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.
Peter Seiler - "Timebend" (feat Sheryl Hackett) (4:32)
Eoism - "Ultraverse" (5:00)
Voertuig - "Cego" (5:19)
Voertuig - "808 Ambient Jazz" (3:45)
Eoism - "Even Flow" (5:45)
Review: Colkin from Raw Soul and Mauke Club sets the tone on this new FUTUR compilation, which has been curated by Benedikt Meger with a spherical acid house meditation. Peter Seiler's track, a standout from the reissue of his debut album Flying Frames, features Sheryl Hackett's soulful vocals and merges song structure with jazz improvisation. Eoism from Pulse Drift, Undersound, and Inch By Inch delivers low-swung electro flavours perfect for sunset vibes while the B-side opens with Voertuig of Tonal Oceans and Cobra Club who presents a seriously raw acid jam followed by an experimental, jazzy piece, reminiscent of the 90s downtempo era. 'Eoism' closes things with a floating, futuristic banger, going to make a well rounded (in more ways than one) and ultimately very useful piece of vinyl.
Review: Adam Collins has proven his mettle with his work for Omni A.M. and Euphoria Records but now he branches out once more with the new label Aquarius Rising. It kicks off with a four-track various artists EP of next-gen talents Cromie, Dylan Payne, Sasha Zlykh, and Collins himself. 'The Knuckle' opens up with a bouncy and dense house sound that's got a sweet garage shuffle to it. Volume Channel's 'Tony Jacal' is a stripped-back and minimal sound with dubby drums, Sasha Zlykh's contribution gets more raw and abstract with whirring machine sounds and Collins shuts down with 'Andrea 3' complete with warped vocal stabs and high-speed drum funk.
Review: Be Strong Be Free debuts a new series here, Mellow Magic Worldwide, which will offer up a series of DJ weapons that have been produced by "worldwide studio buds." The first one opens with some superb tackle from Gold Suite whose brilliant 'Crush' is a slow-burning 80s jam and emotive rollercoaster that has made a real impact during road testing experiments. On the flipside is the mysterious Mancunian Visions Of Eden who debuts on vinyl with a lush deep house jam 'When It Has Past that has a subtle Balearic charm. Lastly comes Murrin who heads up the Puca Sounds label and co-runs Berlin party Fandango. His 'Maybe Tonight' is a late-night cosmic delight.
Review: It has been a rather remarkable three years since Yuko dropped its first release, but finally, they are back with more. It is co-founder Emo Omar who features both solo and in collaboration with Luje from Club Pizza while two exciting new French talents Chud and Vivant also make their mark. 'Pollen' is a bright and hooky melodic electro sound then 'You & Me' gets more percussive, with old school cow bells staying busy next to all sorts of wonky synth work. 'Tomorrow's Made Of Breaks' is built on rigid funk and trippy synth bleeps and 'Zeus' shuts down with some retro-future vocoder vocals. This is a great return from a label we hope now pushes on.
G-Connection - "Free Your Spirit" (Spirit mix) (6:12)
Snare Dream - "LaLaLa" (Deep Ambient) (5:26)
TiEs - "Trying To" (5:59)
Review: Rebirth invites us to go back, way back, to the Italian underground techno scene of the 90s with this new selection of alternate versions, unheard gems and certified classics. Oneiric & Vortex open up with a tune that brings to mind the warmth of Motor City techno on 'Oasi' before GNMR layer up supersized hi hats and seriously weighty beatdown drums, Populous offers the loopy melodic delight of 'Barragan' and G-Connection heads into the cosmos with the dreamy ambient of 'Free Your Spirit', a perfect mood build if ever we heard one. Two further gorgeously blissed-out post-rave comedown sounds close out this gem of an EP.
