Review: Burnski's high-quality Constant Black is back with more essential club-ready sounds. Donnie Cosmo and Pascal Benjamin step up for one side of action each. Cosmo's 'Holo Glitch' is first and pairs balmy synth work that is colourful and silky with some punchy tech drums and rolling bass that pulls you in deep. 'Echo Drift' is another lithe and lively one to get you on your toes while the groove flows and 'Airplane Mode' is another stylish mix of lush synth design and great rhythm. Benjamin's trio on the flip is a little more gritty with industrial-space-tech many the most fitting way to describe these curious cosmic cuts.
Review: Intrallazzi and Dario Piana have been friends and Milanese scene contemporaries since 1981, when they both fell in love with the distinctive Afro-Cosmic sound of local DJ (and later Piana collaborator) Daniel Baldelli. Since then, they have both made records aplenty under a variety of aliases, but this EP on Leng marks their first joint release. The headline attraction is opener (and lead cut) 'Out of Control', a dubbed-out cosmic disco chugger propelled by echo-laden percussion and a deep, low-slung bassline, smothered in psychedelic synth and guitar sounds. Fellow Italian producer LTJ Experience remixes, offering up a stripped-back and acid-flecked interpretation. Elsewhere, 'Lazise' is a TB-303-sporting cosmic shuffler and 'Saocraffen' is a Baldelli-influenced fusion of Afro-cosmic funk and ethereal Balearic sounds.
Review: Floorbound body-occupiers from Papa Nugs and The Trip for Tessellate, blanching wildstyle hip electro and irky rave sounds. With the A-side totally taken up by 'Keep Rocking' in two versions, we've a modish street style version in 'Casa Nova' form and a 'Hip House' breakbeat rendition. Then come the underside dread ones: 'Fearsome' tilts in the direction of ever more raviness with tuned, sandstorming stabs and gated voxes, while 'All Night' takes a dash of speed garage to the mishmash, air-raid sirens sounding through held chords all around.
Review: New Theo Parrish? Yes please. The Sound Signature boss remains in a class of one and continually finds new ground to explore in the studio, often taking a freeform jazz mindset to roughed-up house and techno that blends the mechanical with the soulful in otherworldly, hypotonic fashion. 'Orange Barrel Action (Yellow Flashing Light mix)' is very much in that mould with lumpy drums detuned and off-grid keys and hissing hi-hats all coalescing into something seductive and subversive. 'Pianamonn' is a deep house foundation topped with weird and wonky keys in inimitable Parrish style.
Review: Don't let this one go over yo head son! The final repress from Sound Signature HQ is an essential slab of late 90s Motor City deepness from Theo, presented once again for contemporary reassessment and sounding every bit as jaw dropping 14 years on. Dropping back in 1999, title cut "Overyohead" came to be regarded as a quintessential Theo Parrish track; strings incandescent with soul and lovingly off centre Rhodes riding those heavy drum arrangements towards a sweet piano infused crescendo. Face down, "Dance Of The Drunken Drums" is a prime example of Theo's own distinct brand of cavernous beatdown.
Review: Periferico makes a fine return here on Undersounds Recordings with a five track EP that pulls together some key tracks that were produced between 1998 and 2009. They have been unearthed on old DATs and sound as good as ever. 'Sixth Event' is a slow motion tech sound with frazzled synths and dreamy chords then 'Car Ride' shimmers with some lithe synths and hip swinging drums and 'Twelve Dances' is another playful sound that has aged to perfection. 'Cuts & Seams' is more experimental with jungle breaks and driving bassline co-produced with Luigi Mussi. The same is true of '2 Weeks' which is another throwback and classy jungle sound.
