Bopside US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Tadd Mullinix's Michigan-based label Bopside returns with its most ambitious project yet, a debut album from his and D'Marc Cantu's brilliant 2AMFM project. This eponymous album has been a long time coming with 2AM FM responsible for some crucial 12" cuts on labels like Creme, Spectral Sound, M>O>S Recordings and Nation dating back a decade! It feels like Bopside is the right platform for Mullinix and Cantu to fully express themselves as 2AM FM and this album is deep, but there is also a real warmth to their productions. Highlights include the melted mechanical acid of "Midnight Social", the lo-fi electro-pop of "Excuse Me Miss" and the soothing ecstasy pads of retro houser "What We Live For".

Review: The first single on the Bopside label comes from its' creator, Ann Arbor-based producer Tadd Mullinix, under the JTC mantle (the recently abbreviated take on James T Cotton, one of his many pseudonyms). "Escalator To Sorga" is a thing of great beauty, with a lolloping Detroit deep house groove - hissing cymbals, loose hits and so forth - overlaid with long, drawn out chords and tactile stabs. "Infinite Organism" sounds like a late '80s British house cut with old skool Motor City stabs and stargazing melodies, while "Veronja One" is the kind of deep, undulating electro jam that Drexciya used to do so well.

Review: album on his own Bopside imprint, eight tunes of hyper galactic deep house from the outer realms of space. Everything on here sounds like it's been made in 3D, from the organic sounds of "Caskadia", to the molecular shapes heard on "Nexus Ship Core", and the slow-burning dub waves of the artfully-punned "Dusselmorph". This is techno for people who don't like techno, or house for those that need something with a little extra 'umph'. Imagine Terrence Dixon in Chicago mode, and you're getting close...

Review: The second release on Tadd Mullinix's Bopside label introduces Brandon Mitchell, a local Michigan-based artist who has previously worked alongside the producer under the rapper alias Kadence. Back in 2006, Mitchell featured on two tracks Mullinix recorded as Dabrye for the Two/Three album released by Ghostly International, whilst the Michigan man has also been experimenting with pop music under the Barefoot Sneaker Slaves name. As far as we can tell, Waiting For A Minute looks to be Mitchell's debut release under his given name, offering two undeniably soulful house tracks written and produced with Mullinix. Proper effervescent US vocal House business this, great stuff.