Review: Oslo's A:G has been doing his thing successfully for some time, side-stepping expectations of music from his home city by delivering music that's frequently heavier and more mind-mangling. Here the Norwegian delivers the debut release of a new label, Nocturnal Expeditions, beginning with the restless acid lines, deep bass, vintage progressive house motifs and semi-bleeping lead lines of 'Beyond The Veil'. He opts for more stomping beats and LFO-inspired bass on the similarly psychedelic 'Patient Paradox', before reaching for rave piano stabs on the nostalgic excellence of 'First of 22'. Best of all, though, is closing cut 'Gone Full Circle', where ethereal melodiesm spacey pads and squelchy TB-303 tweaks ride a psychedelic house groove.
Review: What's that, a new year means a new label from Burnski? We'd expect nothing else. The man has more imprints than a beach has grains of sand, but importantly they all serve a purpose and all kick out killer jams. Mikasa starts with this lush and lithe prog house EP from Abdul Raeva. Stylish opener 'Cream' is a bouncy, feel-good and sleek electronic house sound for peak time fun. 'Helico' is laced with acid and 'Tex Mex' has psyched-out lines rising through the uplifting drums while 'Vanguard' shuts down with a percussive edge and a killer bassline.
Review: After their last outing 'Atomic' sold out, Acid Jerks are back on Refuge with more of their 303 fuelled madness. They have a tried and tested sound by now but who will ever grow tired of ragged acid house? 'I Get To Know' has it all - the prickly acid squelch, the splintered and wooden drums and the dark and menacing vocal over the top. It's perfect warehouse music. Dutchman Alden Tyrell then roughs it up a little more with his Chicago-indebted remix and Dick Johnson adds a little bounce to the drums and layers in some slinky hi hats for a more undulating sound.
Review: RFXN kicks off life with a new single from David Agrella which has seen early support from Ricardo Villalobos. First off he offers up his own Acid Mix of 'Perro Balearico' and it's a supple, deep and dubby track with liquid synths and prog chords that sound both retro and future all at once. The original is a more dreamy and spaced-out sound for 5 am sessions. On the flip is a more punch but still silky and warmly melodic remix from Mario Liberti before last of all, Gabriel Rai gets darker. His drums hit harder and the synths are moodier as he takes dancers down a late-night path of mystery and intrigue.
Review: Naarm-based producer Sam Alfred shows no signs of slowing down as we continue to be impressed by the material coming out of Australia right now. After releasing the energetic 'Suzuka' EP, completing a sold-out headline tour and playing a packed set at MODE Festival, he's now back with more full flavour beats. This one disk off with a real house anthem inspired by 90s club music with punchy piano, airy synths, and a driving cowbell rhythm. 'Care 4 U' has carefree garage house vibes a la salute, 'Keep It' brings some euro dance and trance energy and 'Distance' is a peak-time acid-laced pumper. Brilliant stuff.
Review: UK tech house legend Mark Ambrose is now back with a third volume of his The Journey series on Richard Davis' reissue label Repeat. The revered veteran crafted plenty of the genre's best and most unique sounds and you can revisit three of them now. 'Acid' is a slow, deep and meandering monster with rubbery bass and undulating 303 lines. 'The Ghoulash Monster From Outer Space' is a more dark and tribal, chunky and sci-fi sound with rich sound designs and eerie atmospheres and '5 AM' closes on a serene deep tech groove. Ricardo Villalobos, Sonja Moonear and Marcel Dettmann are just some of the names who have played these jams over the years, which is a testament to their quality.
Review: Aniruddha Das (DSPSSSSD) and Gary 'Roy' Stewart (Dubmorphology) have been collaborating since the mid '80s as Dubnoiz Coalition. While Das went on to acclaim as part of Asian Dub Foundation, Stewart is an experimental artist producing sound design and immersive works for the likes of Tate Museum. Back in 1990, they created some of their first tracks as Ani-Roy, mixing the early influences of acid house with their interest in drone and sound effects, the results being the improvised jams 'Tilt' and 'Fari 116'. They were pressed as very limited white labels, remastered and reissued some 30 years later here on Platform 23.
Review: Organ-filled ambient house courtesy of a four-way collab between AP, DJ Tjizza, Eversines and Michelle, who all form parts of the UK dance music collective Picnic. Refractive acid, dreamatic plastics, stoic echoics... every possible corner of trance-inducing dance heaven is scoured on this all-encompassing EP, the highlights of which, in our humble opinions, are 'Nyxation' and 'Panther'.