Review: Neoclassic acid-from-garage movements from Peter Reilley aka. Persian, a favourite of the UK dance music scene since as long as anyone can remember. For 20 years, Reilly has gone his own way, operating in and on genre after genre, up-peggable as he is adept, blending breaks, digidub, electro, garage, house, and jungle across a repertoire of no less than 50 EPs. Though this release serves as his farewell, as Reilly formally steps back from music production, it beautifully showcases his skill in programming, with 'Questions 2' proving a sleight hand for twinging post-funk leads, and 'Questions 7' bringing unprecedented sci-fi desolations to an erstwhile jam-funky tune collection.
Review: Exarde Records welcome a new pair of engineered shock troops from The Netherlands: pH Project. Many a year spent raving and partystarting informed the basis of this turbulent affair in acid and psych-prog house, which consists in the murmurous 'Obvitrip' and the interstatic 'Intersafe' on the A1, tracks which complement each other's twin fluencies in both the downtrodden and the upbeat. 'Kres' completes the trifecta with a third round in the ring of squelchy, functional festi-house, while Levat's version of 'Thritrakk' casts any predilection or expectation aside with a cascadingly tense electro recto on the B2.
Review: dO iT nOw Recordings makes its debut in the world of vinyl with a various artists' sampler that shows just what they are all about. First up is Pigsie's wonderful 'Silk' which sets a fine tone with lush jazz-inspired keys, dreamy pads and intricate drum work that make it well suited to those late-night sessions. Wearing Shoes then offers 'Finding Your Words' with buttery Rhodes licks and looped vocals over fat bass, and the B-side begins with Michael Oberling and his deep jazz grooves, trumpet solos and swinging drums. Massive R closes with the lovely, jazzy house of 'This Feeling' complete with snappy drums and a catchy piano hook.
Review: Described as "the home of unnamed beats", North Macedonia label Pirka stand out as among the few to do it in their home locale of Skopje. On their fourth release, we've a new release from fresh but soon-to-stick producer PVC, who throws three new ones at the wall on an adhesive 12", and all them happen to stick. 'Door', 'Cocai' and 'Mode Dubs' chart a slow movement from functional to textural, stimulating every kind of floor-going soma out there, from thrill-seekingly impulsive through to the restrained and cerebral.
Review: Star Creature is very much leading from the front right now if you like cosmic disco. Tim Zawada's label is back with another delicious dose of the stuff here as Plastic Bamboo heads out on a crime jazz exploration of the outer reaches of our galaxy. His lithe beats and rugged drums are laced up with marvellous synths that are ever on the move. They shine bright and bring real sugary rushes of joy as curious narratives and intergalactic intrigue come thick and fast. Amongst the big bright cuts are some more mellow moments like the wonderful 'A Scene At The Sea' with its hints of Afro percussion. Delightful.
Review: Romanian artist Mihai Pol has the honour of serving up the first outing on Griffith and brings his signature atmospheric minimalism to the fore. His sound is both organic and immersive as evidenced by 'Nineteen' with its silky synth tones and wavy, stripped-back tech beats. It has a cheeky character that is replaced by a more dreamy and whimsical feeling in 'Lazer' which has soft harmonies and bubbly pads soothing the drums. 'Little Bit' gets more gritty with a kinetic kick and hit combo and percolating bass that gets more loose and acid-tinged as it unfolds. Last of all, 'Electric Night' shuts down with classy chords from dub techno, rippling melodies that melt off to the horizon and a heady vibe that gets you thinking.
Review: The first release on this label came - as far we can tell, anyway - all the way back in 2022. Three years on, the second is another effective club weapon, this time with an electro twist. Pop Panic's 'Your Body' has mad heavy drums and maximal synth lines perfect for nice loud plays. Aut Zebel's 'Flipped Smile' takes off on a jacked up acid groove for peak time plays and DJ GLC lays in some high speed retro-future synth euphoria on 'Trance Dance' for emotional plays. G Punx shuts down with the gritted-teeth grooves and slamming bass of 'Electro Baked' for menacing plays.