Bessa Simmons - "Sii Nana" (JKriv Fit rework) (7:11)
Vincenzo - "Love Accurate" (6:54)
Ilija Rudman - "Discoteka Parmida" (5:25)
Yasmin - "Real High" (4:59)
Arnau Obiols - "Pagan Mambo" (5:04)
Review: On this sampler EP for the Razor N Tape label's latest Family Affair compilation, the Brooklyn based imprint showcases previously unheard cuts from a mixture of new artists and long-established names. In the latter camp you'll find long-serving deep house don Vincenzo, who delivers the gorgeous, tactile and loved-up deliciousness of 'Love Accurate', and Croatian nu-disco don Ilya Rudman (the acid-heavy dancefloor squelch of 'Discoteka Parmida'). Elsewhere, Yasmin impresses with the neo-soul/nu-disco fusion warmth of 'Real High', Arnau Obiols slams down the Fela-influenced Afrobeat excellence of 'Pagan Mambo', and label co-founder J Kriv turns Bessa Simons 'Si Naana' into an Afro-tinged analogue house treat
Review: Samosa Records is back with a summer edition titled Afrikano Vol. 1, featuring four tracks from various artists. On the A-side, Vagabundo Club Social kick things off with the life-affirming boogie vibes of 'Mr. Mista', while by C. Da Afro & De Gama are equally uplifting on 'Sweet Dance' that's all about the beat and horn breakdowns.Over on the flip, Atchoum & Grincheux appear with the spiritual life music of 'Demokousse' remixed by Les Inferno who underpins the track with infectious breakbeats and finally Lego Edit provides goes poolside and sunset on the low slung 'Afromaniaco'.
Review: It's a case of old school meets new school on this fresh new slice of house from Defected. Representing the vets is the one and only Louie Vega, while in the contemporary corner are New York's finest, the Martinez Brothers. Marc E Bassy also pops up on vocals for this feel good deep house gem. His part sung, part rapped delivery comes over soul drenched beats and nice singing leads, which have long been a hallmark of the great Masters at Work man, Vega. A TMBLV mix is more pumping, Honey Dijon cuts loose on elastic bass and rugged rhythms and Dom Dolla offers a more energetic and main room version.
Review: Small Hours from the Berlin-based Brit Youandewan is a young and already cult label that does things well, if not fast. Yet here we get a second EP in quick succession with the sixth outing again offering up four vital names from the house and tech underground. Velvet Velour opens up with squelchy, funky bass on 'Show You The Door' before Liquid Earth melts the mind with impossibly bendy synths and stiff drums on 'Gummo Hardrive.' Flip this 12" over and you'll find some cosmic tech in the form of The Honda Boys's 'Funghi Pie' and gurgling, gritty, metallic deep space house from Dreaming Mind who offers up 'Mid-Bozz.' Top tackle for sure.
Review: Although he's been releasing music since the tail end of the noughties, it's a while since vinyl lovers got the chance to hear fresh material from Trevor Vichas. This surprise 12" for the fast-rising Purveyor Underground Ltd label is therefore a welcome surprise. On title track 'Miss Nice' Vichas wraps jazzy guitar, keys and vocal samples around a chunky, loopy, filter-sporting deep house groove. Demarkus Lewis successfully takes the track up a notch or two on his accompanying remix, before Vichas doffs a cap to the jazz-fired Chicago boompty sounds of Greens Keepers and Mike Dixon on 'Monday Jazz'. The Come Connect mix of that track, which rounds off the EP, is a pleasingly bumpy, bass-heavy and energetic revision that's crying out for peak-time plays.
Review: This tasteful Spanish label always does a fine line in traditionally inclined deep house. Their latest drop brings together the talents of Andrew Lozano and Trevor Vichas. 'Don't U Feel It' kicks off with a playful skip in the drums and one of those spoken word vocals that add plenty of atmosphere. It's Demuir who remixes this one with even more light-hearted groove and jazzy Rhodes chords. Lozano and Vichas then offer 'With You' which keeps the dubby, smoky, frayed-edge house sounds rolling and 'Feel The Heat then brings a more upright groove with driving hits and swirling pads that speak to the soul.
