Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: Brixton-based David Agrella returns after the success of his Baby Ford-remixed 'Modulo 02', with two tracks and a nifty remix of each to boot. 'I Felt It Coming' is a heady peak time track, with Underground Resistance-style drum machine handclaps and an addictive synth hook and all the suspense and drama of a Stephen King horror tale. Domenico Rosa's remix turns that frown upside down, converting it into a perky, cheeky and altogether lighter workout that nevertheless will keep feet on the dancefloor. 'Reflexion Nocturna' (Priori remix) kicks off the B-side with fizzling dub techno stealth, subtly embellished with a smidgeon of 'Funky Drummer' breakbeat, while Agrella's original closes proceedings with head down, echo-set Leftfield-style prog house skank. Not for nothing is this chap known as one of the techno scene's fastest rising new names.

Review: Alkemy's Come On EP, released on Mondo Groove from Italy, delivers a captivating blend of deep house with influences of Balearic and Italo house. Side-1 features the original version boasting a mid-tempo groove with a nostalgic 90s vibe and rich melodies. In contrast, the DJ Ralf remix injects a more upbeat and techno-infused energy, offering a futuristic twist to the original track. On Side-2, 'Cloud' presents a melodic and deeper journey into the realms of deep house, maintaining a danceable rhythm while delving into more introspective sonic territories. Meanwhile the GNMR Reworked version takes a leap into the future with its proto-techno sound and deep synth vibes, offering a refreshing and unique perspective .Alkemy's Come On EP demonstrates the artist's versatility and innovation within the deep house genre, providing listeners with four examples of quality dance music.

Review: Donna Allen's 1988 cover of Maze classic - a glossy, synth-sporting, decidedly loved-up 80s soul affair - is perhaps not one of her most celebrated singles, but it's still a genuine gem - and a fine alternative interpretation of a much-loved song. As you'd expect, this remixed edition looks firmly towards 21st century dancefloors, with popular re-editor-turned-remixer Dr Packer upping the tempo and reaching for disco-flecked house beats in a bid for peak-time plays. The Aussie producer's A-side vocal version is tasteful and undeniably club ready, making use of most of the original instrumentation while (we think) re-playing the bassline. That bassline comes to the fore more on the stripped-back (but similarly loved up) B-side 'dubstrumental' mix.

Review: Alma Negra steps up to Delusion of Grandeur to bring the vibes on this new 12" in a fancy die-cut and spot-varnished sleeve. The sounds are funky and disco-fried with 'Madrugada' riding on lavish horn leads and nice loose percussive beats. 'Funky Fever' ups the temperatures with some sleazy vocals riding on jangling and organic beats. 'Madrugad' then comes as a Yuksek remix that layers in more colourful synths and allows the steamy origin vocals to bring the heat and a dub mix closes down this party-friendly EP

Review: There's seemingly no end to the mind-blowing vaults of UK tech house titan Mark Ambrose. Even after the extensive three-volume run of reissues on Repeats, Rawax have found more of the South Coast legend's late 90s material that hasn't been reissued yet. Sharks be damned, the Cat Groove 12" is back within reach and remastered to bring the best out of the tracks. The title track is one of those artfully squashed, funk loop-riding jams that turns the heat up without any need for studio showboating - just the right ingredients. 'Floating Around' is a heady tripper crying out for the morning, while 'Hook Up' finds another soulful lick to place at the centre of a groove so crunchy it just has to come from an MPC. Hold tight for 'Warehouse Blues', which injects some nasty, pumping techno energy into the mix with a metallic bassline that comes on like Mr Fingers dipped in chrome.

Review: ARN4L2's first-ever solo vinyl project is a doozy. Across five cuts he looks to the dance floor from his own unique perspective and mixes up Congolese soukous, Colombian Bullerengue, Nigerian highlife, Caribbean soca, and good old house music. His style is colourful and psychedelic and it really is fresh across the hurried, skittish percussive rhythms of 'Rompecuero' and deeper Afro-funk and soul of 'Caribe.' 'Kampangola' brings great instrumental displays and 'Papasukus' is pure summer music. A super strong EP from an artist well worth watching this year.