Review: Vibraphone Records kicks off its New Year with a mighty first release that pays great tribute to the city of Detroit. Basic Realities is the artist behind the originals and the first is 'B-9', a percussive, loopy tech roller with vocal sounds and dreamy pads drifting in and out of focus. Motor City icon Kevin Sanderson then steps up to remix and does so with more warm and surging basslines and thudding drum funk. 'Viento Lunar' then cuts loose on some inventive melodies and cosmic rays of energy that unfold over tinny beats and 'Endles Clouds' rounds out with some more dusty drums and nice spangled synths that surge through the cosmos.
Review: The second instalment of Stolen Goods' Back to Back series brings together two stalwarts of the scene: Italian veteran Lele Sacchi and Italo-Spanish beat master Bawrut. Known for their contributions to the electronic dancefloor landscape, both artists deliver peak-time bangers primed for club euphoria. Bawrut's track showcases his signature blend of retro-future rave, drawing on his extensive experience with labels like Life & Death and Correspondant. Meanwhile, Sacchi, with nearly three decades of DJ experience, infuses his production with funky deep grooves and killer stabs, epitomizing peak-time monster attitude. With nods to acid house and electro-techno, this release epitomises Stolen Goods' ethos of delivering messages From Clubbers to Clubbers, promising dancefloor ecstasy for discerning audiences.
Review: The third Bank of Switches release hears the effervescent Jake Beautyman flex some serious production muscle. We begin with 'Self Oscillating', a low-slung, late-night affair, channelling solid drums and sumptuous acid; the track is a nod to the deep, yet also keeps the energy rolling in shallower toppy waters, all the same. On the flip, meanwhile, comes the veritable squelch-out that is Steve O'Sullivan's remix, which veers on the harder edge of things yet in so doing brings out the energy further.
Review: Ali Berger has long been known for crafting soulful, dynamic house music whether through his label Trackland or releases on Spectral Sound, Clave House, Firm Tracks, and FCR. He also performs solo or with Davis Galvin as Hits Only when his unique touch always remains evident. This new 12" features four tracks that blend uplifting and introspective house vibes and it oozes class. Opener 'Sun Rising On Harmony' boasts an infectious bass line and melody, while 'Inside,' offers a classic acid house feel. On the B-side, you have the lovely 'Thoughts Like Light Snow' which delivers an alluring electro twist, while 'Mint Leaf' closes with a rich bass line and intricate details.
Nicola Brusegan, Camilo Gil - "Take A Groove" (6:27)
Nicola Brusegan, Camilo Gil - "Take A Groove" (Jorge Caiado remix) (6:12)
Review: Renowned producer Bodeler makes his mark on the newly emerging Minimal Brooklin label with a masterful display of minimalism on his A1 cut, then respected Argentinian Franco Cinelli remixes and delivers something immersive. On the B-side, Nicola Brusegan and Camilo Gil unite to create a soulful deep house track complete with lush chords and pulsating basslines, and this one is paired with a remix from Jorge Caiado that is sure to electrify dance floors thanks to his knack for crafting statement-making sound and pulsating acid vibes.
Review: A welcome return to action from Studio Barnhus boss man Axel Boman, who has been surprisingly quiet since the release of his excellent Luz/Quest For Fire double album in 2022. On the Space Drag EP, Boman showcases the depth, variety and imaginative eccentricity of his deep house productions to the full. For proof, check side A, where the ghostly, stab-happy hedonism of 'Acid Left and Right' - all bubbly TB-303 motifs, synth-strings, digital woodblock lines and repetitive bleeps - is followed by the druggy, dubby and percussively dense Latin house quirkiness of 'Forever Latino'. He throws in a fine curveball in the shape of 'Space Drag', where looped-effects laden Swedish vocal samples and woozy chords ride a tight kick-snare pattern and deep, warm bass, before closing things out via the picturesque breakbeat house deepness of 'Ohh Baby'.
Review: Chicago house artists don't come much bigger or more accomplished than Boo Williams. The man has a famous signature sound that is full of party but never short on class. His chunky drums are always the foundational element and they come embellished with superb synth work. This new EP on Pariter finds him lean into tech with the loopy acid squelches of '303 Effect' keeping you in suspense, 'Acid Smoke' layering soft 303 lines into a punchy deep house cut and then comes the EP highlight, 'Extension Time'. It's a zoned-out roller with tender piano chords turning you inwards for deep reflection as the rubbery drums keep things moving.
