the nominal "post-dubstep" label, this limited 12" EP hears four exclusive, unreleased tracks from an upcoming label-definer compilation, the third in a series. Born from the basement of Plastic People, the pressure has remained continuously on Eglo to keep the same foment of bass musical innovation that the club nurtured alive. Plastic People is a routinised object of nostalgia, and it is often deemed the last proper place for innovation in bass music before austerity Britain militated against it. Zed Bias's remix of Chunky's 'Dancing On Tables' with Metrodome - and the deep, bruk-inspired track, 'Minerals,' from Liverpool's rising star Sticky Dub - both prove this assessment totally wrong. Genius thrives. On the flip, we've also house legend Giles Smith (formerly of Secretsundaze) delivering fresh material, as well as label boss Alexander Nut making his official debut with the lo-fi electro house track 'Arcade Fun Pt. 1.' The full compilation, featuring artists like Shy One, Steve Spacek, and Fatima, drops in April.
Farayen & Liam Parkins - "Where Do We Go" (Jamie Unknown remix) (5:04)
Dan Newman - "Movin'" (5:05)
Dean & Di After - "Wicked Dreams" (5:06)
Shade Guevara - "Ted Or Dead" (4:07)
Review: Warehouse Tools takes listeners on a nostalgic journey through the vibrant world of UK house music, showcasing the iconic sounds of Hooj Choons. Opening with Farayen & Liam Parkins' 'Where Do We Go (Jamie Unknown Remix)', the track blends high-energy euro house with New York-style house rhythms, offering a dynamic trip back to the early 90s. Dan Newman's 'Movin'' follows with a melodic Balearic progressive house gem, featuring heavenly piano moments paired with a serious beat that creates a dynamic vibe. On the flip side, Dean & Di After's 'Wicked Dreams' brings retro energy to the forefront, evoking the essence of house music's early days while offering a fresh perspective. Finally, Shade Guevara's 'Ted or Dead' delivers a piano-driven breakbeat, showcasing a vintage sound that encapsulates the roots of house music. This compilation is a well-crafted tribute to the genre, perfectly balancing nostalgia with contemporary energy.
Review: Telomere Plastic asks you to Remember Your Days with a new six-track various artists EP full of delightfully designed club sounds. The melodies on Hiroyuki Kato are impossibly pure and delicate as they rain down the face of the shuffling drums of 'Black' while Six Dreams offers a complete vibe flip - the crisp and kinetic electro of 'Static Es.' Ty Senrna gets into a twitchy mutant tech house groove on 'Going Out Of Business' and Sherman C's 'Once U Pop' is an acid-laced breakbeat gem with a brilliantly tongue-in-cheek vocal sample that runs right through it, and Konerytmi shuts down with the silky drum breaks and sci-fi piste of 'Aikapiste'.
Review: A four-track EP that seamlessly blends electronic, acid house and breakbeat influences. Opening with 'Keep Off,' the track establishes a driving, pulsating rhythm that sets the tone with intricate synth patterns. 'N64' picks up the pace, with its relentless bassline and sharp percussion, evoking energy and urgency. On the flip side, 'Oscillator' takes the listener into a hypnotic trance-like state, with oscillating synths creating an immersive atmosphere. Closing with 'Diffusion Network,' the track layers complex rhythms and sounds, demonstrating the duo's ability to craft rich, engaging electronic music.
Review: Once Once is the brand-new EP by Argentinian producer and DJ Jorge Savoretti, a four tracker chock full of late-night grinders. The title track is an eerie tribal builder that has a great blend of groove and catchy percussion elements, all working towards a peak. 'Magic Carpet' has more of a house bounce while still keep the mood futuristic and hedonistic. On the second side there is spending Reflex Blue remix of 'Magic Carpet'. This one is more energetic and adds a bit more of a break to the rhythm that includes a very fine acid line to it. 'Activation' really rounds out the EP with what we feel might be the strongest track, a sexy funker that has a darker tinge to it that we really like. The 14th release for the Berlin based label Talman Records has another great record in its catalogue.
Review: Patrice Scott's long awaited debut album, Euphonium, was arguably one of the most underrated full-lengths of 2015. Happily, he's kept the quality threshold high for this follow-up EP. "The Detroit Upright" is particularly potent, with effortlessly smooth keys stretching out over rich chords and bumpin' deep house beats. On the flip, Scott doffs a cap to the hazy, jazz-funk influenced styles of 2000 Black, on the impeccable broken beat/deep house fusion cut, "Who We Are". Weighty at the bottom end, and blessed with both starry keys and delay-laden synth lines, it's the kind of track you could imagine Theo Parrish losing his shit to.
