KAI ALCE Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Atlanta house head Kai Alce is the centre-point of his local scene, but also a revered artist worldwide. His NDATL label is a gold standard when it comes to deeper grooves and now it reissues a remastered version of his The Floating EP. They cuddly depths of 'Feeding' immediately sink you in and 'Decay' then showcases Kai's unique drum programming with a real sense of skip and funk. The title tune has percussion draped organically over lush keys and soulful vox and 'KZRC Time Dub1' is another fine fusion of jazzy keys and louche beats.

Review: If it's high-grade, musically rich deep house you're after, Kai Alce's latest three-tracker - his first solo 12" for almost three years - should be on your radar. A-side 'Heaven' is a typically groovy affair in which deep Rhodes chords, soulful vocal snippets and mazy synthesized trumpet solos dance atop a warming bassline and typically bustling, well-programmed beats. 'Luv Fantasy' is deeper and chunking, with heavier bass and sweatier drums sparring with sustained synth-strings, atmospheric organ chords and ear-catching melodic motifs, while 'Stars' sees him doff a cap to the mid 1990s sound of Kerri Chandler while breaking up the beats impressively.

Review: It's been a quiet year for Kai Alce, but finally the Atlanta house hero returns with a new pair of tracks that will surely satisfy any fans of his instinctive, expressive take on club-ready deep house. This latest drop comes on Sounds Of The City, which has also supported the likes of Walt J and Brian Harden. "Just Wanna" is a sure and steady workout peppered with woozy chords and a nagging vocal lick, but "Movin Thru" is surely the record's stand-out moment. With just the right balance between the edgy chords and the rounded bassline, it's a simple cocktail that plays to Alce's strengths perfectly.

Review: Detroit house hero Kai Alce inaugurates People Of Earth with a stellar EP showcasing his knack for the most soulful of modern, Motor City deep house. First up "Quiet Revenge" has that classic Three Chairs kind of vibe; all soulful deepness that this circle and their extended cast of peers have the knack for, complete with smooth Rhodes piano and dusty rhythms. On the flip "Sunday Transit" is a more straight up deep house jam with female vocals shouting out the lowdown loud and clear; wicked groove on this one. The dub version of this surpasses the vocal for those less keen, but why would you! Great start for a label with serious potential.

Review: YES! We hadn't heard anything from Detroit's Kai Alce in a while so it's an absolute joy to see him back on our shelves and doing what he does best. This, of course, is a reissue of the "Dirty South Dirt" anthem that came out as a 7" on Omar S' FXHE label a while back but it hasn't been around for a while and some of us still hadn't picked up this absolute gem! Slow-building percussion and funky yet minimal melodies make up the track, and you also get a string-heavy version, too! On the flip, you have "Late Night Theme" and the bumpy "Work The Dub" to swing you from side to side. Highly recommended and downright essential.

Review: Big release here for the Kolour Limited series who've scooped up three feel good house cuts from NDATL Music boss Kai Alice. Based around a self explanatory vocal motif "Ahh!" is the sort of euphoric house track you can drop mid set and stand back and watch as a sea of arms are raised in response. The deft track titling continues apace on "Be-Bop" where skat vocals are the perfect accompaniment to the deep chord progressions and metallic percussion, whilst the B Side plays host to just the one track in "Spring (KZR main)" where Alce gets funkier than a mosquito's tweeter thanks to some psychedelic guitar licks, chiming pads and refined 909 sequencing.

Review: The "Broken Headlights" EP, by Kai Alice, features three cuts of the purest, rough and ready, deep, abstract house music from one of the scenes up and coming producers.

Review: Kai Alcé is an Atlanta-based DJ and producer with previous releases on Track Mode (including a collaboration with Ron Trent), Late Night Essentials and KDJ/Moodymann's Mahogani Music. Over a short run of releases Kai has quickly established a raw, soulful sound, combined with a refreshingly loose, experimental approach to his productions. "Corner Manuvers" is a dark & dusty, brooding piece with distorted, moody spoken vocals. "TO"s Track' has a lighter atmosphere and combines rolling layered percussion with clipped vocal samples and smooth minimal jazz chords. Born in New York, Kai Alcé spent his early years on the Caribbean island of St Croix. His parents moved back to NY just in time for Kai to experience the birth of hip-hop, a movement he associates with the beginning of his relationship with music independent of that of his parents. After moving to Detroit in 1980 Kai began listening to influential radio DJs The Electrifying Mojo and The Wizard (aka Jeff Mills). When The Music Institute opened in Detroit in 1987, it quickly became the city's premier underground dance music location. Kai began working there at the age of 16 and subsequently witnessed the evolution of house music through DJs Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, D Wynn, Alton Miller and Chez Damier. After completing high school, Kai moved to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College. He began DJing at Club Velvet while still attending college and for several years was the main resident at Deep, Saturday nights at MJQ Concourse. At the same venue Kai developed a direct link between the South and his Detroit roots by creating Deep Detroit House Sessions, featuring the likes of Chez Damier, Alton Miller, Brett Dancer, Moodymann, Mike Huckaby and Theo Parrish.

