Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: 'Follow Me' is the name of a stone cold house classic from Aly-us that you will likely know, but it is also the title of this superb cut from Alchemy. A sure 90s gem that has been wrongly slept on, it now gets a reissue from the MBG International Records archives and sounds superb. The drums are smooth and soft around the edges, the pads ripple through the mix to soulful effect and some subtle vocals coos provide the perfect finish. On the flipside is 'The Trap' which is a breezy, blissed out house gem with nice analogue drums that again take you right back to the 90s.

Review: Anane's soulful vocal delivery takes centre stage on her reimagining of this evergreen disco cut - originally crafted by Love Symphony Orchestra in 1978 - rebooted here through a series of new mixes from some massive house names. Dimitri From Paris delivers two irresistible cuts, his club mix a vibrant and energetic journey through classic house sounds, while his dub strips things back to a hypnotic groove. Masters At Work's 'Clap Yo Hands Dub' injects a dose of infectious energy, while Moplen's remix takes a more atmospheric approach, its swirling synths and hypnotic rhythms creating a mesmerising soundscape. Mousse T's 'Fantastic Shizzle Mix' adds a touch of soulful bounce, while Blackchild's remix delves into deeper, more tribal-infused territories. Two Soul Fusion's remix closes out the collection with a smooth and uplifting vibe, its soulful melodies and infectious groove leaving a lasting impression. A true classic reimagined through the lens of a host of diverse, talented producers.

Review: First released way back in 1990, 'Song Of The Siren' remains one of Ronald Burrell's most magical productions as Aphrodisiac - an atmospheric, poetic and genuinely tactile New York deep house classic that sounds as good in late 2024 as it did at the turn of the 90s. Nu Groove thinks so, because they've paired the track's most popular original mix - the gorgeous, lapping waves-sampling 'Mediterranean Mix' - with a trio of edits and reworks. Bushwacka focuses on the groove, chords and twinkling piano motifs, delivering a more DJ-friendly take smothered in echoing drum hits and delay-laden vocalisations, while Dazzle Drums opts for a jazzier and more trippy interpretation. As for the 'Gospel of Thomas' remix, it's warm, groovy, trippy and evocative, with fine use of echoing, marimba-style melodies and vintage garage-house drums.

Review: Earlier this year, legendary NY house label King Street Sounds was acquired by Armada Music. The Dutch imprint plans to reissue many of the well-known - and lesser-celebrated - gems from the King Street vaults in the months and years ahead. To kick things off, they've delivered this vinyl sampler featuring some of the stable's most admired cuts of all time. So, we get Dennis Ferrer's iconic remix of Blaze and Barbara Tucker's gospel-powered soulful house anthem, 'Most Precious Love', the 'King Street Mix' of Jovonn's legendary deep, bumpin' tribute to New Jersey's Club Zanzibar, 'Back To Zanzibar', Mood II Swing's hot and heavy 'moody club mix' of their own Carole Sylvan collaboration 'Closer' and the all-time deep house classic that is the Wamdue Black extended rework of 'Cascades of Colour' by Ananda Project. Simply essential!

Review: Ah, Hot Creations, home to the hippest house music that cites disco and 25 year-old club anthems as its inspirations. Here, label head honchos Jamie Jones and Lee Foss revived their Hot Natured project for a sweet stroll through smiley vocal house territory in the company of one-time electrofunk revivalist Ali Love. "Benediction" is good for what it is - a vaguely deep, pleasant Hot Creations record - but the real killer here is the remix of former single "Forward Motion" by crusty old US garage head Mark "MK" Kinchen. He recalls those glory days of tough but groovy MK dubs with a rework straight out of 1993.

Review: You will of course know if you are reading this that Nu Groove was a seminal New York house label that lay a blueprint for deep stuff back in the 80s and 90s. This fresh 12" serves up a third volume of label edits from various artists from across the spectrum. Metro's 'Turnstyle Turbulance' is tackled first by NiCe7 who brings bumpy drums, then Mark Broom's Vox Flanger Mixx of an N.Y. House'n Authority classic is a steamy jacker with lovely old-school vibes. Our favourite though is Asylum's 'Guitarz' (Honey Dijon & Luke Solomon edit) which is a nice mid-tempo workout with seductive claps and excellent hi hats.

Review: Rebirth's fresh new 12" is a various artists affair that looks back while striding forwards. It is full of the sort of bliss out, dreamy, soft-edge deep house that is perfect for the warmer months and outdoor dances. Paolino & Gianni Bini lead the way with the effortlessly hazy and lush feeling 'Love' (Classic mix) while Sasha's 'Key To Heaven' is a perfect prog house tune that harks back to the heyday of Renaissance. Paramour & Adrian Morrison then link for the more dark and driving 'Transmutation' which has train track drums and suspensory chords always building but never bubbling over. Open Spaces run out with the widescreen and chunky dub house of 'The Far Side Of The Mood.'

Review: The genius of Nu Groove's ongoing 'Edits' series lies in the quality of its subtle 21st century tweaks of classic cuts from house music's golden age. You'll find plenty of fine examples of this on the latest instalment, volume four. Check first Nice7's bumpin', bass-heavy and organ-rich take on The Sound Vandal's 1991 gem 'Tonight's The Night', which the producer has successfully stripped-back and subtly beefed up, before admiring Hugo Massien's bleeping, tech-tinged remake of the Burrell Brothers' N.Y Housin' Authority classic 'Apt 2A'. You'll find tweaks of two more Burrell projects on the flip: a pleasingly driving Mak & Pasteman edit of the techno, acid and bleep inspired Utopia Project cut 'File #3', and a blissed-out, chugging and saucer-eyed Honey Dijon and Luke Solomon rub of A.B.T's Donna Summer sampling 'Luv 2 Luv U'.

Review: In the mid-90s, Lee Rodriguez, known as Mr. Onester, produced some of New York's most iconic, gritty house tracks. Collaborating closely with Steven John Craden, Rodriguez's music embodied a raw, Afro-Latine essence that reflected the culture and vibrancy of working-class New York, yet managed to strike chords far beyond. His sound, from hypnotic organ basslines to jazzy synths, stood out amid the polished vocals and pop appeal dominating dance floors at the time. The duo's prolific output spanned numerous aliases, genres and labels, carving a unique space in house music's golden era. After the release of his masterpiece, however, Rodriguez vanished, leaving only his legacy and a tantalizing mystery behind. Now reissued once again to meet the demand, this album continues to get noticed and find itself into the hearts of all who hear it.

Review: Second time around for eccentric Sheffield trio The All Seeing I's sole full-length excursion, 1999's Pickled Eggs & Sherbert, which here lands on vinyl for the first time.The album, a celebration of Steel City creativity featuring cameos from Cocker, Tony Christie, Babybird and the Human League's Phil Oakey, is best remembered for hit singles 'The Beat Goes On', 'Walk Like a Panther' - lyrics reportedly penned by Jarvis Cocker - and 'The First Man in Space', but there are plenty more highlights amongst the unique blends of fractured dancehall rhythms, redlined electronica, oddball easy listening references, experimental d&b rhythms and genuine leftfield pop nous. For proof, check out blissful acapella number 'No Return' (where Lisa Millett plays a starring role), the breathless, bass-heavy house of 'Sweet Music', the weighty madness of 'I Walk' and the exotica-goes-big beat flex of 'Happy Birthday Nicola'.