Review: Detroit legend Patrice Scott joins forces with EDB and Gary Superfly, delivering a two track tidbit of digestible house curios. Scott's A-sider 'Mood Swings' sonically charts the feeling of melancholic ups and downs via minimal house, nailing the dubiousness of the mood with careful portamentos between strung notes, and blue-noted piano to garnish the ivorian cupcake. 'The Fifth Floor', meanwhile, upends things into a much wider, galactic spacefaring affair, as broken beat drums and acid squelch ground pie-in-the-sky flareups of synth.
Review: Anton ScruScru Bogomolov is a mega hyped artist but for good reason. His slew of singles have all been noteworthy and now this new 12" overflows with more brilliant ideas. After a hugely prolific 2020 he shows no signs of slowing down here. Once again he fuses classic jazz-funk style with fresh London broken beat and wall that is good about the current jazz scene. Blurring boundaries as he goes this could be as good in a live setting as it could through a big sound system in a club. Big chords, bristling drumming, disco energy, it's all here and then some.
Review: Secondo is an artist we have long been keen to hear more from so this return to vinyl is welcome indeed. It comes on a hand-stamped white label 12" in the form of 'Unlikely Companions'. This one is a cosmic deep house sound with an alien energy, crispy hits and smeared pads that bring colour and introspection. The drums are well designed to and help make this one as heady as it is cinematic. Marco Passarani's Nature remix on the flip gets a little more warped and dark with unsettling sci-fi ambiance.
Screen Off (feat Ras Stimulant - acappella) (2:52)
Light The Way (4:38)
Light The Way (Iron Curtis Illuminati mix) (5:25)
Light The Way (Iron Curtis reprise) (1:41)
Review: German duo Session Victim have always been about much more than just club tracks - their music draws on their playing skills and formal backgrounds so comes alive with meaningful melodies and rich instrumentation that elevates each track above the norm. This new EP on their home label Delusions of Grandeur kicks off with 'Screen Off' (feat Ras Stimulant) which is disco house with bubbly basslines and a retro feel. It also comes as an a cappella and on the flip 'Light The Way' is a seductively smooth cut with Balearic synths and floating pads that will levitate you off the floor. An Iron Curtis Illuminati mix brings starry-eyed electro vibes and his reprise closes out a lush EP.
Review: Frankfurt producer Victor Shan has long been one of Germany's premier rave revivalists, periodically returning to Running Back with EPs that evoke mental images of turn-of-the-'90s warehouse parties and sweat-soaked basement parties illuminated by little more than red lights. His belated return to Gerd Janson's imprint pushes this sonic aesthetic to the fore, with the title being a reference to the Chicago venue of the same name that helped birth house music. It's full-throttle, hands-in-the-air music from the off, where stab-happy, breakbeat-powered stomper 'Abfahrt' is followed by the 'Apache'-sampling excitement of 'Strobelight' and the surging, Italo-style arpeggiated bass of 'Volume Up'. The fun continues on the flip via the moody 'Textura', the lusciously loved-up 'R8000' and the classic Chicago house flex of 'Shifter'.
Review: Shat is a place in Yorkshire (well, the nickname a village called Skelmanthorpe). Shat is something you hope to never do. Shat is also the alias of an artist who makes progressive house with a 90s twist. This outing is a third on the Party Tricks label and it opens with some swirling celestial pads, dream-scape beats and dusty hits that get your head amongst the clouds. 'Dwingeloo' is a faster slice of progressive techno with freewheeling pads and raspy basslines. Two remixes on the flip that things into very different territory but both of them are going to prove effective in the right setting.
Review: Gooey Editz is launching a new sub-series here and Siggatunez is behind the first limited 12". 'Live CUtz' has four tunes that are all designed to shake up the floor. 'Gettin' Love' is raw, percussive house with bright melodies and a sense of celebration. 'Movin' On' slips into a deeper realm with more moody synths and pulsing bass and 'By Your Side' brings a gorgeous pitched-up Erykah Badu vocal over punchy broken beats that take you to the next level. Last of all is 'Trust Me', a steamy and densely layer house track with intense keys, jazzy chords and vocals.