Review: Stefan Braatz's latest EP, Outlaw, on Nu Groove, showcases his timeless sound and genre-defying approach. With a career spanning three decades, Braatz is celebrated for his diverse expertise, blending old-school reverence with contemporary techniques. The title track, featuring vocals from Chicago house pioneer Harry Dennis, kicks off the EP with Braatz's signature synth energy complemented by Dennis's effortless flow. The following solo tracks further exemplify Braatz's defiance of genre constraints: 'Conversation' engages in a euphoric dialogue between synth strings and piano loops, while 'Dingy Thoughts' and 'One More Dream' delve into darker club territories with intense, pulsating rhythms.
Review: Felipe Bravo invites us back onto his patented journey into countless cosmic techno outer reaches with his latest addition to Unknown Milano's UNK series, marking their 21st so far. Opener 'Sputnikwave' riffs off the name of the historic Sputnik 1 spacecraft whilst presenting a sound that is otherwise unconscious in feel; we only get to a real sense of shuffle on the A2, 'Open Secret', when the acid lines begin to furl and skitter. Oh, and doesn't the B1 know the feeling; 'It's Never Enough' presents a muted call-and-responsive set of trance and acid lines, getting at the tired old feeling of insatiability (one especially rife in dance music), while, finally, 'Bilingual Animal' nods at the primal joys of straddling two languages.
Review: Analogue pressure from Bufobufo, who stops over in Japan for Cabaret Recordings after earlier international stints with Art Of Dark, Partout and Furthur Electronix. His second single for the label, founded by So Inagawa and DJ Masda, proffers a hypnotic blend, binarising the mood with the sliding melodes of 'Watercourse' and 'Armour Plated' with comparatively sparse and gritty perc-slaps of 'Wood Ant' and 'Cinnabar'. That strange but difficult-to-nail split between of hypnotic intrigue and immediacy is well and truly nailed.
Review: Steve Bug is going on 30+ years of writing electronic music and travelling the world as a top DJ with no signs of letting up. It Just Happened is his latest and finds its way to the legendary and iconic Nu Groove records. It must be daunting to release music on such an amazing label. 'It Just Happened' has all the makings of a classic worthy enough for the Nu Groove logo. Veteran Cle who has worked on many projects with Steve is featured here as well. For those that really know Steve Bug's background, they know he is equally involved in house music as he is with techno. Tracks like 'Crew Thing' show his ability to make a standout house track while 'House Music Transcends' closes things out with your hands in the air. We respect Steve Bug so much for his work over the years. When he is old skool mode like he is on this EP, you just have to say respect to the man. Respect!
Review: The Red Bul & Gyn label made a good impression with its first release and now the founders Thomas Bulwer and G Glynn step up with a second collaborative EP of fresh tech and minimal. 'Caffeine' is a shot of energy with its rising synth lines and dramatic sense of intergalactic space travel over a busy, acidic bassline. 'Like It Ruff' is an old school throwback with rap vocals and electro beats, then 'Acid Wash Conflict' is a thumping tech house sound with unsettling pads. 'Techno Talk' closes down with a mid-tempo electro sound and retro-future edge.
Review: Lefferis Kalabakas may have been making and releasing music as Lee Burton for the best part of 14 years - largely for labels like Raum Musik and Up The Stuss - but this tidy EP still marks his first outing on German giant Rawax. He starts in confident mood via energy-packed peak-time workout 'Party Crusher', where acid licks, Yorkshire bleeps and piano riffs rise above an early LFO-inspired groove, before opting for a mid-90s-MK-goes-psychedelic flex on 'Nismo'. Over on the flip, 'VOT' is a rolling, acid-flecked, organ-sporting slab of rushing dancefloor positivity, while 'Zero G' is a raging, TB-303 heavy acid-breaks roller.
Review: Fledging but already fine young label U.Dig out of Croatia is back with more final gold, this time from a master of the form in Alexis Cabrera. He kicks off with the mini-epic that is '1997.5', a real head-melting and elastic acid tune that is perfectly deep and rolling for the freaky afters. 'Straight Up' is more punchy and taught, with low-slung drums and crisp hits powering it forward. Last of all things get brilliantly unhinged on 'Microrama,' a kinetic and densely packed cut with flappy snares blaring synths, withering melodies and a true sci-fi feel.
Review: Erol Alkan's faultless Phantasy Sound is one of the most high-quality but musically hard to predict labels out there. British Ugandan DJ Josh Caffe has dropped a few killers here before and has a full length coming later in the year but first is 'Meine Lederjeans'. It's a slow-motion electro-funk cut which vocals that drip with Prince-style sexuality and soul. The Paranoid London remix then does what Paranoid London remixes do - bring the grit, grime and sleaze. It's a raw and frazzled remix with early Chicago acid-house vibes. A superb EP with two very different but equally standout tunes.
