B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve, record slightly warped
Mercury (7:55)
Outer Limits (7:03)
After Life (6:14)
Orbits Theme (6:29)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve, record slightly warped***
The 39 Orbits pair of Nick Annies and Twink put out only two releases and they were back in 1993. In the years since though, they have become real digger's delights that now fetch high prices on the second-hand market if and when copies come up. But not anymore - Cosmic Soup has assembled this welcome 180g 12" which features tracks from those original records as well as one previously unreleased cut. 'Mercury' is pure dreamy post-rave prog house, as is the slightly more direct 'Outer Limits.' 'After Life' is high-speed house with lush synth work and 'Orbit's Theme' gets more deep and inwardly reflective.
Review: Humanoid Recordings co-founder 4d lays down another four-track 12" for the label, scouring the weightier and scrapier ends of minimal and acid house, all while teasing out a retro-robotic edge. Only an artist with a real sense of humour can invoke ideas of 'Stupidity' and 'Quantum Theory' in the same breath; both tracks betray the unified whimsy and intelligence that a successful acid house and techno artist must portray in order to win hearts. The latter uses a particularly sticky, hard-to-pin-down 4x4 kick style; contrast to B1 'World In Our Head', which portrays a psychic model of the outside world through trilling trance lines, and the meek glissandos of 'Sowie Lockers', securing an indeterminate but funky mood.
Review: A Trifle Too Far, the collaboration between Essex natives Simon Ward and Tony Grimley, crafted this forward-thinking duo of tracks, inspired by their explorations of the acid house scene and rave culture. Catch Your Ear and Meringueatang embody the innovative spirit of early 90s prog-house. Engineered by Evren Omer of Strategy Records and Matt Clayden of X-Gate Records, respectively, these tracks remain a rare and exhilarating find. Mint Condition is reviving the essence of classic house and techno with their latest reissue: the elusive 1992 EP 'Catch Your Ear/Meringueatang' from A Trifle Too Far. This release is a thrilling addition for collectors and DJs, rekindling the excitement of a bygone era.
Review: Abdul Raeva's 'No Risk No Reward' EP captures the spirit of minimal and tech house with four dynamic, dance-ready tracks. Side-1 kicks off with 'Spazza', a lively, upbeat tech house track primed for the dancefloor with an infectious groove. It's followed by 'Eurotech', which brings in a high-tech, acid-tinged vibe, nodding to the ravey energy of the 90s with an irresistible, driving beat. Side-2 transitions to a more introspective energy with 'Phaselock', a melodic and flighty piece that leans into late-night techno territory, with a hypnotic, trance-adjacent sound perfect for deeper, immersive moments. Closing the EP, 'Crystal Palace' dives into heavy acid rhythms, blending elements of acid trance to create a powerful, pulsing finish.
Review: What's that, a new year means a new label from Burnski? We'd expect nothing else. The man has more imprints than a beach has grains of sand, but importantly they all serve a purpose and all kick out killer jams. Mikasa starts with this lush and lithe prog house EP from Abdul Raeva. Stylish opener 'Cream' is a bouncy, feel-good and sleek electronic house sound for peak time fun. 'Helico' is laced with acid and 'Tex Mex' has psyched-out lines rising through the uplifting drums while 'Vanguard' shuts down with a percussive edge and a killer bassline.
Demi Riquisimo - "Maggy Doesn't Need To Know" (7:27)
Inner Zone - "The Vision" (5:23)
Donald's House - "Jam 3" (6:40)
Review: Big hello to new label A Lifetime On The Hips which has a great name and great stamp on this limited edition first 12". It kick off with a various artists affair packed with full flavour cosmic tech. Abdul Raeva opens up with the twinkling melodies and sleek tech drum work of 'Invasive Overdrive Track' then Aldonna's 'Inner Elation' gets more deep with a steamy whispered vocal and shimmering drums. There is more classic sound US house from Demi Riquisimo, lashing of snappy techno from The Vision and bouncy astral house from Donald's House's 'Jam 3'. A great first EP.