Review: Vitess is at the heart of the Paris underground and is a thrilling live artists who brings a great sense of urgency to this new album on Rossi's burgeoning HOMEGROWN label. His brand of house is slick and sleek, futuristic in feel but also full of earworm melodies and fresh hooks. 'Blue Vision' is full of vamping chords and twitchy stabs that soon get the attention then 'Drive Me Crazy' brings some 80s-style chords and wriggling lead lines that are funky and playful and 'First Night' keeps the good vibes flowing with more surging, pixelated and sugary synth work. 'Jami Rocaille' and 'Big Sound' close out with more hooky pads and clean house drums.
Review: Following some great releases by Madrid legend Casbah 73, Secret Rendezvous and Moods, Kraak & Smaak's Boogie Angst returns this week with a new one by German-born/Amsterdam-based Marcel Vogel. The Lumberjacks In Hell chief serves up five typically disco oriented cuts on Games Change; there's the boogie-down vibe of 'Head Back In The Game' featuring a smooth vocal, followed by the late night mood music of 'Keep On Stepping' (extended) featuring another brilliant vocal performance by talented singer Lyma. Over on the flip, they treat you to the low slung affair 'Funk Money' and truly the sensual number 'Popping My Cherry'.
Review: The Kreuzbergkillers label kicks off in fine form with a split release from Sven Von Thulen and Spencer Parker, backed up by a remix from the mighty Shed. 'Body Music', as the title would suggest, sees Von Thulen indulging in a vintage strain of machine music where techno and EBM cross over into fiercely potent, physical club music. Shed takes a surgical approach to the track and creates his own artfully sliced and squashed techno workout. On the flip, Parker creates a feverish mood with looped up samples, discordant low end and more jack than a whole season of 24. Look out for the dub if you want the pressure in a more heads down style.
Review: Orlando Voorn is always spoken of as one of the key links between European and Detroit techno. Here though, in collaboration with Han Litz, he sinks into his house sound on open 'What I Love' which is utterly gorgeous with its Roy Ayres flutes, jazzy keys and warm, soulful drums. The Soulfood Mix ups the jazziness and makes the drums more raw, then 'Composers' brings more warming house vibes that are heartfelt and musical. A Downbeat mix reduces the original perfectly for a more cosy, cuddly feel.
Review: Bushwacka deserves any plaudits that come his way. He was there at the birth of acid house and went on to foment his own take on tech house. He held a legendary residency at the End in London and of course dropped countless seminal tunes alongside Layo, not least their epic 'Love Story' mash-up. Now the acclaimed but still relevant UK veteran dives back into his roots to serve up the sounds that came before tech house with highlights that would have been heard at the time at parties like Heart & Soul, Release, The Drop, Vapour Space, and at venues like Heaven and The End. Skippy, dubbed garage and driving house all feature in a fine collection.
Don Carlos - "Purple Day" (Don Carlos edit) (8:26)
Deep Aural Penetration - "Let Your Body Be Free" (Don Carlos edit - club Xero mix) (4:43)
Be Noir - "It's Gonna Be Alright" (Don Carlos edit - Don Carlos Rimini 4.00 Am mix) (6:38)
Deep Aural Penetration - "All I Want To Do" (Don Carlos edit - Josh Wink HERE mix) (5:28)
Love Nation - "Everything 4 U" (Don Carlos edit - remix) (5:54)
More Heavy Soul - "Magic Tonight" (Don Carlos edit - Irregular dub) (6:45)
Outdance - "Pump The Jumping" (Don Carlos edit - Sexy No dirty mix) (5:51)
FITZ - "The Reigh Forest (Fitzcarraldo)" (Don Carlos edit) (5:58)
Review: Don Carlos will always be best known as the legendary Italian producer behind the enduring Balearic and Italo/dream house classic 'Alone' which was, rather impressively, his first ever release. Here we get to hear some of his favourite tunes on another vital volume of this series from his longtime home label Irma Records. All the tracks on this essential double pack have been re-edited by Don Carlos himself, especially for this occasion with highlights from the likes of Deep Aural Penetration, Love Nation and Outdance.
