Juno Recommends Deep House May 2020

Review: Four Tet is back with a new album of shimmering wonderment on his own Text label. As ever, it's the way that Kieran Hebden tugs at the heart strings so artfully that makes him so well-loved, and he's not holding back one iota as "Sixteen Oceans" opens up with the ineffably pretty "School". There's some advanced garage ruminations on "Baby", classic ambience on "Harpsichord", and so the eclectic and extremely soul-cleansing vibes continue across three sides of wax. In addition to this wonderful new album, Hebden has also held back the fourth side for a bunch of locked grooves so satisfying you could get lost in them all day.

Review: Moodymann's oeuvre continues to yield new gems on a yearly basis, but sometimes you've got to take it back to the classics. "Forevernevermore" was a landmark when it first landed in 2000, building on the promise of his earlier LPs to deliver an immaculate trip through the dreamiest corners of his idiosyncratic deep house vision. From the incantations of "Meanwhile Back At Home" to the early morning freak haze of "The Set Up", the quintessentially KDJ 'in-the-room' vibe of "The Thief That Stole My Sad Days" to the heavy edit funk of "Tribute" this is gold-standard Detroit house start to finish from one of the best to ever do it.

Review: Belfast boys Bicep have been surprisingly quiet of late, with this single-sided salvo marking their first new music since 2018. Apparently inspired by their globe-trotting DJ experiences of the past couple of years, the track is as vibrant, colourful and emotive as you'd expect, with the Northern Irish duo layering glistening, ear-catching synthesizer lead lines, drifting vocal samples, sunrise-ready pads and tweaked electronics atop a loose-limbed, breakbeat-influenced rhythm and rumbling bass. It's perhaps not as in-your-face as some of their releases, but it certainly boasts great dancefloor weight, as well as a blend of musical elements that tends towards the loved-up and glassy-eyed.

Review: Get some summer-ready house rollers in your toolkit courtesy of Chris Stussy, who is fresh from a sweltering run of 12"s on Eastenderz, Rutilance, Djebali, Robsoul and many more. This time the Dutch DJ and producer is stepping up to Archie Hamilton's label Moscow with the immaculate funk of "Wake Ning", the dub-inflected tech house delights of "Nunchi" and the heads-down bump of "Sonaris". With ear-snagging samples scattered throughout and an incredible sense of groove, this is going to be golddust to those who want to keep the vibe trucking on well past dawn.

Review: Second time around for Peven Everett's "Put Your Back Into It", which has become an in-demand record since it first hit stores 10 years ago. This official reissue replicates the track listing of the original pressing. Everett's original version is an undulating, soft-spun deep house delight, with the producer adding his own superb, soul-soaked versions to a backing track rich in shuffling, floor-friendly drums, warm bass and jazzy keys. On the flipside, remixer Quentin Harris gives the track a little more bass-heavy bump, employing slightly heavier drums and some rich chords, whist making more of Everett's impeccable Fender Rhodes work.

Review: For the latest salvo in their occasional "45" series of seven-inch singles, Brooklyn imprint Razor-N-Tape has turned to Pittsburgh boogie badman and boom-bap hip-hop maker Buscrates (real name Orlando Marshall). A-side "Main Thing" is a revivalist synth-boogie gem that breathes new life into a well-known tribute to "Mary Jane", layering the pitched-down vocal over what sounds like a fresh bed of synth-bass, colourful lead lines and head-nodding drums. Just as good is up-tempo flipside "F.T.F (Freak The Funk)", a vocoder-laden slice of deep electrofunk goodness that hits all the right notes. If you love synth-powered 1980s sounds, you need this in your life.

Review: Next up on the Politics Of Dancing collaborative label is Okain & Rowlanz, going up against Paris' finest for a thrill ride through the mean streets of minimal tech house. The A side track is crackling with electric energy - the beat is bright and forthright, the synths limber and expressive, with an oh-so tasteful dubbiness to them. The vibe is more noticeably heads down on the flip, as the space opens out and the sound palette goes more minimal to make room for a rubbery acid bassline. Both tracks have specific portions of the night in mind, but also sport flexibility in their make up that should see them gel with all kinds of classy club music.