Gonna Do & Do It More Now (Titonton Duvante FLiP) (6:27)
Review: Acapulco Heat is a new duo from Acapulco made up of Felipe Valenzuela and new comer Ossios. They share a love of colourful shirts and making "sensual moves in the shade of palm trees" and here offer up a set of cuts designed to encourage dancefloor mindfulness. 'Intellectuelle' is a crispy tech house groove with thudding kicks and enough detail to keep the mind as locked as the heels. 'Gonna Do & Do It More Now' is a highlight on the flip - a trippy synth line buzzes about over flappy drum programming that suspends you in the groove. The one and only Titonton Duvante offers a remix that has a darker heart.
Review: Accented Measures Series (AMS) is a still relatively new series that has been compiled and arranged by Accented Measures and is designed to deal in unreleased and new music from some of the scene's key names. The Space Drift Remixes EP is next up the series with a combination of 90s vibes and modern grooves. '97NY' (TC80 remix) is heads down and raw as you like tech. 'Aeons' (Pedro Goya remix) rather spins you out on more silky cosmic pads and the Miles Ellis remix of 'Bad Sector' is thudding tech with rigid drums and washes of sugary synth. 'Space Draft' (Karaba remix) begins some serenity and smoothness to the final cut.
Review: German producer Acid Pauli drops a vinyl-only double-header aimed squarely at the hips and the heart. It's a new release, limited and loud, bringing together the long-sought-after 'Marvin' with the all-new 'Roger' i two deeply soulful cuts that swing between heat and haze with effortless touch. 'Roger' opens with a nod to Minneapolis i a slinky, synth-laced burner full of funk-inflected restraint, powered by a groove that bears Echonomist's unmistakable weight. It's slick but loose, landing somewhere between low-lit house and late-80s slow jam futurism. On the flip, 'Marvin' returns with its smoky textures and deep, melancholy pulse still fully intact i all soft pads, subtle tension and an undeniable sense of movement. It's soul-drenched and floor-ready, made with care but designed to move. This one's for dancers who like their records tactile, timeless and just a bit mysterious. Don't sleep i it won't stick around long.
Ciutat Bella (Yung Prado Pituambient remix) (6:21)
Review: Buckle up and hold on tight for this supercharged house offering from the all new Cupula label in Spain. It finds Adria and Pau Roses work in unison to serve up some futuristic sounds. Opener 'Ciutat Bella' has slinky progressive lines, gurgling cosmic bass and electronic house funk to spare. 'Gueto De Gracia' then gets its cheeky on with some UKG agar vibes bottled up and repackaged as contemporary space house. 'A couple of alternative remixes on the flip side close out this fresh and exciting EP.
Deadbeat & The Mole - "All Creepy No Sleepy" (5:45)
Review: It is no mean feat to last 10 years no matter your business, but to do so as a record label in this day and age is worthy of maximum respect. Fair play to Det Gode Selskab then for marking the occasion with a tidy new 12" that showcases just what the label is all about. There is chunky tech with grinding bass but lush old school melodies on 'Can't Cure Curiosity' while Alex Jangle & Matztam's 'Glowbones' cuts totally loose on dreamy synth daubs, painterly lines and rubbery house loops. Faer takes a more dark, heads-down path for his spooky 'Serious Repetions' and as you would expect of Deadbeat & The Mole they bring off-kilter loops, unbalanced drums and a ramshackle rhythm that will have you shaking your bones.
Review: Lirica White Series makes its debut here with the first 12" from AI Robot. There is an element of humanity and real emotion in these sounds right from the off: 'Chicago Babussa' is a bustling and percussive techno cut with some zippy leads that head off to the cosmos. 'Desert Earth' again blends tribal percussion with retro-future synth sounds and chunky grooves that will sound great nice and loud. 'Dynamic' is a throwback proto-house sound with crashing hits and twitchy pads and 'Electric Love' closes out with some pulsing acid lines and a more pensive feel in the chord structures. Four fresh cuts that get this label off to a good start.