Review: When it comes to producing undulating, club-friendly tech-house and micro-house shufflers, Silat Beksi has a pretty good track record. We can confirm that this 12" - his first for Pleasure Zone following appearances on a string of like-minded labels - is similarly rock solid. On the A-side you'll find the deep and rolling "Back to the Future", where fluttering, outer-space ambient synths drift around a crunchy tech-house rhythm track rich in fizzing electronics and solid snares. Flipside "Kin 182" is, if anything, even deeper. Featuring a bolder bassline, dreamier chords and a breakbeat-driven house beat, it's arguably the more satisfying of the two tunes (though we wouldn't be surprised if more DJs champion the similarly impressive A-side).
Review: Noah Skelton returns to Daydream with a fresh new excursion into the itchy shuffles of the deep tech variety, tempered with a one-off contribution in the vein of dreamy breaks. Examples of the first style include the tracks 'Hammajang', 'Blind', and 'First Remark', all of which bring an extra slice of texture to an already minimal headroom, which is still maintained despite the textural decorations. 'Aurora' is the wildcard, opting for sizzling breaks constructions, breathy vocal segues and a resonant pad line.
Review: Slo Moshu's 'Bells Of NY' is one of house music's most revered anthems. It is an iconic 90s tune that blew up every club upon release, and came with bogus producer credits in order to create some mystique. Network ally Andrew Komi is actually the man herbed the beats, and he told all manner of fantastical stories to the UK press who phoned up to hear more about the seminal tune. Here it gets reissued with various different mixes, all of which are explosive. There are the chattery snares and big piano chords of the House 2 House mix, a raved up and turbo-bass version from Xen Mantra's Beefy Bells mix and more besides.
Sesame's Treet 2023 (feat Professor Elemental) (4:00)
Magnificent (4:39)
Sesame's Treet (HSI remix) (5:02)
Review: 31 years have now passed since Smart E's gate-crashed the charts with their contribution to the (short-lived) 'toytown rave' movement, 'Sesame's Treet' - a rather silly (but, in its own way, joyous) breakbeat hardcore tune featuring snippets of the theme tune to 'Sesame Street'. Here the track gets the 2023 remix treatment. Fast flowing 'chap hop' rapper Professor Elemental stars on 'Sesame's Treet 2023', a funkier but no less celebratory re-imagining that retains core elements from the original mix (the raw rave stabs, the boisterous breaks and, yes, bits of that oh-so-familiar theme tune), while the HSI remix is an energetic, extra-percussive, sample-heavy take built around a deliciously wobbly bassline and saucer-eyed chords. The EP also features remastered 1992 album track 'Magnificent', a slightly darker but even more potent hardcore workout.
Review: Bay Area badness! Soeneido lets rip on his own Lotek imprint once again with four absolutely savage jungle cuts. Comprising pure drummage and slight elements of hardcore throughout, each cut hits hard and unapologetically. Those looking for a little mystic charm and space should head for the A where 'Midori' and 'Choose The Sword' err on a deeper, eerie touch while those on a hunt for pure breakbeat adrenaline should flip for the wild industrial drums of 'Ninja Hunter' and the heavyweight finale 'Noon Saibot'. Blimey.
Review: Softgrid, a longtime PPU favourite known for their retro-futuristic visuals and design flair, returns with the standout EP 'Knock'. This release includes 'FEELU', which has made its mark as part of the soundtrack to Bad Boys IV: Ride Or Die, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. A dedicated Demoscene and Cracktro enthusiast, Softgrid's roots run deep in digital artistry, embracing ASCII and ANSI visuals while experimenting with SID and PAULA chip soundscapes. Their work draws from early Bulletin Board Systems, seamlessly merging old-school tech aesthetics with contemporary audio-visual storytelling.
Genevieve (feat Zeek Burse & The Ibibio Horns) (8:06)
Genevieve (feat Daniel Meinecke - One More Organ dub) (8:53)
Review: The Sol Power All-Stars are back once more on the Rocksteady Disco label with some superb new covers of much-loved British funk band Cymande. Each one brings a fresh perspective while paying heed of the Afro-roots of the originals. 'Anthracite' (feat Denise Henderson) opens up and is designed for moaner dance floors with cosmic synth work and big, bouncing drums. There is a deeper and more steamy sense of rhythm to the tropical sounds of 'Getting It Back' while the Parkway dub of 'Anthracite' sounds like early house music. Two versions of 'Genevieve' offer shuffling rhythms and big horn stabs and stomping, ass-wiggling Afro-jazz.
