Local Talk Schallplatten & CDs

Review: After declining to reveal their identities while promoting their early singles on Nu Groove, Acid Jerks decided to unmask themselves earlier in the year. Now Berlin-based twosome Oliver Siebert (AKA Oliver $) and Stefan Braatz (founder of Adapter Records) have pitched up on Local Talk for the first time. They begin by doffing a cap to Lil' Louis and hypnotic, heads-down epics of old on the hypnotic excellence of 'Shades of Grey' (which boasts some very DJ Rolando-esque synth-strings), before opting for a more Mr Fingers-esque sound on the nostalgic 'Wheels of Forture'. Over on the reverse, 'Rise Up' sounds like a long-lost Virgo Four deep house jam from the mid 1980s, while 'Ace of Spade' is a terrific, effects-laden jack-track driven forwards by a killer bassline and psychedelic acid lines.

Review: Joseph Caserta is an LA-based artist with a now global profile after outings on God Hour, Shadeleaf and Razor-N-Tape. He brings a distinctive funk style, has put out disco and deep house, as well as adding his own distinctive takes on classic cuts on his own label BridgeBoots. Now he lands on Local Talk with an EP called Hip Hop that once again finds him serving up his singular sonic signature. It features two originals and two versions and the A-side comes compete with swinging drums and a stabby chords that keep the energy bumping while the flip is all about punchy and bumping house jackers.