Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: There's a certain brand of 4x4 deep house that utterly slapssss. And that's exactly the business Toolroom Records are in - they're simultaneous experts at throwing us back to the sprawling garage paradises, while still lending modern, buildup-drop flairs to their productions. This V/A 12" sampler from a wider comp shows off choice buts from label mainstays, Essel, Guz, Qubiko, et al., showing off the best of what Italy's poppy deep house scene has to offer.

Review: Toolroom Records are partly responsible for the recent upsurge in jackin' deep house in the early 2020's; this sampler record, the second in their compilations EP series, serves as yet another tour of their grand new deep house estate. Delusions of grandeur are expressed on 'You Are A God' - which, for a track so deitylike, measures itself with rather a lot of restraint - while 'Talking To Myself' contains a vocal sample that is so mouthy and infectious that we really are beginning to believe ourselves to have been possessed by Metatron. 'Mallet' swerves into tribal territory, while ESSEL's 'Try' could be a contender for dance-chart-topper, assuming its piano weaponry is effective enough at swaying the radio pluggers. Joyous stuff.

Review: Fad-free French house label Skylax has always done its own thing, and always to a great reception amongst serious heads. This new one from Quasar is an impossibly perfect mix of physical drums and heart-aching vocal hooks. The pitched up female vocal conveys such bittersweet pain it doesn't matter the words she sings as you're immediately drawn in for the ride. 'For Your Love' is another hugely emotional cut with floating breakbeats and nagging vocals that really get you where it hurts. 'Morning Bells' is a deep house cut with a spritely groove and blissed out vocal, and 'Inside My Love' closes with more heavy analogue drums but no less of a heartfelt sound thanks to the melancholic pads.

Review: More house heat here directly from the home of the genre, namely the Windy City, courtesy of Chicago Vinyl. As soon as the first bar unfolds it oozes Mid-West house charm - the warm, soft-edged chords over the deep but driving beats complete with a nice light percussive sprinkle. 'I Need To Feel It' has a more laidback and soulful vibe with funky bass riffs and swirling pads. 'Let Em Blow' then rides on more elastic basslines that plunge down low and has colourful synth up top. 'The Weight Of Dependance' has a chunky feel with bold bass notes taking centre stage next to rising chord work and organic hits.

Review: PIV Limited is one of those white-hot labels that has its own universe of artists, dedicated fans, and even parties soul in places like Ibiza. The vibes are rooted in house with a slick future feel. Dennis Quinn is behind this new one which has a serious nod to the deep house don Kerri Chandler on opener 'Treat You Right (feat Cheshy)' with its bulky kicks, chord vamps and diva vocal. 'Impressions' has a more heady and blissed out feel with sunny chords and Roy Ayers style vibes. 'Touched' brings some raw, heavy house sounds for the warehouse and a Classy dub mix of the opera brings things to a sweaty close.

Review: Dutch producer and DJ Dennis Quin takes things into his own hands once more here with a new EP of rock-solid house grooves on his self-titled label. These are tracks that are well-informed by what has gone before but is never too slavish to house history. They follow on from big outings on the likes of PIV, Cecille, Defected, Jerome Sydenham's Iconic Ibadan and Kaoz Theory (he has also collaborated with Kaoz boss Kerri Chandler) and feature the swinging bulk of 'Temptation', busy drum breaks of 'Ascending', dark energy of 'Odyssey' and sleazy vibes of 'Love Fiyaa.'

Review: Beeyou Records proudly presents False Promises, a captivating EP from Dennis Quin, a renowned artist known for his timeless, soul-moving house music. The A-side kicks off with 'Reactivate,' a high-energy garage track that immediately captures the listener's attention with its punchy basslines and crisp percussion. Following closely is 'Diamond Hunting,' a bumpy 4x4 track that is guaranteed to get any dancefloor moving. On the B-side, Quin offers a more introspective sound with 'Accidentally,' a track that blends classic house grooves with playful modern production. The EP's title track, 'False Promises (Original Mix),' is a standout, featuring a lovely vocal and vibrant house energy. Finally, 'Well Conducted' showcases Quin's versatility with its downtempo, chilled vibe. False Promises is a must-listen for fans of house music. Quin's talent for creating timeless tracks is evident on every track on this EP.

Review: Last year, Quiroga (real name Walter Del Vecchio) returned to Hell Yeah! Recordings with an impressive dose of TB-303-laden dancefloor psychedelia, the superb 'Acid Dropout EP'. 'French Kiss', the title track from his latest EP for the popular Italian imprint, is a more immersive, warm and hazy affair, where sweet female vocal snippets, warming Rhodes riffs and dreamy electronics rise above a shuffling, mid-temp deep house beat and organic-sounding bassline. His trademark acid lines naturally feature on the accompanying 'Baia Club Ambient Version', a shuffling breakbeat affair that takes cues from Italian 'ambient house' (IE dream house) rather than beat-free soundscapes. It is, though, genuinely superb. Turn to the flip for two bonus cuts: the vintage Jazzanova-esque broken house brilliance of 'Ask Coppede' and the deep, Balearic-fired electro shuffle of 'Cala Ventosa'.