Luc Ringeisen & Funk E - "Treinta Y Siempre" (7:33)
Polyfan Polyphenix - "Polymorph 2" (7:02)
Review: The cultured Movida label rolls out more of its tasteful tech and minimal jams with the Water Drop EP Part 1. Somfay opens up proceedings with 'Arborvitae' (A Voice Like Water) which is a zoned out roller with chords that encourage you to gaze off to the future. The b-side starts with Luc Ringeisen & Funk E's 'Treinta Y Siempre', a tender electronic lullaby with gently broken beats and then things get much more scuffed up and dubby with Polyfan Polyphenix's 'Polymorph 2' which is a languid rhythm that makes you want to move nice and loose.
Review: Two years on from their debut release, Venezuelan label ELI.SOUND return with another VA release which should help shine a light on the sound they want to push on their platform. It's a fiery strain of tech house which embraces some dramatic peaks and troughs, as on the vocal-led, acid-speckled thumper 'WAXX03' from Son Of Elita. Things are equally bouncy on 'WAXX04' by Trentz & Cajal, while Direkt ironically takes a less obvious path thanks to the snaking minimalisms of his particular beat construction on 'TRAXX03'. SOEm finishes the record off with a charged piece of statement sampling and squashed, off-kilter machine funk which might well be the best cut on a standout record.
Kauris 1979 (Feel Fly Piano Emozione remix) (0:49)
Review: Night Vibez first outing on vinyl is a limited affair, with only 200 copies available worldwide. It sees Steb join forces with Dario Rossi for 'Karius 1979', a shimmering, impactful late-night number that giddily blurs the boundaries between sci-fi deep house, trippy nu-disco, and strobe-lit Italo-disco of the sort more associated with basements in The Hague than open-air clubs in Italy. Van Der Kirche and THC kick-start the accompanying remix package with a bouncy, stab-happy breakbeat take that sounds like it could have been recorded in 1990 or 91, before big guns Marvin & Guy re-frame it as a throbbing Chic-meets-Italo-disco workout. To round things off, the Feel Fly 'Piano Emozione' mix is a dreamy, piano-laden trance number that recalls the mid-90s excellence of Robert Miles.
Review: Following up that excellent Synchronicity on EP Phonica AM a couple of months back, hero of the Birmingham scene Subb An returns with more underground quality with this new one on the mighty 20/20 Vision. 'State Of Flow' is an emotive and breathtaking affair that's equal parts acid, progressive breaks and UK tech house with a seething Reese bassline lurking throughout that underpins angelic vocals. Over on the flip, remixes come from Adam Pits who takes you beyond the strobelights to reach for the lasers on his ravey take, followed by Armec's menacing experimental techno rework.
Chuwee, Seb Hall & Gaspar Muniz - "Sheeeesh" (6:06)
Cyborg George - "Laguna Vere" (6:31)
Review: Another round of lush sound from the Frog Dog Records crew from Philadelphia. Four housey groovers procured with love from a star cast of artists - Sweater, John Manhard, Chuwee, Seb Hall, Gaspar Muniz and Cyborg George - this is a variegated record serving every angle of contemporary East Coast breaks, from b-people funk to aerated, sonic fibre-optic-mystics. Our favourite of the bunch has to be the tonal quarter-note slice-of-heaven, Sweater's 'Gemi', which shimmers against the ears and pushes our buttons with an especially cleanly, future-angelic breaks stride.
Review: "Inside" is the rallying cry of many a pirate radio hypeman, and we're just as readily apt to stay locked in, not least after hearing this new one from Manchester-after-Berlin producer SY, debuting for Slump Recordings. An eighth escapade for the label in the vein of trippy cheek and nostalgia, this fresh plate of pluperfect pulses is a real sure-starter. The titular 'Inside' leads with organic diatones and surreptitious squelches, while Baldo's rework is a heftier hurl through additive breaks verging on acid trancebreaks mayhem. 'Perceptions' brings up the rear side through classic house synthwork and slippery percs, while the eminent Baby Rollen abstracts said mix with an alien hand, also throwing in compelling "hup" samples for good measure.
Review: 'Wanna Dance' is the new jam by deep house heavyweight Sean McCabe (Good Vibrations) and Last Forever chief Turbojazz. Said to be conceived during the lockdown period, the track recalls the energy of classic Detroit deep house and even features one of the city's favourite voices in the form of Javonntte. On the flip, the spiritual vibe of Moondance's rework calls to mind the work of Motor City legend Alton Miller, while EVM128 aka Evermean Beats really soaks up the vibe of his new hometown - London - on his nu-jazz broken beat perspective that would make even Kaidi Tatham stand up and notice.
