Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: Fusion Sequence is a new offshoot from the Mellophonia label that kicks off with a heavyweight release both literally - its 180g vinyl - and metaphorically. It features seven different artists offering up one track each on what is a widescreen exploration of fresh deep house. They are A Vision of Panorama, Eternal Love, Pool Boy, Wolfey, Laseech, Larry Quest and Jay Sound and between them everything from cuddly depths to more moody late-night deepness is covered on an EP that brings plenty of new perspectives. A fine inaugural 12", then.

Review: It's not often that jazz guitarists and bandleaders double up as DJs and producers, but neither is Nicola Conte the kind of person one often encounters. Here the Italian multi-talent proffers a new version of his latest spiritual jazz-house opus, Umoja. This record first came to be as a full-length 4x4 dance LP of serene, danceable tropicalias and sports-whistly whorls. They now come reincarnated, karmically re-endowed with the thermal force of an eagle, by way of an album's worth of reworks by the veteran producer's vim of fellow spiritual house height-scaler and abseiler, Joaquin Claussell. Whether invoking the exquisite voices of Stefania Dipierro or channelling the patent inspirations of Lonnie Liston Smith of Gary Bartz, Conte Conte-nues to propose endless Conte-nuations of his sound; all it takes is a little help from one's friends to evoke a sacred dance, a sonic world-spirit.

Review: The glorious Dobro label gets to double figures in fine style here with a new album that finds Iner both going solo and collaborating with Oiuna on four new cuts which then get remixed. The originals are summery, airy, organic worlds of gentle deep house rhythms, feathery synth melodies and gentle hooks that have a subtle future feel. The remixes rework the tunes for more direct vibes in the club with Frank Music label head Johannes Albert going first and then Crowd Control also stepping up. Great artwork, too.

Review: Sydney-to-Vancouver dance debonair Jack J presents Blue Desert, his second album for Mood Hut. Friends of the label will know J's sound - warming house musical pumps come deep future Balearics - and yet on Blue Desert, we hear the sound tempered by a newfound indie vocal performance by J himself, and that's not to mention its expansive tracklist-trajectory, which, when followed in full, details a head-hung but still hopeful tale of rue and recompense. Of the highlights, opener 'Wrong Again' opts for the true-blue choice of a DX7 organ blearily blent with an open chorded jangle guitar and a sequencer-gated trance line, as J muses on taking a past life too seriously; 'Down The Line' brings impressive Oort clouds of reverse reverb and desert new wave; and 'My Other Mind' even echoes Squeeze, as J continues to lyricise over misunderstandings and perspectival shifts on life. Sight of the dance is not lost, however; 'Pink Shoes (part III)' ends things on a gushing iso-stab, rendering the beach disco in clear-as-day clarity, just over the dunes, at the foreshore's end.

Review: A full nine years on from the generation-defining smash success that was In Colour, comes In Waves, the upcoming second studio album by former indie band heartthrob come electronic-music matinee idol, Jamie xx. We don't imagine that the success of In Colour is easy to top, so we don't blame Jamie for waiting almost a full decade to follow it up. That said, the lead singles on this one do a pretty good job of marking the album's shift away from the summer-jammy and/or sentimental electronica ballad focus of In Colour; 'Baddie On The Floor' and 'Life' verge on French house and future house in turn, and suggest something of a shift in interest for xx towards the faster ends of things. Jamie xx's intended aim, in releasing label Young's words, was to recreate the thrilling volatility of an 'almost mystical' night out, "one where you return home in the cigarette ash dawn, the specifics of the last eight hours already blurring, but aware that these feelings will remain a crystalline memory." We eagerly await the ensuing, full-length story of heartbreak and introspection promised by the remaining tracks.

Review: Jamie xx's long-awaited album, In Waves, marks the next chapter in the career of one of the most in-demand producers of his generation. With this release, Jamie replicates the emotional crescendos and thrilling volatility of a mystical night out, where memories blur but feelings remain crystal clear. In Waves is a melancholic paradise, weaving together bliss, heartbreak, and introspection. It tells the story of a journey merging into the divine pulse of shadows, light, and dance floor rhythmsia strobe light epiphany about humanity's illimitable possibilities and spiritual capacities. Nine years after his debut solo masterpiece, In Colour, Jamie xx has not only surpassed its heights but has also made all supernatural adjectives seem understated. This version of the new album is available on black & white vinyl triple album and black & white vinyl 12", offering a tangible experience to match its ethereal soundscape. In Waves is a profound, immersive journey that solidifies Jamie xx's status as a visionary producer.