Review: Belgium outfit Premier Regard drop the club-ready house jam 'Tu one' here alongside a versatile array of remixes that mean you are pretty sure to find something that works no matter what spot you found yourself in. The Classic mix has raw analogue drums sounds and wooden hits with a libidinous vocal and warped bass. Audio Soul Project remixes with more heft and urgency, the Coma Du Nord remix is pared-back and allows the elastic groove to hook you in and the Steve Sibra remix is more spaced out and late night, thanks to the tender pads.
Review: Prince De Takicardie delivers a new four-track set of tachycardial heart-racers as reinforcements to his own Prince's Castle, which is both a label and a proverbial princely citadel. This is also the Barceloni producer's second edition to the powered 'Force Bleu' EP series, matched colourfully by the equally propulsive 'Force Rouge' counterpart, for which there have also been two records so far. Increasing in both pace and intensity, this raw and jammy follow-up reaches its crescendo at the rough 15-minute mark with the hypnotic 'EX-ecute (Execution Mix)', which conclusively yields to mesmeric acid and mystical three-tone entrainments, contrasting the first three track's relative utilitarian sense.
Review: Cultured minimal craftsman Bruno Pronsato returns with two "motif-based" cuts for Logistic. Each one has interwoven motifs made from vocals, marimba, piano and pads which combine to play a game of peek-a-boo, constantly shifting throughout the pieces. Pronsato's balance of complex ideas yet accessible grooves allows each motif to stand out while also contributing to the overall narrative. There are aspects of 1980s ECM aesthetics, Morton Subotnick's experimental sounds and a dose of club beats here that once again back up the notion that Pronsato has a fine mastery of intricate composition and rhythmic freshness.
Review: This release features a sleek blend of futuristic dance styles, balancing crisp production with atmospheric touches. The opening track presents tight, clean tech house grooves, punctuated by spacey sound effects that create an addictive, futuristic vibe. Its remix takes a more direct approach, incorporating a subtle 90s techno flavour while cleverly reworking the original's elements into a creative, space-themed journey. On the flip side, the second track leans into progressive house and techno territory with a meticulous production and a hypnotic, driving rhythm. The accompanying remix weaves in a sharp acid line and a euphoric, almost trance-like energy that elevates the track's impact, making for a great all round package.
Review: The best catalogue naming convention in all of music belongs to the Club U Nite label, and the beats they offer up ain't bad either. This latest blue 12" is the third volume in their Dee Tax series and brings an array of fine artists to the fore. The sounds are house with a traditional bent - Purple Kush's 'It's A Feelin'' is deep but jacking with jazzy motifs, Mellow Man keeps it classy with a garage swing on 'Touch The Sky', Manhattan Project taps into a 90s New York dub house vibe on 'Get It Right' and a second Mellow Man shuts down with seductive smoothness.
Review: Seasons Limited made a welcome return in 2024 and now keeps up that good momentum with another big single from French house mainstay Franck Roger with some fine vocals by Paul B. It's a super smooth sound with drum swaying back and forth, molten synth adding late night and tissue soul and the tender vocal adding intimacy and late night romance. Rocco Rodamaal steps up for remixes and first of all he pairs things back to a sedate, seductive deep house roll then fleshes out the drums with some dubby weight to finish.!
Review: The debut album from Ukrainian collective Noneside unites musicians and visual artists under the inspiring words of poet Taras Shevchenko, who said 'Make love, o dark-browed ones.' Framed by a painting from contemporary artist Iryna Maksymova, the music explores the trance and tech house that is destined to bring souls together on the dancefloor this summer and beyond. Shjva opens with fresh and mashed bass and sleek trance pads that are subtle but effective. Lostlojic layer sup deep, bubbly techno drums and bass with an angelic vocal tone and Saturated Color's 'Trancia' is a speedy, scuffed-up tech groove for late-night cruising. Peshka and Yevhenii Loi offer two more future-facing trance-techno fusions packed with feels.
