Back catalogue: House

Review: Plenty of neologistic fun can be had with the work "break", but we must admit that "breakflow" is a new one on us. Lisboa produtor b0n impresses such sonic and titular genii with a new, green-goo-hued four-track EP on Portgal's fantastical Magic Carpet label, spanning clean future progressive and garage-acid tempos. The title track and 'Sasha Palomal' only tease the unortho-breaks with tricky garage beats and straighter but admittedly still formative breaksteps; it's only by the point of the B-siders 'Positive Morph' and 'Fractures' that any such fluvial breakbeat is properly put back together and course-corrected. Be warned, the latter track moves through the nicely rare variants of freestyle and "electrance"; careful not to dance yourself to breakdown.

Review: There's an abundance of crafty, ear-snagging gear coming out on Telomere Plastic these days and the steady stream of VA releases are a handy window into some of the freshest operators in the more creative ends of minimal tech house. Baenglund is having a jolly time of it tweaking out the freaky synth riffs on 'Funk Inspector', while Aspetuck creates a teasing, strung-out after hours sound which tips towards electronica on 'As The Fog Rolls In'. Anderson brings a little trance influence to the crooked groove of 'Aquabound', and Watch Patrol softens the edges with an acidic bubblebath on 'Wandering In The Garden'.

Review: A releaser that crackles with an energy that could only emanate from the shadowy corners of the Swedish electronic underground. Anna Kohlin, label co-head and architect of hypnotic soundscapes, guides us through a diverse sonic landscape, her own 'What Time Is It?' leading the charge. Built from the evocative textures of the Roland JV-1080, it shimmers with a sunrise glow, ethereal pads interweaving with delicate melodies. Kohlin, a master of contrasts, doesn't shy away from the shadows, injecting her creation with sharper, dynamic elements that add a touch of grit to the dreamlike atmosphere. Eric OS throws down a challenge with 'Timeout', a sonic time capsule that transports us back to the early 2000s. Analogue warmth collides with the raw energy of digital sound, vintage synths intertwining with crisp beats in a nostalgic yet undeniably fresh sonic tapestry. Baby Rollen, armed with a looped double bass sample and the crisp snap of a 909, crafts a hypnotic groove with 'TwentyTwenty Home'. A warm 303 bassline snakes through the mix, adding a touch of acid-tinged euphoria to the already infectious rhythm. Basement Space and Mans Glaeser, never ones to shy away from the unconventional, deliver 'Space Glaezer', a sonic maze that twists and turns through intricate textures and unexpected rhythmic shifts. Kohlin's curation is nothing short of masterful, showcasing the diverse and ever-evolving landscape of the Swedish electronic music scene. Inside Out 002 is a testament to the power of electronic music to transport, inspire, and defy expectations.

Review: Brooklyn is not often somewhere you think of when it comes to minimal, a sound more usually associated with European artists these days, unless of course, you're talking about early US originators like Dan Bell and Robert Hood. This release suggests that view is wrong with a trio of classy cuts. Mike Berardi's 'Helicopter Ride' is lively and jazzy and rides a nice broken beat. Samuel Padden's 'String Theory' is more icy and paired back to a minimal cosmic trip and Jay Tripwire's 'Floorboards' a wonky late-night charmer.

Review: With a CV that includes releases on Skylax, Berg Audio, Raum Musik, Constant Black, Infuse and, most recently, Aku, Nick Beringer is one of the European tech-house scene's most reliable and storied producers. It's little surprise then to see him showcasing his wares on Maik Yells' Movetone Wax imprint. The Berlin-based producer impresses on both original cuts: the deliciously spacey, funk-fuelled tech-house shuffle of 'Shortcut', where intergalactic bleeps, immersive pads and rubbery bass catch the ear, and the more percussive, driving and mind-melting tech-house wonkiness of the electro-tinged 'Broken Bit'. Remix-wise, Tommy Vicari Jr slickly re-frames 'Broken Bit' as a sub-heavy dance through classical tech-house territory, while Pascal Benjamin adds warmth and the swinging shuffle of UK garage to his wonderfully starry interpretation of 'Shortcut'.