Review: Tony Lionni continues to be at the top of his game. The former Berlin resident rocks up on Marseille label wewillalwaysbealovesong with the "Harlem Hustle EP", opening with the superb title track: a brilliant chunk of enveloping-but-energetic deep house workout in which chiming melodies and dreamy chords jostle for sound space with thickset synth bass, sampled bass guitar notes and bustling, peak-time drums. Mimid Jazeebo delivers a superb jazz-house remix, before Lionni returns with "Native Soul", a more sumptious, late night-friendly affair that will heat you through to the core. That gets the remix treatment, too, with Francois Dubois taking the track in a dreamier and more tactile direction.

Review: The second sampler for Rhythm Section International's fifth anniversary compilation has landed, and like its predecessor is packed to the rafters with must-check gear. Duke Hugh kicks things off with the short-but-sweet, Rhodes-powered soundscape "Zoe", before Research Club delivers some bubbly pitched-down acid ("Cafe Iguana") and Paula Tepe jams out some quirky proto-house goodness ("Panamericana"). Over on side B Jad Lee (as Jad & The) takes over with some deep, reggae-influenced breakbeat house, before handing the baton to Shy One with the deep, bruk-up dreaminess of "House Party". Session Victim provides a fittingly strong conclusion with the quirky deep house drowsiness of "Gheister".

Review: NAFF's latest glassy-eyed dancefloor workout comes from Housemates, a new production pairing comprised of established Montreal producers Adam Feingold (AKA Ex-Terrestrial) and Francis Latrelle (AKA Priori). In both its "Jersey Groove" and "Euro Groove" forms, "Soul Value" is colourful, tactile and deliciously loved-up, with snaking synth-sax lines meandering over a hugely positive and summery backing track. In truth, both versions sound like they drew much influence from both original Italian "dream house" and the early work of Dream 2 Science man Ben Cenac. The former influence floats to the fore on Lamusa II's irresistible "Exotic-Dream" mix, while fellow Canadian Florist serves up a thrillingly bass-heavy, breakbeat-laden revision ("99 Adrenaline Groove") that looks to early British breakbeat hardcore for inspiration.

Review: Here's something to get the blood pumping: a deserved single release for one of the undoubted highlights of Jovonn's 2018 album "Timeless", Casio Ware collaboration "Turnin' Me Out". You'll find the pair's original version - a bouncy, slick and deep workout featuring hybrid spoken/sung vocals from Casio Ware - tucked away on side B, alongside a throbbing "Dark Dub" by Jovonn that makes great use of a dirty analogue bassline and melancholic late night chords. The headline attraction that is undoubtedly the A-side revisions by Masters at Work man Louie Vega. He delivers vocal and instrumental takes of his "Expressions NYC Mix", both of which feature looser, more swinging drums, ear-catching Rhodes solos and lashings of jazzy new synths.

Review: For the latest missive on his on-point Wrong Notes label, boss man Reekee has temped Angela Tarrant AKA Angel-A back to the label following her fine lead vocal on Vick Lavender's 2019 gem "Cosmic Love". "Let Go" is an effortlessly soulful number, with Kai Alce's incredible A-side version, which features some additional synth solos and keys by regular collaborator Chris Irvine, delivering the kind of deep, seductive and rolling workout that should appeal to DJs and dancers beyond the soulful house scene. Reekee takes over on the flip, firstly offering up a jazz-funk-fired broken beat "Trumpet Mix" (it includes some fine trumpet solos from pal Francesco Fratini) before delivering a deep, spacey and woozy deep house take (the "Alternate Version").

Review: Last year, Confidence Man returned to action with a single that asked a simple question: "does it make you feel good?" The answer, of course, was yes, and it would be fair to say that this new set of remixes is equally positive in tone. Greg Wilson and Che Wilson handle side A, successfully re-imagining the track as a warm, dreamy and bass-heavy chunk of crunchy breakbeat house powered forward by a classic hip-house break. The mix is available in both vocal and instrumental variations, with the former arguably being the more impactful of the two. Over on side B, Mind Enterprises delivers a thumping, Italo-disco style take, while CC Disco and DJ Boring join forces on a chunky, forthright house mix that draws inspiration from 1990s US garage dubs.