Freerange Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Prolific Italian producer Black Loops continues his explorations of deep, groove-led house with the Experience EP. The release serves as a teaser for his forthcoming debut album, both of which arrive courtesy of the always on-point Freerange, and its label boss Jimpster kicks things off here with a rolling, Italo-tinged dub of Electrical, blending modular synth lines with dubbed-out vocals. Black Loops then flips the same track into a funk-fuelled workout, layering guitar licks and a weighty Moog bassline. On the reverse, Experience channels early 90s house with a sultry, Vogue-era feel, while Black Loops' Dancefloor Dub strips it back to a punchy, minimal groove built for late-night floors. Rounding things out is Inmasoul, a jazzy, deep house gem not found on the album.

Review: Black Loops directs a welters' worth of experience into Always Moving, his debut full-length for Freerange. Far beyond club tools, this is a sensitive elusion of watery neo soul instrumentation and distant broken beat jazz, and we're not surprised in this breath to learn of Black Loops' own background as a drummer. Nor is it any wonder either that such auteur's disco house regals such as Harvey Sutherland, Byron The Aquarius and Berlin vocalist Marlena Dae all appear on the record, through 'CDMX' to the ever so eerie, Erie-downstream deep house of 'Detroit Love Letter'. 'Electrical And LSD' takes after such influences as Metro Area's disco house shimmer, while tracks like 'Pleasure Ride' and 'Good Bye Berlin' further locks down the abiding nighttime tension - that least comparable part of his sound.

Review: Prolific Italian maestro Black Loops returns to Freerange with Always Moving, a debut album steeped in high-grade dance heritage. Drawing on over a decade of production, he moves beyond club tools to something more personal and musical, with guest appearances from Harvey Sutherland, Byron the Aquarius and Marlena Dae. Rooted in funk, soul and 90s grooves, these are rich, warm tracks with fully authentic swing i with much of the percussion played live by the artist himself. The result is fluid and human, from the broken beats of 'CDMX' to the shimmering chords of 'Detroit Love Letter'. Marlena Dae adds her touch to several standouts, including the disco-leaning 'Electrical' and hazy deep house of 'Pleasure Ride'. Even at its most downtempo, like the closing 'Good Bye Berlin', the album stays focused and melodic. A confident and expressive full-length that shows how far Black Loops has come while hinting at where he might head next.

Review: Dutch duo Dam Swindle are masters of updating traditional house sounds with a subtle contemporary twist. That is exactly what they have long been doing on their own superb Heist Recordings label and now they make the step over to Jimpster's equally vital Freerange with a fresh new EP. 'Unfinished Business' kicks off with sustained chords that bring a classic touch next to some steamy vocals and warm chords. 'Under The Spell' is more loose limbed and soul drenched, then a Crue remix brings some real heft to 'Unfinished Business.' Last but not least is 'Woman', a laid back vibe with swirling chords for loved up floors.

Review: A decade after it was first released (credited, back then, to Detroit Swindle), Dam Swindle's 'Figure of Speech' EP returns on vinyl in freshly remastered form. It remains one of the Amsterdam duo's most respected and much-loved EPs, and for good reason. Opener 'Figure of Speech' is an infectious, rolling and impressively groovy workout which combines African vocal samples, layered percussion and tidy house breaks with warming deep house chords and tech-tinged electronics. 'Victoria's Secret' is a woozier and more analogue-sounding deep house groover with deliciously positive synth melodies and fizzing riffs, while 'Live at the Cosmic Carnival' is a more percussion-rich slab of jazz-flecked, Batacuda-inspired Latin house heaviness that could well be the EP's most potent moment.

Review: A reissue of this sought-after EP brings back four tracks that exemplify the best in dancefloor-ready deep house. Side-1 kicks off with 'Move', a crisp and tracky production that pairs a classy vocal message with soulful Chicago influences. Its sharp rhythms and polished sound make it a timeless groove. 'Boom' follows with a deeper, more hypnotic energy - a perfect balance of catchiness and subtlety for late-night sets. Flipping to the Side-2, 'Into My Brain' ventures into retro techno territory, weaving Italo disco elements into a cinematic, almost soundtrack-like atmosphere. Its nostalgic yet futuristic vibe creates as a bold pivot. Rounding out the EP, 'Turn Me On' blends disco and house with a touch of 70s flair, creating a smooth, genre-crossing closer. This reissue is a celebration of Demuja's ability to craft tracks with enduring appeal. Jimpster's Freerange label continues to be one of the go to labels for deep house, period.

Review: Scottish producer Milton Jackson returns to Freerange with four club-rooted collaborations that bridge Glasgow's punch with Detroit's finesse. It's a new release that brings Brian Kage on co-production and mastering, HazMat Live on synth duties, and Jon Dixon supplying characteristically sharp keys i and the results are as warm and robust as you'd expect. 'Fire Emoji' opens with a stripped-down, pressure-cooked club tool: all booming low-end, echoing vocal wisps and crisp arrangement. 'The Sunsetters' is the emotional peak, built around a fluid synth solo from HazMat Live and buoyed by plush pads and 909 accents. On the flip, 'Wanna C U' nods to both sides of the Atlantic, fusing US house depth with the swing and snap of UKG. 'The Shine', featuring Jon Dixon, is the most musically rich of the lot i gliding chords, broken grooves and cosmic jazz touches make it a standout closer. Rooted in deep house but flexible in feel, these tracks feel fully lived-in: tactile, soulful and beautifully engineered. Four cuts that do damage without shouting i a smooth burner from a seasoned crew.

Review: Fresh from delivering a fine EP on the reactivated Nu Groove label, Jimspter returns home to Freerange Records - and this time he has two North American artists in tow. New York-based Dominican rapper and poet OVEOUS guests on 'Flo' (and its' gorgeous accokmpoany dub mix), a musically expansive, Latin percussion-laden slab of deep house greatness of the sort normally associated with Osunlade's Yoruba Records. Detroiter Ash Lauryn takes OVEOUS's place on 'Feel Me', which is presented in three version. There's the ambidextrous, synth-heavy, broken beat-meets-house brilliance of the pair's original mix, with its jazzy bass and stabs; a nostalgic and sparkling 'House Mix'; and the stripped-back, sub-heavy, acid-flecked madness of the standout 'Freakin' Club Mix'.

Review: Freerange's City To City series returns with its second edition, this time spotlighting Lisbon. Known for its stunning views, beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife, perhaps one of the city's best-known hotspots is the iconic Lux Fragile, which has shaped the city's sound since the late 90s. Longtime resident DJs from Lisbon are now gaining global traction; to butterfly-net the essence of the coastal metropolis, this new mix LP hears six original tracks from local talents, chief among whom are Megatronic, progressor and ambassador for the city, and Yen Sung & Photonz, two names closely tied to the circuit's deeper-underground corners.A