Review: Australian producer Aldonna has carved out a niche and fanbase for themselves by producing house with a special euphoric edge. The feeling of euphoria of course lends well to sex, which is why a certain label has allowed the artist through their floodgates. The name 'Angel Numbers' not only reflects Aldonna's fascination with numerology and synchronicity - and the belief that certain numbers have spiritual meanings and messages - but also the neat collision of temporality, ectastic suspense and warmth that we hear all wafting off tracks like 'Divine Time' and 'Ella'. Dance music, of course, is the perfect place to equate these ideas.
Review: Australia has been one of the hottest places for interesting new club sounds for a while now. Re-Leaf is another new label from down under that backs that up and it launches with a mighty fine new EP from label head Aldonna. It loosely offers up deep house sounds but with a range of different slants - there's the progressive chord lushness of 'Rush,' and the more prickly percussive tension of 'Venus'. 'March, Together' is doused in post-rave 90s trance-techno vibes and 'Break Love' (feat Yaiflai) shuts down with some deft and dubbed-out rhythm work that gets ever more intergalactic as it unfolds.
Review: Berlin based label Solenoid is headed up by Erta Ale, aka Italian producer Fabrizio Nocci. His latest release continues the theme of warm, big room house music he's been pushing for some time now, kicking off with the swirling pads and thumping rhythm section of 'Nirvana'. It's got a distinctly early 90s vibe, with plenty of melodic hand holds to dig your fingers into, while 'Panorama' has a swishy, disco-tinted sassiness to take you away in the heat of the night. 'The Cure' kicks off the B side with a springy, techy approach that doesn't hold back on the big synth lines, and then We Amps steps up for a remix of 'Panorama' which keeps things funky without losing that peak time demeanour which persists throughout the record.
Review: Christian Hornbostel debuts as Alien Signal, an alias acting as an extraterrestrial conduit for close encounters third kind. Four tracks of cosmic trance and melodic techno appear, flaunting the many mysterious melodies and sine-toned timbres Hornbostel would have included had he been in charge of transmitting the Wow! signal. Inspired by a fascination with space exploration, the likes of 'Nebula III' and 'Uranus' are interplanetary rather than interstellar jaunts, but all nail the feeling of teary-eyed wonder at staring down at one's home planet from the observation deck, having succeeded in defending it against some awful death-ray cataclysm.
Review: Two toolroom essentials from Rob Amboule, former London stalwart come Frankfurt familiar. Where years of collecting and playing gradually evolved into Rob making music of his own, it wasn't long before he made the move permanent, settling in around the Main. A late stopover in Paris has now domino effected this new one: 'Wovv Tools' brings 'Melortra' and 'Kopuie', equal parts dance-incenting and vagus nerve-soothing. The B is especially brilliant, cycling through generative hypnotic whirls and sweller padwork.
Review: Now well past the 100 releases mark, All Day I Dream continues to serve up perfect escapist house sounds for those who like to get lost in lush melodic realms while dancing. Amonita is behind this latest such offering and 'Rainbow' pens with shimmering pads and airy beats that are topped with an emotive little vocal hook. 'Amulet' then brings bubbling drums, pads and exotic percussive sounds to another rolling groove and 'Moon Dust' closes down with a mix of sweeping pads, serene chords and super smooth grooves.
Review: An unusual side release from Haws Records, based in Cardiff, who have chosen to release 'Sunbeam' by resident producer Anderson - first released on their label compilation Viral Syndicate. Proudly championing the Cardiff dance scene, 11 artists made up this comp: but it's 'Sunbeam' that saw the most love above all. Three more tunes from the artist follow on this EP: 'It's Time' is essentially 'Sunbeam' part 2, while 'Protozoa' homes in on the more scientific elements of future house, and 'Electrified Encounter' slows the pace to backendy extremes.
Review: The Hyperdrive label is back with a third outing which once again offers up some exciting and forward-thinking new artists. Anderson's 'Sweet Psylow' kicks off with some psychedelic synth loops over crisp tech house drums that hark back to the 90s prog heyday. HearThuG's 'Back To The Future' is a darker sound with whistles, snappy snares and eerie chords and Luis Malon & Seb G then combine for the bouncing techno rhythms and acid-laced pads of 'Extasis Nebular.' Last but not least, Jamie Leather's 'Strange Commodities' is a surging cosmic techno trip with dynamic drums and perc and majestic leads. This is another fine release from this young label.