Review: Not everyone 'gets' house. First, there are those who dismiss it as mindless 4x4 schlock; then, even amongst those who ostensibly enjoy the moods that the genre lays down, there are still individuals who fail to appreciate the subtleties that glue the spaces between the beats, or the musicality that holds the tunes together as opposed the lacks thereof that might make them flop. Whatever the case, Calisto's Definitive Classic (TM) 'Get House' is an ahead-of-its-time house pioneers' artifact, coming as an early example of what some might call tech house, albeit nowadays most would simply assume is acid or breakbeat. Indeed, to truly be able to appreciate the differences betweem genres, you have to just, you know, kinda, just 'get it'.
Review: Carlita comes hot off the heels of a recent remix of Diplo's 'Don't Be Afraid' with a fresh EP for Life And Death. Tinged with inflections from Italo house to ambient techno, 'Bon Trip' and 'Run Run Run' are dreamlike trips through chordy syncopation and whirly vocal. By far the best aspect of this EP is the techno remix by Krystal Klear, which has a sprinkling of autotune that's been amped up to French house levels. A glossy and ear-piquing new EP.
Last Night (feat Harriet Brown - MAD vocal mix) (7:11)
Last Night (6:27)
Phone Sexting (5:23)
New Life (5:19)
Review: One-man dance music production line Tom Carruthers - a regular contributor to L.I.E.S and the man behind the admirable Nonstop Rhythm label - makes his bow on Make a Dance's M.A.D imprint. Fittingly, the fast-rising duo kick things off with their take on title track 'Last Night', delivering a vintage-sounding house cut featuring sublime lead vocals from Harriet Brown that sits somewhere between Frankie Knuckles' turn-of-the-90s productions and Larry Heard's late 80s deep house jams. Carruthers' gorgeous instrumental original mix follows. Over on side B, 'Phone Sexting' sees Carruthers blur the boundaries between proto-house and early Chicago jack tracks, while 'New Life' is a picturesque slab of deep techno loveliness.
Review: Data Sync is a sub-label of Non Stop Rhythm and now label head Tom Carruthers is back on it with more of his fierce techno explorations. 'Intel' opens proceedings with some taught synth twangs and stomping drum work that will bring physicality to the floor. 'Force Field' is a similarly stomping sound with bright bells looping up top and 'Syntax' is a raw percussive frother with acid run right through it. 'GS5' (re-edit) is another one with some fresh synth sounds bringing light to the physical low ends and 'Metropolis' gets snappy and jacked up while 'Recon' closes down with some tribal energy and bleeping 90s references.
Let It (Give Me Back My Love) (feat AbbieLee) (5:55)
Another Dawn (vocal mix) (5:07)
The Bassline (Kerri Dark mix) (7:09)
The Breeze (7:57)
Review: New Jersey house don Kerri Chandler is rightfully lauded as a hero of the scene. He continues to pour his heart and soul into every record and imbue his music with real-world emotions that elevate his tunes. He is of course a master of a deep but driving sound that borrows from soul, funk and jazz in ignitible ways. The third volume of his Lost & Found EP series on his own label Kaoz Theory is packed with more gold, from the slinky depths of 'Let It (Give Me Back My Love)' to the soul staring vocal work of 'Another Dawn' via more paired back sounds on 'The Bassline' (Kerri Dark mix) and the percussive energy of 'The Breeze.' Yet another essential Kerri 12" for your collection.
Review: (Emotional) Especial looks to the emergent producer that is Chez De Milo for a new EP that collides the energy of Glastonbury, historic echoes of the free party scene and the psychedelic electronics of Bristol and the West Country into four fresh new cuts here. 'Et Al' is a mystic late-night house cut with crisp hits and spooky synths keeping you on edge, while 'Gieser' is dark and paranoid as the churning beats and snaking leads tempt you into the shadows. 'Kremer' keeps you locked in a synth-heavy and transcendental suspense at the heart of the dancefloor with Egyptian folk samples and ethnic grooves and 'Thus One' is a razor-sharp electro closer.
Review: What is bad house music? Besides lazy non-objections like "it's a matter of taste", we'd go deeper and suggest bad house music is house music that doesn't respect the genre's roots (note: respecting should be defined in contrast to absolute loyalty; the two ideas are altogether different). Love Exposure's very own Chinichi shows an awareness of this distinction, laying down four tracks which only hint at the vibe of bumptious genre disrespect that some producers exhibit, without truly indulging it. "Bad" is defined secondarily here: "bad" as in devilish, seductive, charming. The title track and ensuers like 'Prog Power' and 'Do It' thus pump and kick, inducing extra fluttery come-hither eyes in the listener, by way of burly kicks, moreish trance elements and extra curvaceous synth hoots.
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