Felipe Gordon - "Please Don't Go" (feat Bob The Egoist) (6:14)
Review: Berlin based Cinthie is a firm favourite here at Juno HQ, as well as all around the European house scene. She runs various labels, her own record shop, and all with a great sense of personality. We couldn't be happier that she is next up in the legendary DJ-kicks mix series and of course, she doesn't disappoint. Her selections take in plenty of the raw, stripped back house you would expect. She includes one of her own tunes, the vital 'Organ' as well as fresh material from Ruff Stuff, Anil Aras and Felipe Gordon and puts it all together in an unfussy but hypnotic style. This doubt vinyl album offers you some of the standout cuts.
Review: Arno E Mathieu's 2022 album, Contemplation, was pleasingly hard to pigeonhole, though its' mixture of warming, kaleidoscopic and occasional tropical sounds and styles definitely tended towards the Balearic. It was ripe for remixing - hence this pleasingly epic and deliciously varied remix album. Eyes will naturally be drawn to Joe Clausell's epic 13-minute take on 'Ficus Carica' - a slow building ambient house classic in the making - Mark E's saucer-eyed deep house take on 'Colline' and I:Cube's spacey, Baelaric and lilting revision of 'Insulae', but there are plenty of other tasty treats on show. Check, for example, Next Evidence's dusty Balearic version of 'Colline Au Zenith', Gilb'r's deep space interpretation of 'O Zenith', and rising star Gigi Testa's Afro-acid rework of 'Platanes'.
Original Nairobi Afro Band - "Soul Makossa (No 1)" (7") (4:20)
Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes - "Jungle Beat (Mutaba)" (3:05)
Review: Jump 'N' Funk started life as a small event in New York, organized by Rich Medina in order to pay tribute to the genius of Fela Kuti. Since then, parties have been held across the world, with Medina and guests showcasing music by, or inspired by, the Nigerian Afrobeat legend. This debut Jump N Funk compilation follows a similar formula, delivering both purist Afrobeat cuts (see Fela's punchy "Stalemate", and "Na Oil" by son Seun and his band, Egypt 80), and tracks in other styles that draw heavily on the style. Highlights in the latter category include the hazy Afro hip-hop of Aquil, a tasty Afro-house dub of River Ocean's cover of Timmy Thomas' classic "Why Can't We Live Together", and the lazy, sun-kissed glory of Kutiman's "Bango Fields".
Ship Of The Desert - "Count Of Monte Thisgo" (6:00)
Frank Hatchett Dance Explosion - "Super Hero" (1:51)
Cherish - "For You" (3:26)
Jaze - "Wanna Get Down With You" (7:21)
The 21st Century - "One Of These Days" (5:23)
Porno Disco - "Go Down Moses" (4:19)
Cousin Ice - "Catch Your Glow" (feat Zack Sanders) (6:18)
Boobie Knight - "Juicy Fruit My Love" (6:27)
John Lamkin - "Ticket" (6:21)
Review: You can always count on Z Records to bring a deep-digging, dedicated approach to anything they put out, and that goes double for their flawless Under The Influence series. The 10th volume in the series sees them inviting the incredible Chicago-born DJ Rahaan to select some seriously headsy cuts from his collection, carefully cleaned up, de-clicked and remastered for the best listening experience. Given the nature of the series, don't expect the usual suspects, and instead savour the discovery of some of Rahaan's most treasured cuts, presented here on a double LP comp brimming with discoid magic.
Mu Ziq - "Twangle Frent" (Special Request rework) (5:52)
FC Kahuna - "Hayling" (Special Request mix) (3:19)
Special Request - "Elysian Fields" (5:31)
Review: The last few years have really seen Paul Woolford reach the top of his game in many different ways. Be it bowel emptying rave as Special Request, festival baiting piano house tunes or chart topping pop dance crossovers under his own name, the man is proving himself to have a real golden touch. He sure does crank out all these tunes at a prolific rate, too, but you still feel he does everything with meticulous precision. This DJ Kicks is a case in point. It touches on all the many different facets of his sound from glossy and feel good house to early Chicago classics, post-rave dreamscapes to brutal jungle breaks. What a legend.
