Wolf Music Recordings Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Frits Wentink continues his long-running relationship with Wolf Music, a partnership that is now entering its eleventh year. 'Club Land', the title track from the Dutch producer's first EP of 2024, is a nostalgic and glassy eyed affair, whose sparkling piano riffs, bumpin' house beats, mazy synth solos and rubbery bassline sit somewhere between the Frankie Knuckles and MK productions of the mid 1990s. The A-side also boasts a slightly jazzier and more US garage-influenced 'Alternate Mix' that also boasts some rather addictive organ stabs. Over on side B, he opts for a deep, dubby and trippy sound on 'Crowd Contriol', before doffing a cap once more to vintage NYC and NJ deep house on superb closing cut 'Run Run Slow'. One of his best for a while and that's saying something!

Review: Gratts, a Belgian-born, Australia-based DJ and producer who has been active in the scene for over two decades presents Rhythms, Tales & Instrumentation - his first offering on Wolf Music Recordings. The EP features four tracks that showcase his diverse musical influences and skills, ranging from deep house to Balearic to downtempo. The EP opens with 'Pretty Lights', a collaboration with Brandon Markell Holmes and Leito, that combines emotive chords, a catchy vocal hook and a smooth groove. The second track is 'Polaroids', featuring Tee Amara, a piano-driven track with hypnotising pads and a sublime vocal. The third track is a remix of 'Polaroids' by Glenn Davis, who adds some ethereal elements and dreamy synth work to the original.

Review: Who or what is or are Henk Donkers? We don't know, and we don't care, cause the music they make is bang on. This new and amusingly entitled EP arrives via the always cultured Wolf Music and is immediately effective. Henk Donkers X Ell Murphy's 'Without You' is classic house with depth and drive, soulful vocals and nice sustained chords. 'Dope' is more intense for the strobe lit late night hours and then its back to balmy and loved up grooves with the busy chord work of New Jersey style house kicker 'With You'. This varied EP is not done yet, as closer 'Pink Horse' explores another sone - dusty downbeat house with noodling chords that recall early Mood Hut tunes.

Review: Following three years spent dashing between labels and collaborating with Dele Sosimi, Medlar returns to regular home Wolf Music Recordings with a quartet of 'Cub Dubs' - killer house workouts inspired by DJ-friendly dancefloor dubs of the 1990s and 2000s. On opener 'Percy', he doffs a cap to mid-90s Masters at Work dubs and Strictly Rhythm B-sides - all spacey synth stabs, loose-limbed Kenny Dope style beats and restless sax solos - before joining forces with Lodega on the deep, spacey and evocative excellence of 'Tout est Fin'. Stu Clark lends a hand on the deep, warm and jazzy loveliness of 'Give It Up', while closing cut 'Popup Pirate' sounds like a long lost dub of a vintage New Jersey (US) garage jam - all female vocal snippets, organ bass, hip-swinging beats and deliciously deep chords.

Review: This isn't an EP of house tracks crafted in the mid 1990s by the late member of the royal family, but rather a dive into the back catalogue of New Jersey producer Heeley Calator of SMACK Productions fame. In keeping with much of Heeley's work, the four tracks on show (all originally released in 1994) are undeniably X-rated and full of sexually-charged vocals. Check first the 'Instru-Beat' mix of 'Whose Dick Is This', a rolling, low-slung and lightly soulful garage-house workout, before admiring the warmer, dreamier and jazzier 'What's My Name (The Tribe & Friends Mix)'. Over on the flip, WOLF has served up two takes on 'Big Dick - Mutha F*cka': the percussively dense, organ-rich New Jersey garage heaviness of the 'Sample Mix' and the stripped-back tribal house headiness of the 'Drum Mix'.

Review: Retromigration's Cloudin is a deep house 12" that offers a great blend of fun, jazzy, and serious tracks. Sometimes, all in the same track. It opens with the title track, which is a proper deep house effort that is techy and fresh, with tribal and psychedelic elements. This is followed by 'Only Well,' which is a jazzy funk track with a nice melody. The third track, 'Just Take It,' is a catchy, slick house track with an addictive melody and hints of disco. Side 2 of the album opens with 'They Hatin',' an urban groove track with cool sound effects, an old skool jazz feel and a 70s sound. The album closes with 'You Win,' a clever, different and unique track. Overall, Cloudin is a great 12" that shows that house music can be much more than just an evolution of disco.

Review: Frits Wentink and Wolf Music join forces once again for the fourth edition in their collaborative series. This EP delivers four floor-filling heaters, each track crafted with Wentink's signature blend of deep house grooves and infectious melodies. 'Rhythm & Blaze', a track made exclusively for the Wolf Music 15th Birthday celebration, sets the tone with its pulsating energy and soulful vibe. 'Lost In The Moment' and 'Turbo Passion' keep the energy high with their infectious rhythms and captivating melodies, while 'Nocturnal' takes a slightly darker turn, exploring deeper, more hypnotic soundscapes. With its impeccable production and undeniable dancefloor appeal, this EP is a must-have for any house music enthusiast.