Review: Keeping the house flavour bedded into minimal since the mid 00s, Audio Werner has long perfected a sleek, sublime style which maintains some 20 years in. On this new drop for Adam's Bite he's on superlative form, teasing out the most perfectly sustained double bass groove with just the barest of essentials for company on 'Deepozzarella' and then making everything sound so soulful in the process. 'Chordlift' opts for an airier tone, riding a more fractured groove that kicks tougher than most Audio Werner jams. 'Tension' completes the picture with the kind of subtly giddy roller which could truly take an afters in the stratosphere.

Review: The Stamp label is up to its 18th outing here and once again it is an irresistible coming together of club-ready grooves with well-chosen and well-worked samples. First up the essence of one of George Benson's most iconic cuts gets reworked into a smooth house beat with the guitar kicks, vocal inflections, claps and melodies all getting you up on your toes on 'Night' (dub). 'New York To Rio' then brings some dusty deep house grooves and impassioned vocals for a more upbeat kinda party. Hand-stamped white label business this, so do not hang about.

Review: Get yourself geared up for festival season with some fierce party starters certified with the Glitterbox stamp. Melvo Baptiste leads the charge with 'Sweat', a sizzling disco house stomper with Dames Brown giving the biggest diva energy on her show-stopping vocal. Lovebirds bring unbridled joy on the Philly string swoon and slinky b-line funk of 'Burn It Down', while Art Of Tones & Inaya Day keep it peak time on the sassy strutter 'Give My Love'. Young Pulse & Fleur De Mur complete the set with 'Smooth Sweet Talker', another bright and bold vocal cut par excellence.

Review: The brand new Hyperdrive label kicks off with a mix of the old and the new - some tracks made recently, some that date back to the 90s, all of them top quality. Liquid Earth opens up with the spaced-out synths and electronic house sounds of '1_HP_D' then Art Of The State gets a little more tranced out and cosmic on '2_HP_D'. Dan Piu's '3_HP_D' is a tech house exploration with wispy sci-fi leads and a playful rhythm then Luis Malon & Seb G combine for the turbo-charged tech of '4_HP_D.' The legendary Freddy Fresh closes down with a high-speed sound on '5_HP_D.' Says the label, "Hyperdrive is dedicated to preserving the rich history of electronic music," and on this evidence, it will do so expertly.

Review: In the past 15 years, Yore has established itself as one of the most celebrated labels in terms of consistency, quality and success. The label is brimming with talented artists doing their own take on the Detroit sound. The most recent is a collaboration between Elbert Philips and Andre Espeut called 'Tears' where it also gets some remix treatment to fill up Yore #49. The 'Acid Dub' remix gets granular with the groove. Deep and dubby, just how we like it, as is the piano towards the ending too. From there, you have other great versions. The 'Sinsay Reprise' highlights the vocal sample a bit more but has great building potential for any house DJ. The 'Loving Tribute Instrumental' is the straightest house approached version where the piano really takes center stage. Things close out with a broken beat version via the 'Andrew Emil Dreamix', meaning there's plenty to choose from. Depending on your style, know that this can bridge styles in any set giving it a versatility that is unmatched.

Review: German artist Purple Disco Machine is a studio wizard and something of a throwback - he manages to make tunes that are rich in musicality as well as having plenty of focus on the dancefloor. Each one brims with colourful hooks and catchy grooves and this new one 'Beat Of Your Heart' comes with delightfully soulful vocals from singer-songwriter ASDiS. It's got summer anthem written all over it such is the feel-good nature of the whole thing with both a club dub and instrumental also included for different settings. Bring on the sun!

Review: The super French crew Hard Fist have got a brilliantly twisted new Balearic record on their hands here thanks to the work of Shkema in both original and remix mode. He goes first with the deep, dubby and post-punk moodiness of 'Tas Malonumas' then 'Room Of Men Eaters' is a chugging deep disco cut with a fine vocoder vocal that brings some trippiness. 'Sarka Syrkaza' on the flip is another dark one with twisted metal guitar lines and rooted drum drums, then he remixes Afrodelic's 'Je N'Aime Pas Les Fetes' into a loose-limbed and percussive dub disco delight with filtered and freaky vocals.

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'.