Review:  Billus is a new name to be emerging from the Melbourne scene and here he shows his mastery of groove and percussion. There is a real lightness of touch to the breakbeats of the opener 'Cubic'. They mean you instantly take flight and drift through the skies next to pillow melodic clouds that cast your mind adrift. It's deliciously deep and colourful stuff. 'Shifting Sands' is another mix of suspensory chords that pan all around and bubbling, percussive drums that are hard to define. 'Splay' sinks into a watery world of dubby chords and skeletal but compelling beats and 'Under The Canopy is melodic minimalism of the highest order.

Review: It's often a challenge to find dance music as jovial and goofy and as this, but this charmer from Lisboan musician Rory Bowyer has for once mitigated our need to seek it out. Janky and angular in their formation, the likes of 'Crunching Numbers', 'Bob's Your Uncle' and 'Horizontal Horizon' evoke the feeling of revisiting Kraftwerk's Computerwelt with 21st Century eyes. Simple melodic progressions (bloop style), pff-ing snares and nimble 909s render this 12" an unmissable cop.

Review: Brako continues to go it alone with self-titled releases on a self-titled label, and why not? When the tunes are this good you don't need the extra boost of a big name label. There are just two of them on this punchy EP, the first being 'Bandit' which has a snaky bassline and loose-limbed groove. It is run through with spaced out pads, gurgling cosmic lines and silky hooks that are finished to perfection with a great neo-soul vocals. On the flip, 'Police' is a more dubbed-out and stripped-back tune with elastic rhythms and heady pads. Great work.

Review: In the summer of 2023, Upgrade Records launched via a nostalgic, party-starting EP from the previously unheard artist In 5 D (likely an alias for someone a bit better known, but don't quote us on that). For the label's return, long-serving DJ/producer Buckley Boland (best known for his releases on Made To Play, Black Riot and One Records) is the man at the controls. What he's delivered is a nostalgic, sample-rich affair that combines the angular wonkiness and mind-mangling noises of early-to-mid-2000s tech-house with nods towards vintage acid house, electro-house and the hard-to-pigeonhole house filth of the (long gone) Music For Freaks label. Basically, it's all fun-time, party-starting fare, with the bump-and-squelch of 'Daft Sandwich', the bustling brilliance of 'Nude Night' and the break-sporting hustle of 'S/A/M Real Man' standing out.

Review: The Red Bul & Gyn label made a good impression with its first release and now the founders Thomas Bulwer and G Glynn step up with a second collaborative EP of fresh tech and minimal. 'Caffeine' is a shot of energy with its rising synth lines and dramatic sense of intergalactic space travel over a busy, acidic bassline. 'Like It Ruff' is an old school throwback with rap vocals and electro beats, then 'Acid Wash Conflict' is a thumping tech house sound with unsettling pads. 'Techno Talk' closes down with a mid-tempo electro sound and retro-future edge.

Review: Eden Burns's entry in the Big Beat Manifesto series is another one aimed squarely at making you dance your woes away. 'Invercargirl' is upbeat, fresh house music with tropical samples and a rubbery bassline that just hooks you in from the off. Proving he has plenty of different tricks up his sleeve, 'Intro Manus' rides on a loopy, rickety beat with a more polished electronic sound and freaky a samples and then '22 Dance Demo' cuts loose on a wildly percussive vibe. These are house tracks that bring something new and fresh each and every time.

Review: More proper tacker makes it way to vinyl here courtesy of the blow label who enlist four more producers of this latest various artists EP. Kitchen Plug's 'Cheat Code' marries the best of tech, garage, dub and house into a kinetic bit of body music that oozes warm and lo-fi soul. CYMKA brings kaleidoscopic colour and squelchy acid to 'Sweet Peach' then it's all pout old school piano rave madness from Batenko on 'Inside Summer 21'. Last of all is the searing electro funk of Les Hauts with 'Passing Clouds', a blisteringly quick trip into another dimension with some rueful chord work. Sensational EP.