Review: Underground and Black is the name of Detroit via Atlanta artist Ash Lauryn's well regarded blog, as well as being the title of her breakout 2023 tune alongside Kai Alce via his much hyped limited NDATL Special Edition. It has been played by tons of DJs all summer long and it arrives back on vinyl with mixes and remixes from another Atlanta native in the form of Leonce. The dubbed out and dusty deep house original, which shouts out all of Lauryn's influences, appeared first, and here comes a smooth dub before the percussive and lively Leonce Vocal Remix and a fleshy vocal dub. A super package - house doesn't get more authentic.

Review: One for the heads here on Body and Deep outta Holland. First out of the blocks is Atlanta house mainstay and a master of smooth and seductive sounds - as well as being the NDATL label boss - Kai Alce. His 'Dreamin' is a timeless classic with cuddly organ chords neatly draped over shuffling drums while a distant male vocals brings the subtle soul. UK vet Alex Arnout then dips down into pad laced after hours territory and Alfonzo Bottone layers up sunny synths, broken beat drum work and jazzy chords on 'Mindfully'. Javonntte's 'Too High' is a typically classy vocal house groove with some fine samples making it sure to pop right off in the club.

Review: Kai Alce's faultless NDATL label brings us more goodies direct from his base in Atlanta, which might be best known for its rap but also packs a punch when it comes to house music. This one is from Rasheeda Ali, a new name that might be familiar to anyone who heard Kai's 'Sheed's Move' tune from a previous EP. She has also been on stage with none other than Jeff Mills and here her flute skills come to the fore with production from Kai. 'Libra Ascending' has a snappy bounce, then 'Sheed's Rising' showcases Rasheeda's gymnastic flautist abilities. A fine debut.

Review: Short Attention has more than grabbed ours with its first two EPs and this third one keeps up that good early form. It's a heavy-hitting mix of pivotal house talents starting off with prolific Windy City player Boo Williams. The big man's 'Transformation' is a smooth and chord-laced house roller that has a more reflective vibe than his usual party-starting offerings. Atlanta don Kai Alce's 'Love Exists' is a heartfelt house romance then the long-time partnership of Owen Jay & Melchior Sultana douse us in star-gazing chords on 'Soul Expression' that leave you feeling refreshed. Hector Ram's 'Morning Sun Vibes' then uplifts with beautifully gentle piano chords.

Review: With the new cycle of transformation that the change in the ancient Mayan calendar has supposedly brought, it seems fitting for NDATL to release a track namechecking a lost Mexican civilization. "Olmec Save Us" sees R&B powerhouse Donnie on vocals, while NDATL boss Kai Alce provides production; characterized by a typically classic style that nevertheless feels fresh, its high-end synth tones conveying the weird and otherworldly sense of Donnie's strange tale. On the flip, Osunlade provides his "Yoruba Soul Mix", providing a slightly deeper version of the original which provides a nice contrast to Alce's jazzier original. Instrumentals of both tracks are included for those who like their tracks sans vocal.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Finale Sessions presents a new series of releases from the vault on 10" format. This first release pairs two bonafide legends in the shape of Fred P and Kai Alce, both known for their incredibly accomplished takes on house. Fred P's "Ram" is a deep excursion into pulsing chords and delicate atmosphere, while Kai Alce's "Scene 1" is a raw, acidic affair for peak time sets - both are essential cuts.

Review: Omar S teams up with Atlanta based producer Kai Alce for this killer new 12", with the FXHE boss openly suggesting the second B-Side offering is 'ringtone worthy'! The Jive Time EP features three original productions - "Not Phazed", which takes up the whole A Side, while the EP's dancefloor-friendly eponymous track shares the flip with ambient house track "Incognigro". Alce, a Detroit native who now resides in Atlanta, has had a fine year, releasing a tidy little 7" on FXHE back in April as well as a collaborative EP with Englishman Phil Asher and Atlanta vocalist Kayenne. Killer release.

Review: Back in 2014, Patrice Scott gathered together a quartet of tracks from friends in the house and techno community and whacked them out under the Genesis Tracks banner. This belated follow-up repeats the same recipe for success, once again showcasing four cuts from big-hitting artists. Scott steps up first with the swirling, dreamy, intergalactic deep house bliss of "Seasons Change", before boogie revivalist Reggie Dokes joins the dots between analogue deep house and synth-funk on the sublime "The Baptism". Flip for the metronomic, riff-heavy deep house pulse of "Gossamar" by Eric Cloutier, and a killer, up-tempo analogue deep house jam from the hugely talented Kai Alce.