Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: French label D3 - which when pronounced in French sounds like their word for Detroit - is a decade old and celebrates the milestone with a special three-part EP series. As has always been the case over that 10 year period, the sounds it serves up are deep and housey. This various artists affair kicks off with AsTreJinkins' slow and propulsive 'Terror' before some nice airy and live sounding broken beats from New Digital Fidelity. Moroka picks up the pace with some hi-tek soul that sounds straight from the Motor City and Byron The Aquarius shows off his mastery of the keys again with a dreamy deep cut 'Tua Su Ra'. Nico Lahs shuts down with a heavyweight beatdown in the form of 'It's Spelled BARI.'

Review: Barcelona mainstay Baldo originally released 'Ride The Night' as part of digital single Saturdays Come And Gone on Permanent Vacation in 2022. As a fierce and fabulous homage to Hi-NRG, it showed the most muscular, nocturnal side of Baldo's sound and the track took on a life of its own. Now the label have decided to give the track more prominence with this heavyweight vinyl remix package, which kicks off in style with a suitably throbbing workout from Red Axes before switching to the strutting big room style of Alex Neri. Jennifer Loveless zeroes in to the sensual heart of the track with a thrumming low end and a powerful command of the tension in the track, leaving it to Baldo's original to close the EP out in style.

Review: Way back in 1993, when his career was still in its infancy, Chicago great Roy Davis Jr donned an alternative alias, The Believers, and delivered a 12" on Strictly Rhythm: 'Who Dares To Believe In Me?' It was something of a club smash, with Ministry of Sound issuing it in the UK a year later with a swathe of new mixes. This Groovin' Records reissue boasts a trio of mixes from the original U.S 12". On the A-side you'll find the original mix, a warm, spine-tingling slab of piano-rich New York style house topped off by snaking, delay-laden saxophone lines and an inspirational spoken word vocal courtesy of Davis. Over on the reverse, Davis' own 'Just Living High Mix' - a breezier, jazzier and more colourful affair - is followed by Mind Readers' tougher, chunkier and heavier revision, which is in effect a proper dancefloor dub.

Review: The original only dropped last year but it soon sold out so here comes a reissue of this gem from Simoncino, known for his nostalgic house vibes, in collaboration with Benedek, a Los Angeles-based producer whose music blends atmospheric synths with elements of Balearic, proto-house, and deep boogie. The EP is a strong offering with standout tracks like 'Puffed Tribe' which combines Paul Simpson and Charles Webster influences, 'After Midnyte,' with its glistening guitars and glossy synths, and 'Badlands Oasis,' offering a more spacey and psychedelic vibe. Benedek's style bridges the gap between retro and futuristic, delivering a collection of tracks that evoke both nostalgia and anticipation.

Review: B2 Recordings rolls out more of its quality-assured deep house here with Label head Bengoa stepping up next for a new three-tracker that comes with featured guests Kristina Berger and Brothers' Vibe. 'Idyot' kicks off with deep and pulsing synths and clacking hits that bring an early Chicago vibe next to the libidinous and erotic vocals which really tease. 'Meet Me Halfway' sinks into a super silky groove that is deep as you like and driven by stylish drum hits under a muttered vocal. 'Come On Now' then sinks into a more acid-laced atmosphere with sustained chords keeping you on edge next to loose and jumbled percussion. It's a stylistically diverse EP, this one.

Review: No one knows who Black Fan is just yet so we shall go right to the music - this new EP on Quintessentials epitomises the label's vibe - raw, deep, fad-free house sounds for the heads. The artist has been releasing music for almost a decade on the likes of Local Talk and this label but really stands out with this one. 'I Know - I Am' is a chord-laced dancer with subtlety uplifting energy, and 'Deep Rotation' then pairs it back to lovely wooden drum sounds and clacking hits that are infused with gently warming chords. 'TE2' (Blackburn Warehouse mix) brings more spangled synth energy and a rawer drum sound that is perfect for flashing lights and sweaty dancefloors.

Review: We always love to hear from the Club Unite label because if nothing else it has our favourite catalogue numbering system of any label out there. The tunes are of course class too - old school house with a heavy Chicago influence. This various artists selection starts with the taught bass and spangled synths of Blak 'N' Orange's 'Feeling Real Good.' Black Chunes gets more raw and off kilter with the organ claps and clipped vocal cries of 'Don't Hold Back!' and then up the party with the piano bounce of 'Feel The Flow' complete with smooth and seductive vocal coos. Last of all, The Deep Music Agenda brings some US garage swing to 'That Crazy Thing'.