Review: German progressive house duo Andhim specialize in bringing out the genre's sentimental side, and their latest single 'I Love You' is a masterful case in point. Describing their sound as "super house", the pair evidently only choose the most serene and gut-punching sounds and samples going in, and 'I Love You' exemplifies this, with its knife-edge, repetitive vocal and swellingly pink chords, which recall the French house climaxes of The Paradise or Daft Punk, and/or the more recent, well-rounded post-10s uplifts of Bicep. Of course, the B-side must provide the mirror image, on which the equally powerful emotion of hatred is explored. Hatred isn't exactly a house music go-to, but the psychologist in us feels compelled to remind the reader that love and hatred, aren't binary opposites, and are closer together than we often think!
Heavy Water (D Tiff Floating To The Top mix) (7:18)
Diact (6:19)
Trouble Down Groove (6:45)
Review: The Cosmic Soup label did some mighty fine work in bringing Howard Dodd's work as Doc Bozique and Anoesis back into ear shot. Dodd released a fair clutch of wiggy, trance-inflected house and techno back in the wild old days of the mid-90s, and so it's no surprise to hear his music finding new relevance at a time when that sound is so warmly received on dancefloors all over the place. This release for German label Spray pulls together a few different bits from 1994, ranging from 'Heavy Water' and 'Diact' from The Anoesis EP to 'Trouble Down Groove' from Eight Day Music. Bringing the relevance with the current zeitgeist in no uncertain times, we're also treated to a remix courtesy of a scene leader in this field, D. Tiffany.
Review: Prog techno is very much en vogue right now. It's an extension of the melodic trends of recent years combined with the traditional 20 year cycles that music famously works in. It's resulting in plenty of fresh new sounds that are colourful, psychedelic and vibrant - tunes that pair snappy low ends with plenty for the mind to get lost in. The opener on Arnic's new EP, 'One Colored Dreams' is a silky and trance-inducing cut with surging beats and glistening pads up top, all run through with filthy rock guitar licks. 'Animals Using Machines' gets a little deeper, 'Constant Transcience' is a choppy, textured and loopy mix of tech and acid, and closer 'The Last Dance' has a more airy groove that suspends you above the floor in a world of wispy sci-fi melody.
Review: Ashphalt DJ lays down some archetypal prog house and techno goodness here on a new 12" for Haws that really bangs. 'In My Mind' recalls Renaissance era Sasha & pigweed mixes with its retro future synths and fractured vocals over sleek technoid beats. Title track 'Eternal Flower' has thumping drums overlaid with lush synth arps that take you to the stars and '2 De Wave' is a hyper speed and psychedelic prog house number with trance lines and neon colours. Last of all comes 'Sonic Endeavour' with its hypnotic drums and molten, rippling synth sequences all brining a future feel.
Review: Edinburgh's Neptune Discs bring crazed happy-acid hard trance come progressive disco to the fold, welcoming four fresh faces to their roster in so doing. Biodive, Astro, Dylan Forbes and Glen S all work impressive atmosses and well-integrated pad flavours around primal progressions, centring on a unified vibe of tunnelling rave intensity. The tone quietens on 'Tranquility', an emanative favourite of ours, whose pulsatory lead blurt sounds like a lighthouse through benevolent mist.
Review: Having dipped into the label's bulging archives earlier in the year to offer up a freshly remastered edition of 'Klarky Kat' by Gumbo (a rare collaboration between label bosses Attaboy and Swag's Chris Duckenfield), Toko has returned to the vaults for another essential reissue. 'In Too Deep' hails from 1997, when it marked the fifth release on the Sheffield-based imprint. Reflective of the sound played at legendary Sheffield deep and tech-house party Scuba, the title track is a sultry and saucer-eyed affair, with sustained synth-strings, tactile riffs and luscious melodic motifs wrapping around an hypnotic deep house-meets-tech-house groove. In contrast, 'In Deeper' is a much more minimalistic, tech-tinged affair, close in sound and tone to Swag productions of the period - all deep, undulating bass, effects-laden weirdo noises and locked-in beats.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.