Review: Jay Tripwire sits right at the most trippy and after-hours end of the tech house spectrum. His fresh and future sounds now pop up on The Other Side, where he works with Pheek on two new jams. 'Thirsty (feat Cimpian Mark)' kicks off and is an immediately compelling and atmospheric sound with smart sound designs and metallic snares cutting up the kinetic beats. On the flip is an equally minimal offering in 'L'Express' which lures you into its moody mist and keeps you there while occupying your mind with its many marvellous details.
The Wonderland Band - "Thrill Me" (Joe T Vannelli Classic mix) (5:51)
The Wonderland Band - "Thrill Me (With Your Super Love)" (8:05)
Pure Energy - "Party On" (Vannelli Bros Classic mix) (7:31)
Pure Energy - "Party On" (8:24)
Review: Use Vinyl looks back to two iconic tracks from the 70s and 80s here for source material for a new remix EP by the Vannelli family. Joe T remixes 'Thrill Me' by The Wonderland Band into the sort of direct and funky house sound that brims with early dance music charm while the Vannelli Bros offer their rework of 'Party On' by Pure Energy which comes with plenty of energy for club contexts. Both tracks are presented as Classic Mix versions and bring plenty of new life to the original hits without forgoing the timeless, catchy and meaningful melodies that define the originals. House music like this is as authentic as it gets.
Review: Despite their name, we find that the music of retro technicians Paranoid London offers us a rest from the paranoid mental state that the Great Wen often instils. Now out on a tenth anniversary edition, the duo's raw acid techno debut, released in 2015, heard two Londoners take temporary flight to Chicago, re-imbuing urban smoky techno with a long-lost sense of looseness and grit. Working in relative anonymity, the duo drew praise for their sparse use of original Bernard Sumner vocal lines, affording the record an esteem-by-proxy as well as a sense of turning full circle, as PL's Quinn Whalley actually spent many a pre-teen afternoon in Factory production wizard MArtin Hannet' studio. But it's the record's own minimalism that keeps it satisfyingly repetitive yet never complaisant. PL go their own way, swirling the old school round a ringer road of outer-city grit.
Liminal Space (feat Yana & Einarindra - Riffz remix) (7:08)
Tribes (Tropiki remix) (3:50)
Metal Fear Bolid (Molehead remix) (2:58)
Headshell (feat Dizkret & DJ Eprom - TVB remix) (2:54)
Zbywasz (feat Dominika Plonka - True Dat Re-groove) (5:38)
Review: U Know Me present a fresh, modern object of intrigue, with Balance Remixed, which takes Pepe's 2023 album of the same time and makes it over into another full-length vinyl only release, throwing back to the days of vinyl only DJ sets, which were necessitated by technological limitation alone. DJ BLIK, Envee, Molehead, Riffz, Tropiki, true.dat, and TVB top up Pepe's original house, funk and disco blend with a brasher bass bisque, mastered and masterminded by cyborgish music titan Eprom. Spanning ever bassy tempo-set from 87 bpm to 164, we've a thrilling range of momentums here.
Review: Cabale Records is a Parisian label that has, for the last few years been exploring the minimal techno world. It now branches out with its first various artist release featuring some tasteful tune makers starting with Pheek. He brings some loose percussive energy and wonky drum funk to his opener then Mod303 layers in dreamy and immersive pad work to deft, subtle drums on 'Paris City Zoo.' Night No Tori Vs Hubble keeps it deep and dubby with the late-night introspection of 'Deja Vu' then Sten's 'Slope' is a trippy afterhours sound with tumbling synth smears and percolating dub tech beats.
Review: Led by Luke Solomon, The Legion of Boogie Down returns with their second album, Powerdance II, eight years after the success of their debut The Lost Art of Getting Down. Since then the collective has evolved by adding more experimental sounds to their vision of nightclub and basement music. This album continues their journey of genre-blending with the addition of Chris Penny, rising star Josh Ludlow, and original members Alinka and Lance Desardi. Featuring wild synths, drums and percussion from Holly Madge, this left-of-centre record offers a trippy mix of disco, funk and house that leads to a cosmic musical adventure in some style.
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