Review: New label D59B Recordings takes you on a journey through the deeper shades of electronics on their inaugural release. It's quite a mixed bag yet it still remains consistent throughout, whether it's the deep chug of Canadian Eddie C's meditative 'Winter', TCB's descent into the cosmic hole on 'Spring' or Sardinian hypnotic techno expert Claudio PRC's icy dub techno soundscape (ironically) titled 'Summer' - you will definitely experience four seasons in a day on Fall Winter Spring Summer Vol 1.
Review: With this the 3rd instalment of Hell's my definition of house 12" series, two new massive Gigolo old-school tracks are resurrected for the pleasure of a modern listening public. In 1986, three young DJs began making music on a 4-track recorder in a Baltimore basement studio. Little did they know at the time that more than 15 years later they would be viewed as pioneers of American dance music. 33 1/3 Queen (aka Basement Boys aka Jay Ateinhour, Reddy Souglas, and Thommy Davis) took samples of A Guy Called Gerald's classic "Blow Your House Down" (originally released in 1988) and made their single "Searchin'" which quickly turned out to be an underground club favourite. To date, the boys have remixed songs such esteemed acts as Michael Jackson, Erykah Badu, The Shamen, Angie Stone, Lenny Kravitz and Paula Abdul. In addition, they continue to expose and nurture new talents on their own label, Basement Boys Records, which was established in 1995. The Basement Boys have been responsible for some of clubland's biggest anthems and their hit "Searchin'" is as relevant today as it was ten years ago. Earth People's (aka Pal Joey) house masterpiece reach up to mars originally released in 1990 on Underworld Records finally gets a re-issue on Gigolo Records. The original with its monster drums shuffling guitars synth stabs great use of vocal samples and incredible production skills still withstands the test of time sounding like it could have been made yesterday. This is classic material here that will destroy any dancefloor!! House maestro Pal Joey released this tune, a funky cross-pollination of garage classics from Toney Lee ("Reach Up") and Dexter Wansel ("Life On Mars"), in 1990, and you have to thank Hell for making it available now once again to a 2006 audience. There's a fine line between classic and dated. Hell knows this well and selects only for his 12" series "My Definition Of House" those which were groundbreaking when they first appeared and still sound hot to 21st century ears. So keep your mind and ears open, for you never know what Hell will dig up from the basement next. Stay tuned for "My Definition Of House part 4"!
Review: Here's something to excite all those who like their dance music to come with a heavy dose of funk: a split release from 50 Weapons that boasts material from Bristol-based floor-slayer Addison Groove and scene veteran Erik "Errorsmith" Wiegand. The latter is in a combative mood, delivering a rave-friendly chunk of analogue madness that comes complete with colossal build-ups, twisted acid lines, bouncy electronics and ghetto-tech-inspired intensity. While rather good, it lacks the energy and punch of Addison Groove's contribution, the throbbing "Allaby". Typically, it sits somewhere between the relentless jack of juke, the cut-up appeal of ghetto-tech, and the rolling goodness of tech-funk. However you describe the track, it's a bit of a banger.
Review: Clut deliver a specialised clout-glut with a fresh split EP from rising artist Alric Aerial, who here teams up with yet another artist who's so far flown under the label's radar - Electrodynamique. Here the pair deliver four electro-dancefloor tracks primed for every situation: sleazy bar, backlit festival stage, ironic doomsday scenario, you name it. This EP's cascading sixteenths flow like metallic droplets, their acid lines and FM blurps splurging forth with increasing restlessness and impertinence, and decreasing self-control. Particularly squelchy is Aerial's 'Tough Cuts', which moves trigger-happy on the cutoff filter whilst dungeon-bound sine tones splay across the top edges of the track, like ectoplasms left behind after a string of Zeno's paradoxes have been solved. 'We Are The City' by Electrodynamique indulges a final emery note, abrading its curveball electro mix to a grinding, apocalyptic oblivion.