Jordan Fields - "It's An Interesting Thought" (5:19)
Black Eyes - "Get Down For The Hydro" (5:54)
New Digital Fidelity - "Needs" (5:56)
Boo Williams - "The Place To Go" (6:29)
Mosaik Kollektif - "Plankton" (7:10)
Miguel Herrnandez - "Sea Roots" (6:13)
Frankie M - "Operating In The Red" (6:36)
Delano Smith - "Trapped Inside" (6:21)
Review: The third volume in the Unity series from Norm Talley's label Upstairs Asylum is another one packed with big hitters, many of who are US house mainstays. Jordan Fields opens up with 'It's An Interesting Thought', a heady number with cosmic pads twinkling up high. Black Eyes brings some rawness with the astral sounds of 'Get Down For The Hydro' and Chicago master Boo Williams offers more techno-leaning sounds than usual on 'The Place To Go.' The loop expert that is Delano Smith shows off those skills once more with his swirling and hypnotic 'Trapped Inside'. Miguel Herrnandez also stands out with his string-laced delight, 'Sea Roots'. An essential and authentic collection once again.
Review: The Mellophonia label offshoot Fusion Sequence won us over with its well-presented and great-sounding first EP, and now a quick follow-up does the same. This one is another various artists affair that starts with some nice futuristic robot disco from Vanity Project. There is more organic and lush Balearic from Bobby Bricks and Pacific Coliseum follows that spine-tingling Ibiza sunset vibe. On the flip side, there is everything from late-night electronic house to lazy disco via Sorcerer's blissed out 'Just For Love' which would entrance any dance floor. There's as much quality as there is variation on this one, which makes it a useful EP indeed.
Review: There is a wealth of talent on show on the third EP from the Fusion Sequence label which has put together this six-track deep house sizzler. The Variable Club' 'Biorhythms' is perfectly warm and dynamic for cosy backroom moments and Alpine DJ then brings an old school piano feel to 'Pepe Nony' before A Vision Of Panorama zones you out on lush chords and reverential keys on 'Kissing The Sun.' The flipside offers the more dark and heads-down 'Many Stories' while the blissed-out and feel-good grooves return with Common Mode's 'Bassface.' Body Corp shuts down with the slower, seductive sounds of 'Take It Or Leave It' which rounds out a top-class EP.
Espiritu - "Bonita Manana" (Sabres Of Paradise remix) (12:42)
Unloved - "Devils Angels" (8:06)
Review: Following the recent release of the first retrospective of Andrew Weatherall remixes of Heavenly Recordings material, the long-serving London label has delivered a second volume of inspired reworks from the late, great DJ/producer. Like its predecessor, this speedy sequel contains reworks delivered by Weatherall at different points over a near 30 year period. It's all spectacular, of course, but our current favourites include a chugging, 2009 punk-funk revision of Doves' 'Compulsion', the post-punk dub headiness of Audiobooks' 2018 cut 'Dance Your Life Away', a vintage, electro-fired Two Lone Swordsmen dub of Saint Etienne and a rare, percussion-rich and extremely hard to find Sabres of Paradise tweak of Espiritu's 'Boninta Manana'.
Eduardo De La Calle - "Together" (Fallen Angel edit)
Julius Steinhoff - "Downtown"
Fred P - "Electric Bridge"
DJ Jus Ed - "Something Sexy"
Review: Mule Musiq boss Toshiya Kawasaki has pulled out all the stops for the sixth installment of the label's popular I'm Starting To Feel Okay compilation series. Whereas previous editions issued on sublabel Endless Flight have been restricted to single CDs and 12" samplers, this sixth round of Okay arrives across a double CD and two double pack vinyl editions. Furthermore it's packed to the rafters with exclusives and unreleased tracks from the label's stable of like-minded deep house producers. As you'd expect, this first part has plenty to enjoy from the hypnotic, Detroit-influenced pulse of Julius Steinhoff's "Downtown" and Axel Boman's woozy, picturesque "Anytime Is Fine" (which seemingly features a riff inspired by an obscure boogie classic), to the sinewy strings and bustling rhythms of Johannes Brecht's "London" and Fred P's typically musical "Electric Bridge". Classier than San Diego bruv.