Review: We are not sure who Bobby Dreams and it looks like from the catalog number that this is the first release by All Nice records. So, we do not have much information or background on this release but we like what we hear! 'Creepin' has on a smooth deep house tip and reminds us of prime Larry Heard tracks. 'Let Them Know' has a sweet balance of Detroit and Chicago imbedded in its soul. 'After Hours' is fitting name for this late-night groove while 'Get Busy' adds an eerie mood to the sexy rhythm. Fans of 80s and 90s Chicago and Detroit deep house should definitely check this out.

Review: The first part of a two-part release for Sushitech's sub label Pariter, with Chicago second generation house hero Boo Williams joining the likes of Delano Smith and Norm Talley on the roster for 'Night Fall', the partner 12" to the simultaneously released 'Day Rise'. It features three tracks, all of which fit the mold of early evening classics. 'Acid Matrix' has an early Detroit feel to its raw machine handclap snares and panther-like, stalking bassline, while 'Deep Tech' might be geographically closer to late 80s, early 90s Yorkshire, a compulsive funkiness emerging from its bleepcentric soundscape. 'Service Chamber' is sleeker and more mellow, telephone dial tones spiralling off into the ether while tinkling, xylophone-sounded keys play hypnotically. Choice, quality material that will help any DJ to subtly pick the pace up as the sun falls.

Review: Boo Williams is in good company appearing here on Sushitech's sub label Pariter where he joins the illustrious likes of Delano Smith and Norm Talley in its ranks. You wait for a Boo Williams record and then, of course, two come along, 'Day Rise' being accompanied by the simultaneously released 'Night Fall', each with their own corresponding vibe. 'Day Rise' is definitely more upbeat of the two but it's a subtle distinction - it's certainly not full of 4AM bangers designed to keep you awake until the busses start running again. 'Talley Up' is a very straight forward affair, circling around a two note synth riff and gradually building percussion. 'The Take Over' is similarly spritely, another builder with crashing cymbals, jazzy chords and drum machine tumbles steadily building an insurmountable wall of funkiness. Breezy, bumping closer 'Teleport' completes the set, meaning three ultra-handy, raw but sophisticated tunes that house and techno DJs alike will find slipping into their sets with a natural ease.

Review: Given that he has been operative on the Chicago house scene since its earliest days at the dawn of the 1980s, it's perhaps unsurprising that deep house legend Boo Williams' latest EP pays tribute to the city that he calls home. Jamiel Patton lends his spoken word vocals to opener 'Chicago The Place To Be', a hybrid deep house/Afro-house affair piled high with musical details (think short, tight acid lines, woozy electric piano lines, spacey synths and so on), and companion track 'Chicago The Place', an effects-laden, early morning alternate take that's effectively a dub mix of that track. Elsewhere, 'One Hour' is a sparkling, melodically impressive deep house workout with added bleeps, while 'The Same Again' is a locked-in-but-bouncy workout rich in fuzzy synth stabs, sweaty drum machine fills and held-note chords.

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: Big Strick's 7 Days Entertainment welcomes the boss man's own off-spring Butterbandz and Generation Next to the label and both serve up a fresh pair of cuts. Butterbandz opens up with 'Perfect Numb' which is a deep Detroit house jam with signature dusty drums and menacing basslines. 'Rain Man' lifts its head with broad chord work swirling around a more suspensory house cut with steely tech drums. The same lovable lo-fi aesthetic defines the flip with Next's 'Roxbury' layering up piano chords and lush pads over crispy drums and 'Whatever Major Loser' then closes out in raw, punchy fashion. Acid lines and simple but effective chords take centre stage as the pulsing bass never lets up. Pure Motor City goodness all around.

Review: For many in underground music, the words Back To Basics mean only one thing - the chaotic and anarchic Leeds house party founded by Dave Beer. The GLBDOM label is slowly broadening out that definition though with this ongoing series under the same name. It's been good to date and this third volume doesn't disappoint with Manuold, Bress Underground, MacLO duo, Jon Billick and Scruscru all offering up their own takes on deep house. From the mid-tempo and cosmic to the more raw and punchy, via the loopy and the future-facing, it's a classy collection.

Review: Time to Attack the Dancefloor once more as we supply some heavy Disco & House weaponry. Featuring the brand new remix of Opolopo's storming 'Stroke my Disco' by dutch funkateers Fouk who double down on the Piano and Clav workouts for the peak time. Exclusive new material from Wipe The Needle who's 'Skyscrapers' track is a modern Jazz-Funk masterpiece, heavy on the flute and soulful bass. On the flip Dave Lee takes it back to '97 with his rework of Backroom Productions 'Classic Vibe' which sees him flex his house-ier muscles, re-arranging the classic elements and adding extra keys to this much loved underground tune. Finishing off the EP is Dave's remix of nu-soul diva Raquel Rodriguez, where he crafts Raquel's dynamic vocal delivery over chunky Disco drumming & soulful synths before letting loose into Roy Ayers-esque vibes finale!