Review: Electric Tools Vol 1 ignites with a four-track electro explosion, showcasing the talents of four very strong producers for one electric 12". Side-1 kicks off with the dynamic collaboration of Latent & Retrolog on 'Super Villain,' a fusion of electro and breakbeats adorned with captivating samples and a bassline that hits hard. Bok.p follows suit with 'Creator,' channeling early UK techno and bleep-styled vibes reminiscent of the golden era, evoking nostalgia akin to classics like 'Rhythm is a Dancer.' Flipping to Side-2, Lamalice presents 'AAS,' a melodic journey through early 90s techno, intertwining lush melodies with driving beats for a nostalgic yet forward-thinking experience. Closing the EP, Dixia Sirong's '23rd Step' offers a catchy blend of early 90s trance and techno, guaranteed to transport listeners to the heyday of electronic music. Electric Tools Vol 1 is a great example to the enduring appeal of techno, seamlessly blending retro influences with contemporary production techniques to deliver an electrifying listening experience that will leave fans craving more.

Review: This four-track EP offers a potent blend of mesmerizing basslines, evolving analogue sounds, and progressive house vibes, perfectly suited for dancefloor deployment. Rambal Cochet's 'Metoxico Disco (La Luna)' and 'Thrill Factor' deliver a captivating mix of energy and atmosphere, while Leiwand & Bevtelli's 'Certified Content' and 'Runner' provide a unique sonic signature. Each track offers a distinct journey through hypnotic rhythms and evolving textures, making this EP a must-have for DJs and electronic music enthusiasts alike. It's a collection of captivating grooves and hypnotic soundscapes, designed to ignite dancefloors and transport listeners.

Review: Released on XL Recordings in 2004 and nominated for the year's Mercury Music Prize, Kush Kash was the third studio album from dance music pioneers Basement Jaxx. The album has its space in history having been the winner of the first ever GRAMMY award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. It is packed with great collaborators such as the one and only punk icon Siouxsie Sioux, king of London grime aka Dizzee Rascal on the superb 'Lucky Star', as well as more mellow vocals from Meshell and the lung-busting performance of rock 'n' soul diva Lisa Kekaula from the LA band The Bellrays on 'Good Luck.'

Review: Distrikt Paris head honcho Bassam is back with a superb double album that defines his own unique take on the underground. It is genre-defying and widescreen in its cope as it flows freely from sound to sound. 'Electronic Rhapsody' is a superb symphony of lush synth design and airy breakbeats that keep you suspended in space. 'Apres Faut Aimer La Fete' brings twisted acid to slick tech house beats and 'Sos Marrakech' brings a more retro synth sound with crashing hits and stiff, angular rhythms. Elsewhere are more poppy sounding melodies and synths on 'Panorama Vision' and a turbocharged future tech cut 'LAP Memory' (40ine mix) is another late nightlight.

Review: Experimental deep house superstar Bella Boo returns to Studio Barnhus for her latest album DreamySpaceyBlue, and expands outwards into a more varying tempo range in the process. If album titles are anything to go by, this one should give you an indication of the kind of sonics you'll hear when popping this 180g cream vinyl record on the belt-driven plate. Moving in more bittersweet, heartstring-tugging directions after a jankier set of EP movements years prior, the likes of 'Can't Stop' and 'Heartbeat/Into The Night' move through every influence from Jersey bounce to breaks, pitting deeply affected vocals and spacious synth bubblings against a thematic backdrop of "dark times (demanding) love, healing and forgiveness."

Review: Bicep's second album is shaped by the experience of touring their debut long player for something like three years, a period during which they honed and perfected their instinct for tracks that would stand the test of time and repeated listening. What develops is a distinctive style typified by a combination of ethereal sonics and cheeky, memorable instrumental hooks, only set to a variety of beats that reference and indeed fuse the plethora of different dance genres that have sprung up since the acid house revolution if the mid-80s. So we get everything from the electro-tainted 'X' to 'Rever', where an African choir floats over a subtle deep house shuffle and 'Saku', where UKG bass pressure and skippy beats provide a hypnotic background for Clara La San's sweet but ghostly voice.

Review: Bicep's second album is shaped by the experience of touring their debut long player for something like three years, a period during which they honed and perfected their instinct for tracks that would stand the test of time and repeated listening. What develops is a distinctive style typified by a combination of ethereal sonics and cheeky, memorable instrumental hooks, only set to a variety of beats that reference and indeed fuse the plethora of different dance genres that have sprung up since the acid house revolution if the mid-80s. So we get everything from the electro-tainted 'X' to 'Rever', where an African choir floats over a subtle deep house shuffle and 'Saku', where UKG bass pressure and skippy beats provide a hypnotic background for Clara La San's sweet but ghostly voice.