Caramel Chameleon - "To Create Is To Live Twice" (6:16)
Perseus Traxx - "Something More Than This" (7:03)
RAG - "ZAVONDJE 303" (7:06)
Raving Kid - "Edgware Acid" (3:56)
Mutex - "Road To Atlantis" (4:31)
Kreggo - "Hearthpulse" (4:29)
Steifl - "Omega Point" (5:33)
Korre - "Black Over Blue" (5:35)
Pitto - "Acid Rolo" (6:28)
Endfest - "Shari Vari" (7:07)
Dwaalgast De Beer Uit Allekmaar - "A Wave Goodbye" (4:22)
Review: Netherlands-based 030303 Records is back with a fifth installment in its various artists series. As with the previous four editions, this is high-class electronic music pure and simple. Caramel Chameleon kicks off with a good time mix of cheery melodies and chattery drums, then Perseus Traxx brings his signature analogue murkiness to the lo-fi house trudge that is 'Something More Than This.' Elsewhere you will find quietly optimistic cuts like Raving Kid' restless 'Edgware Acid' or the dream house reveries of Kreggo's 'Hearthpulse' amongst many other varied treasures.
Erik Hagleton - "Together Forever" (Erik Hagleton & Chris Garcia remix) (6:32)
Bob Sinclar - "Samba In Hell" (Roger Sanchez Reboot) (7:54)
Review: French label Wagram is a real powerhouse when it comes to putting together authoritative compilations. They have done them in all manner of sonic words from soul to disco to techno and pop. Next up is a new volume of their ongoing Africanism series which is led by Bob Sinclar and features, among others, Olivia De Lanzac, DJ Gregory, Nark & Baker, Martin Solveig and Nick Chatelain & Danny Chatelain. It is house music coloured with a wide world of influences from the sub-continent with funk, soul and Afro all making for a colourful collection of hits from across several sub-scenes.
Review: San Francisco's Dirtybird label has been kicking out big-ass party jams and wonky house and tech for a full two decades now. After 20 years of keeping clubs bumping the label now launches its first-ever commemorative vinyl box set. Dirtybird Hand Picked Box Set, Volume 1 features fan favourites from label founder Claude VonStroke, Aussie sensation FISHER, house vocalist John Summit, the legendary Sacha Robotti and mainstay Nikki Nair amongst many more. The set spans iconic tracks that have defined the label's legacy across the years and each one is big, bold and colourful, much like this set which includes one of a selection of exclusive items
Henry Hektik & Thomas W Sutter - "Missionary" (8:09)
Felix Jn-Guillaume - "Rasamble" (3:57)
Siobhan Mac Carthy - "Face The Truth" (remix Special club long version) (10:54)
Dreams West - "Emc Corporation" (4:05)
Harmonia - "Adventure" (3:54)
Beauty Product - "Wild Parvenu" (6:19)
Kevin Owens - "Starting Over Again" (instrumental) (5:02)
Rick The Catman - "Silent Cat" (club mixx) (3:45)
Farewood - "Ceiling" (1:36)
The Holy Temple Young People's Choir - "Because He Lives" (5:06)
Mark Broom - "Tropica" (8:05)
Review: Compassion Cuts Sins & Dollar Bins is a fully licence new compilation across four sides of vinyl in a nice gatefold package. It is the Second Chapter in the Compassion Cuts compilation series and it brings more forgotten, overlooked or hidden gems to light and in doing so spans a wide variety of genres, including gospel, house, zouk, experimental, techno, disco, folk, and electro. Each track showcases the diversity and creativity of the artists from Henry Hektik & Thomas W Sutter's lo-fi and eerie 'Missionary' to Kevin Owens's blissed out proto-house delight 'Starting Over Again.'
