DANOU P Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Jamie 3:26's label welcomes Danou P, a fast-rising Rotterdam artist he has been mentoring for some while. And the new school talent doesn't disappoint with a selection of truly deep house sounds in a couple of different styles. The first is all bottomless depths, dreamy moods and escapist pads that are unhurried and mediative. The second, 'Jazzy Dummy' (feat Kems Kriol), is more party starting with its playful distant sax sounds, lively vocals and leggy drums, then the third, 'So Fruit,' is heavy, hard-hitting deep house with superb flute leads that echo the great St Germain track 'So Flute'.

Review: There's much to admire on this first collaborative EP from Rotterdam dwellers Jamie 3:26 and Danou P, not least epic A-side workout 'Roy Layers', a warming, drowsy and musically expansive deep house tribute to Roy Ayers. A genuine epic that stretches out for 13 magical minutes, the track boasts a variety of spacey, jazz-funk style synth solos and expressive vibraphone workouts rising above an organic, laidback deep house groove. Over on the reverse, 'Bushman B' sees them pepper a tougher, locked-in and fiendishly sub-heavy house beat with excitement and energy-packed Hammond riffs, while 'Rug Burn' is a sweat-soaked, disco-sampling beast packed to the rafters with gospel organs and thumping kick-drums.

Review: Since moving to Rotterdam a couple of years back, Chicagoan DJ/producer Jamie 3:26 has begun serving up some seriously good original music, usually in cahoots with local lad, wizard keyboard player and fellow producer Danou P. The most eyebrow-raising cut here is a more surprising collaboration with UK legend Mr Scruff: the wonky, analogue rich, Ron Hardy-goes-to-Manchester style wayward house brilliance of 'Scrubb It'. Danou P replaces the Ninja Tune stalwart on the EP's two other cuts, both of which are excellent. Check first the immersive, dreamy, synth-smothered deep house hypnotism of 'Love Not', where Danou P's keyboard skills and musicality work in perfect harmony with the Chicagoan's dancefloor instincts, before admiring the more Brazilian disco-influenced elasticity of 'Earl Montana'.