Review: Jamie xx's long-awaited new album, In Waves, marks the next chapter in the career of one of the most sought-after producers of his generation. With In Waves, Jamie captures the emotional crescendos and thrilling volatility of a mystical night out. As you return home in the cigarette ash dawn, the specifics of the last eight hours blur, but the feelings remain a crystalline memory. In Waves is a melancholy paradise of bliss, heartbreak, and introspection. It tells the story of a journey where you merge into the divine pulse of shadows, light, and dance floor rhythms. It's a strobe light epiphany about the limitless possibilities and spiritual capacities of humanity. Nine years after his debut solo masterpiece, In Colour, the London producer has not only surpassed the heights of its predecessor but has also rendered all supernatural adjectives and analogies understated. Jamie xx's reputation for creating deeply evocative and transformative music is all found here, setting a new standard for electronic production.

Review: Red Ember Records main man Ewan Jansen may have been serving up dusty deep house and tactile dancefloor workouts since the late 1990s, but he's not released many full-length excursions. In fact, this outing Butter Sessions is his first longform release for nearly 16 years. It's a proper album, too, with the Perth-based producer using the opportunity to experiment with different rhythms, tempos and sounds whilst retaining his usual melodiousness and keen sense of atmosphere. Highlights include, but are in no way limited to, off-kilter opener 'Mussel Hustle', the acid-flecked, early morning dancefloor fever dream 'Kooka', the melodious electro sea breeze of 'Watertable' and the mid-80s Japanese synth-pop/electrofunk eccentricity of 'Proteus vs Yoshimitsu'.

Review: Earthly Measures and Multi Culti have teamed up to create the collaborative label Cult Measures. Their debut release is an 8-track album that blends deep, cosmic, and experimental sounds with Afro percussion and jazz influences into something truly fresh. This versatile album is designed for both home listening and peak moments on the dance floor, not least the opener 'Submarino' which is a jostling fusion of Latin sounds and vibrant percussive energy. 'Belafon Balafon' brings summery steel drums and 'PushMePullYou' is a dense rhythmic workout. With its rich textures and unique fusion of styles, this project sets a strong foundation for the new label, highlighting a commitment to innovative, boundary-pushing music.

Review: Jitwam is an already accomplished, beatmaker who brings even more goodness on this new album. It is a work that fuses totters samples and edits with plenty of live instrumentals and brings to mind plenty of peaceful moments during the busyness of everyday life. The album was years in the making we are told and was inspired by time he spent in London but also his adventures in New York City. There are some guest features from Melanie Charles and Akhtari and a mixture of processed vocals, heady soul sounds and lush jazz moves.

Review: California's Joe Babylon has been steering his own Roundabout Sounds through some lovely deep house waters over the last few years. Now the producer makes a big statement with his own debut album. He is something of a veteran having co-founded Plug Research back in 1994 and hosted underground events in Los Angeles during the mid '90s. Following on from outings alongside the likes of Rick Wilhite and Rondenion he now brings his own dusty, carefully disheveled house sounds to the fore. They have been crafted using an MPC which gives them their rough-edged appeal and they go from heads down back room joints to dubbed-out minimalism via dream late-night reveries. It makes for a fresh take on a tried and tested house template.

Review: Sean Johnston's A Love From Outer Space is a masterclass in mood and restraint. Over two LPs, it captures the ethos of Johnston's club night, favouring steady, low-slung rhythms and cosmic textures over high-energy peaks. The tracks are sequenced with care, creating a meditative flow that rewards deep listening. This is dance music for introspection, where each layer reveals itself slowly, embodying a philosophy that values depth and subtlety.

Review: Sean Johnston curates a compilation that feels as much like a love letter to a bygone era of cosmic and chugging dance music as it does a blueprint for the future. Across this translucent red vinyl double LP, he assembles a narrative that stretches from the dub-tinged grooves of Weatherall-inspired rhythms to rich, enveloping basslines rooted in the darker corners of the dancefloor. These selections capture the ethos of A Love From Outer Spaceinot a style, but a sensibility, where tempo slows and subtlety reigns. Rather than overwhelm, the tracks reveal their power gradually, layering textures and grooves with a painterly touch.

Review: We don't half love a bit of Steven Julien, the artist formally known as Funkineven. And this new EP arrives just at the right time as the days brighten, the sun heats up and cruising day-time funk, house and boogie blends are all you want to pump out of your retro 3 series with the top down. 'Time' has distinctly 80s flavours with its bright chords and beats, 'Ultra' is more heavy with a contemporary rap/trap edge and 'Up' is a raw house cut with swinging kicks. 'Wraap't' is another crunchy and loved-up 80s street soul sound then 'Lil'bit' and 'Ballad' close out with more neon pads and retro-future melodic sparkle.

Review: Steven Julien has been in his own musical world since he first started putting out beats. He blends everything from hip-hop and house to funk and soul in his always emotionally raw, frayed edge sounds. Because of that breath in his sound, the Londoner is the perfect candidate for a DJ-kicks mix and so it proves as he journeys from the sofa to the club and back again with tunes of his own next to jams from across the ages and the genres. Ryuichi Sakamoto, Brothermartino, My Girlfriend and more all feature in a well-mixed, well-programmed set that contrasts bright keys with dirty basslines, and boogie funk with more sleek machine rhythms.