The Bucketheads - "The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind)" (14:51)
Armand Van Helden - "The Funk Phenomena" (6:59)
Jonnick - "Play The World" (7:56)
Tronco Traxx - "Walk 4 Me!" (9:19)
Jeremias Santiago - "Femonette" (5:33)
95 North - "Ill Street Theme" (7:14)
DJ Kwest - "Love To Ecstacy" (5:43)
Review: Henry Street Music is one of house music's foundational labels. From the mid-nighties onwards it has been behind some of the genre's most enduring hits and now on the occasion of its 30th anniversary, it celebrates all that rich history with a superb double vinyl album, Henry Street Music 1994-2024 (30th Anniversary Edition). It kicks off with an age old staple from The Bucketheads that is one of the most mis-sung tunes of all time (it's 'these sounds', not 'pizza') and then comes a loopy filter gem from Armand Van Helden. 'Ill Street Theme' from 95 North is a nice old school bumper and Jonnick's 'Play The World' is another good time delight
Folamour - "Ya Just Need 2 Believe In Yaself" (7:00)
Jean Tonique - "Beach Break" (3:56)
Salome De Bahia - "Outro Lugar" (Synapson remix) (3:40)
Kiko - "World Cup" (4:38)
Bob Sinclar - "Gym Tonic" (3:01)
Bob Sinclar, David Guetta, Joachim Garraud, & Tim Deluxe - "Summer Moon" (feat Ben Onono) (3:12)
Lake Soul - "Autour De Toi" (feat Mathilde) (5:26)
DJ Gregory - "Tourment D'Amour" (feat Salomé De Bahia) (4:00)
St Germain - "What's New" (7:45)
Tour-Maubourg - "Amicalement Votre" (5:30)
De Pompidou - "Can't Be With You" (5:08)
Soha - "Les Enfants Du Bled" (4:28)
Leo Pol - "Chantal" (7:02)
Lifelike - "Night Patrol" (3:51)
DJ Deep - "Learn 2 Love" (6:39)
Aleem - "Filtri Organi" (6:14)
Kazy Lambist - "Doing Yoga" (4:48)
Review: Wagram's always comprehensive compilation series is back with another deep dive into a specific sound, and this time it is French touch aka the Gallic take on early house that is in the spotlight. Plenty of the early pioneers feature like Bob Sinclar, DJ Gregory, Saint Germain and Tour-Maubourg, but so do some more recent explorers of that sound, namely Folamour whose gorgeously sampled and gospel-tinged opener 'Ya Just Need 2 Believe In Yaself' is an early highlight here. Add in some other favourites like DJ Deep's 'Learn 2 Love' and De Pompidou's 'Can't Be With You' and you have a great overview of this popular house sub-genre.
Tete De La Course - "The Light" (Soulful Trip mix)
Vaudafunk - "Luv U Bae"
ELTE - "Love Will Shine"
Katermurr - "Beautiful Spirit"
Tete De La Course & Mandy Jones - "True"
Alastair Lane - "Hypnodance"
Review: Last year, Spain's DROP Dance Society - a collective initially founded to put on open-minded, inclusive parties inspired by iconic Chicago and New York clubs - launched an offshoot label, unleashing a swathe of digital-only singles. Here the imprint lands on vinyl for the first time via a compilation showcasing the best of their "digi" releases so far. There's predictably plenty to set the pulse racing throughout, from the lightly disco-tinged deep house colour of TeteDe La Course's 'The Light (Soulful Trip Mix)' and ELTE's Soundstream-esque disco-house looper 'Love Will Shine', to the Dave Lee style beefed-up disco revivalism of Katermurr's 'Beautiful Spirit' and the trance-meets-Italodance surge of Alistair Lane's 'Hypnodance'.