Warehouse Preservation Society - "Fugitive Funk" (6:28)
Flash Mitra - "Spring Street Shuffle" (6:24)
Praus - "Magnetism" (6:01)
Sherman C & Space Ace - "Just A Dream" (6:23)
Warehouse Preservation Society - "Fugitive Funk" (dub) (4:35)
Review: Techno House Connoisseurs return with a fresh VA, packed with five top-tier acid and tech house tracks. Kicking off the A side is Los Angeles duo Warehouse Preservation Society with 'Fugitive Funk', a bass-heavy, breakbeat-infused slammer that captures the essence of hypnotic West Coast vibes. London's Flash Mitra makes a debut with a moody, percussive acid house gem. On the B-side, THC regular Praus delivers 'Magnetism', an acid chugger with warped vocals and 303 grooves, while Space Ace and Sherman C team up for 'Just a Dream', a relentless acid banger destined for peak-time sets.
Review: While he is still thought of as a God of a DJ to many, Welsh wizard Sasha is a dab hand in the studio too. Airdrawndagger, his second studio long player, is proof of that and a real masterpiece with co-productions by Charlie May, Junkie XL and James Holden. It is a hugely complex world of sound with progressive melodies, wavy electronic drums and immersive synths capes that all add up to one smooth and serene trip. This luxury reissue comes on limited, numbered trifold 180 gram audiophile silver & black marbled vinyl. A vital collector's piece.
Something That's For Life (feat Cari Golden - 2024 rework) (5:12)
Sanctuary (feat Stereo MCs - 2024 rework) (7:58)
Aura (feat Sophie Hunger - Deetron remix) (6:00)
Rain (2024 rework) (5:44)
Belize (2024 rework) (6:23)
Review: Anja Schneider has been at the heart of the Berlin underground for decades. Famously she headed up the Mobilee label which was a powerhouse of, well, house, and now she revisits her sizeable back catalogue for a bumper triple album of remixes, works and updates. If nothing else this collection shows what great range she had as all styes are covered from dark and driving tech to more blissed out deep house. The likes of 'Turning My Head' show great percussive flair and 'Dubmission' (Julian Muller remix) is quick and slick, stripped back minimal. Vocal delight 'Rain' is a real classic amongst many here.
Mind Over Rhythm - "Kubital Footstorm" (Global Beatmix) (6:14)
Dream Frequency - "Dream The Dream" (5:48)
As One - "Isatai" (5:01)
UVX - "Elevator (Trancefloor Transporter)" (5:11)
Review: Dance Music From Planet Earth is a new sub-label from Ransom Note that kicks off with a heritage compilation, Dream The Dream. It looks back in great detail at UK Techno, House and Breakbeat 1990-1994 with Richard Sen as the man in control. He was a DJ back in those days, playing the most epic raves around Europe and taking some of the photos which now form the artwork for this collection. His obsessive record collecting from those days is reflected here across a series of sometimes obscure but always brilliant UK tunes for the worlds of ambient, techno, tribal house, breakbeat and early trance.
Mind Over Rhythm - "Kubital Footstorm" (Global Beatmix)
Dream Frequency - "Dream The Dream"
As One - "Isatai"
UVX - "Elevator (Trancefloor Transporter)"
Centuras - "Tokyo" (CD2: DJ mix By Richard Sen)
Bandulu - "Amaranth - Love Lies Beneath"
Strontium 90 - "Rave On The Congo"
Orr-Some - "We Can Make It"
Biff'Um Baff'Um Boys - "Bombing"
Epoch 90 - "VLSI Heaven" (Zone mix)
Mind Over Rhythm - "Kubital Footstorm" (Global Beatmix)
Dream Frequency - "Dream The Dream"
As One - "Isatai"
UVX - "Elevator (Trancefloor Transporter)"
Review: All-round powerhouse Ransom Note - label, promoter and publication - are veterans on the scene, having promoted nearly every facet of the dance music scene since the early 2010s. This new compilation hears the Ransom Note core outfit team up with Richard Sen, an equally battle-scarred DJ and producer active since the late 80s. The project is Sen's tribute to the UK rave scene of the early 1990s, featuring rare and obscure tracks by artists not normally cited among nostalgists: Centuras, Bandulu, Strontium 90, Orr-Some, Biff'um Baff'um Boys, Epoch 90, Mind Over Rhythm, Dream Frequency, As One and UVX. Techno, house, breakbeat, acid and hardcore collide to synthesise a sonic zeitgeist, which occupied a brief but spectacular four-year period in dance music's early golden decade.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.