Review: Some of the most promising Swedish artists on this new Moll release. The label is an excellent guideline of today's techno movement. Firm thumping kicks are at the base of these dancefloor monsters. The boys turn out to be full blown bassline engineers, pushing the envelope when it comes to supersonic frequencies.
Review: Stochastic Resonance come through correct with their sixth instalment of the series, this time bringing together the talents of Akamoi, Ynaktera, Cosmonauta, Mariano, Ghostphace and Scual for a proper stirring of the senses on this noisy, drone-laden beat of an EP. Akamoi starts with furious swells on morphing feedback soundscapes, while Ynaktera goes for a pixelated sample workout recalling Pan's Jar Moff. Mariano's "Mysterious Ways" sets the dance tempo, amalgamating a twisted, slightly off beat pattern with bleeps and stabs and "Rome Boredom" by Ghostphace is another special moment - quick, psychotic synths fall into an absolutely terrifying ocean of distortion and satanic noise infusions. What a blinder!
Review: Italian collective CREA debuts with "Crea Legacy 001," the inaugural release on its new record label. This compilation showcases the diverse talents of the party's resident artists across music and digital art. Featuring tracks from no.name, Alarico, and Endrew, with each one bringing their unique sonic identity to the collection along with a 3D sculpture by 4C. Kicking off with Alarico's energetic 'Sleeping Dog,' the compilation progresses to no.name's sleek 'Tag' and Endrew's intricate 'Rescue Of Airon' before concluding with no.name's hypnotic 'District.'
Review: With previous appearances from talents such as D. Tiffany, Iron Curtis and Priori, Canadian label 00:AM bring you their fourth various artists compilation. On the A side of 00AM 004, they roped in two artists that they've have had the pleasure of hosting in Montreal over the past couple years: the inimitable DJ Fett Burger, who gives Copenhagen's Alfredo92 (Axces) a woozy slo-mo acid rework of his 'Tente Hjul' (XB3711 F3 Remix). This one is perfect tackle for getting weird at the afterhours. On the flip it's clearly more of a dub techno affair, and where this EP really got us moving and grooving: Vancouver's Elan Benaroch aka ESB with the rolling and hypnotic "Sequential Dub", followed by the glacial and cavernous thump of "Immune" by 2wo2imes taking you deeper into the Quebec winter frost.
Review: Crew love is true love: Beste Freunde 05 is upon us and it's not likely to hang around. Once again it's a whole new collective of like-minded souls together for a fresh expedition. Anil Aras leads the mission with a rippling Detroitian understated number simply called "Track 1". He's flanked by Paolo Rocco and Moises. The former ups the temperature and gets us in a lather with the insistent pace of "Ill" while the latter sooths our souls and oils our joints with the slippery hypnosis session "Easy Beauty". Finally Esposito & Nadje run point with the heaviest tool of the trip - the bubbling technoid "HBP". Friends till the end!
Review: Aniara's white label number four delivers more techno goodness direct to the dance floor. The A-side features two of Arkajo's most compelling dance-floor tracks, with both offering a propulsive groove and warped and dubbed-out basslines. On the flip side, Dorisburg and Efraim Kent (who are here making their debut on Aniara) present the darker vibes of 'Data Smuggler' which rides on broken beats and has real menace in the airwaves. It complements the A-side with a more deep mood and hypnotic rhythm that will be pure dancing bait.
Review: Planet Rhythm is back once again, this time with a wicked split EP featuring two top techno talents. ARKVS takes care of the A-side with the low-key and deep techno buzz of 'Endorphine' and then the floating drum loops and minimal sound designs of 'Forever Is Never'. Edit Select keeps similar quiet but potent styles alive with his sparse and moody techno roller 'Quatro' while last of all is 'Loophole'. This one has rattling train-on-track style percussive sounds and deeply buried sub-bass all making for a journey as heady as it is physical.
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