Review: The Milano Undiscovered series has been expertly overseen by Fred Ventura and now clocks up a third installment. It again delves into Milan's dynamic techno and house scene between the years of 1988 and 1992. Unveiling a trove of unreleased demos, it highlights the city's burgeoning underground culture during this period. Influenced by the pioneering sounds of Chicago, Detroit, London, and Sheffield, Milanese producers embarked on a creative journey, crafting their own distinct interpretations of electronic dance music. These demos offer a glimpse into the innovative spirit and diverse sonic landscape that defined Milan's contribution to the global dance music scene during this transformative era.
Review: Astonishingly, GRIT is Luke Vibert's 18th album under his given name (he's released many more as under other aliases such as Wagon Christ, Kerrier District and Amen Andrews), though his first for a couple of years. It's a predictably fun, TB-303 heavy affair, with the prolific Cornishman giddily sprinting through rubbery acid-electro ('Surrounded By Neighbours'), deep acid wooziness ('Decay Hole'), thrillingly wayward machine funk ('Partron'), subdued, bass-heavy swingers (the vaguely Wagon Christ-ish 'Gas Legs'), surging jack tracks (the breathless title track), jaunty house retro-futurism ('Swingeing Cuts'), Kerrier District-goes-acid insanity ('Disco Derriere'), hard-to-pigeonhole madness ('Screwfix Typeface'), and much more besides. A must-check for lovers of trippy acid lines and sweaty, loose-limbed beats.
Review: London-based label For Those That Knoe returns with a terrific release by underrated Slovenian producer Vid Vai. He's been slowly yet steadily honing his craft over the last 12 years with releases on respected labels such as Assemble Music, Tvir, Gilesku and Oskar Offermann's White to name but a few. Laminar Flow also happens to be his first full-length, taking in a wide variety of moods and grooves along the way. From the evocative and acid-laced flow of 'Incubation Theory', the sci-fi electro of 'Oort Cloud' to the sublime ambient offering 'Dusk By The Bay' and the saucer-eyed sunrise breaks of 'Shifting Sands' - the result is a timeless piece of liquid-smooth sonic art.
Review: Leon Vynehall long again made the transition from decent tune maker to revered and unpredictable electronic artist. Now he proves why he holds that status one again with a follow up to his critically acclaimed debut long player Nothing Is Still. This time out he distils everything he has done so far in to a record with few comparisons. It is ready for dance floor deployment but never just functional. There are cavernous ambient pieces next to grainy, heavy, dubby rhythms with grand but lo-fi synth architecture as well as moments of intriguing experimentalism.
Delano Smith & Rick Wilhite - "Neo Solaris" (feat Jon Dixon) (4:54)
Delano Smith & Rick Wilhite - "11 Minutes Of Funk" (11:00)
Jon Dixon - "Belle Isle Bounce" (6:28)
Norm Talley - "Dreamin In Detroit" (8:36)
Gerald Mitchel aka Soul Saver - "Kaori" (6:50)
Kenny Dixon Jr - "I'm Goin Black" (7:37)
Delano Smith - "Hot Lovely Relations" (7:06)
Omar S - "VAT 69" (Godson mix) (8:22)
Delano Smith & Rick Wilhite - "Pipe Putta" (12:45)
Review: Every so often, a compilation comes along and delivers a snapshot of a city's underground music scene at a given moment in time. That's what compilers Rick Wilhite and Delano Smith have achieved with Parabellum Detroit, an expansive and predictably high-quality collection of cuts from some of the Motor City's finest producers. They naturally provide a couple of collaborative cuts of their own - the spacey, late-night techno hypnotism of '11 Minutes of Funk' and the intergalactic deep house drift of 'Neo Solaris', while there are also top-notch contributions from Javontte (the warm, soul-flecked deep house of 'Late Night Love'), Marcellus Pittman (beatdown chugger 'Everybody Party'), Gerald Mitchell AKA Soul Saver (the incredible 'Kaori'), the Moodymann Kenny Dixon Jr ( 'I'm Goin' Back') and Omar-S (a tidy Godson remix of 'VAT 69').
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