DJS: MOST CHARTED - DEEP HOUSE - MOST CHARTED IN FEBRUARY 2016

Review: Sound Signature's latest missive comes from Byron The Aquarius, a former Onra collaborator best known for his dusty trips into MPC beat-making territory. Here, the Atlanta-based producer successfully turns his hand to dusty, soul-flecked deep house, peppering the bumpin' groove of "Aquarian Voyage" with a toasty bassline and twinkling Rhodes motifs. It's the kind of hazy, jazz-flecked deep house that Sound Signature has always done better than almost anyone else. Flipside "Run Sa", featuring the fluid and intoxicating playing of drummer Dmitri Walker, is even better, with warm chords draping themselves over snappy snares, hissing cymbals and killer fills.

Review: Bristol imprint Banoffee Pies comes at us with their third release. This time they've handed the reigns to Swedes and Junk Yard Connections alumni Adam Stromstedt & Art Alfie. They give us the deep and soothing "Drum Off" and like the name might suggests: there are some pretty crazy drums going off in there. Jaffa Surfa's (aka Zoltan Pal/Zee) "Souled Out" is early noughties style filtered disco house; always a worthy addition. While on the flip we've got "KO Bad (Hansel Edit)" a bit of dusty, smoked out, hip-hop inspired deep house that fans of Glenn Astro and Max Graef will well dig!

Review: Assisted by long-time studio partner Kaidi Tatham, former 4 Hero man Dego's been on fire of late, delivering killer singles - and a fine album - for the likes of Eglo and Rush Hour. Here he pops up on Neroli again with more superb, soul-flecked dancefloor fare. "Don't Stop (Let It Go)" is particularly potent, offering a disco and jazz-funk influenced chunk of celebratory deep house laden with thrilling live instrumentation from members of "the 2000 Black family" (Tatham and others, basically). He completely flips the script on "Save It Till Later", a refreshingly rough and ready chunk of bass-heavy, acid-flecked house/techno fusion that benefits greatly for some particularly warped electronics. Darkness and light on one 12"; what's not to like?

Review: Way back in 2007, Mike Huckaby released an EP that joined the dots between Detroit deep house and dub techno all made exclusively on his Waldorf Wave synthesizer. Some nine years on, he's finally got around to releasing a follow-up. My Life With The Wave Volume 2 eschews the dub techno influences of old, instead focusing on the fluid, rich, soul-flecked Motor City deep house he does so well. He begins with the looped, minor key melodies and strutting grooves of "Let The Dancer Do His Thing", before increasing the rhythmic intensity via the cymbal-heavy waviness of "Phuture". Flip for the sun-kissed breeziness of "Baseline 313" - all repetitive electric piano motifs, handclap-heavy percussion and tribal vocal samples - and the fluttering, picturesque deepness of "Another Fantasy". All four tracks are good, but then when does Huckaby ever let us down?

Review: Italian duo Nu Guinea has previously proved adept at creating humid, sultry deep house and tropical-infused electronics. Here, they focus a little more on the latter with a concept album based around the distinctive Afrobeat rhythms of legendary drummer Tony Allen. With his blessing, and that of the Comet label on which he's been releasing since the 1980s, the Early Sounds Recordings pair has cut-up and re-constructed Allen's drums, combining them with their own steamy electronics, vintage synthesizer lines and classic drum machines. It's an intoxicating and hugely entertaining blend that sits somewhere between their previous outings, Danny Wolfers' material under the Nacho Patrol guise, and the dreamy late '80s/early '90s work of forgotten Italian producer Mr Marvin.

Review: It would be fair to say that Mr Fingers 2016 is something of an event release, at least for those who love deep house. While Larry Heard has kept busy - largely with remixes and reissues - this marks the first 12" release under his most famous moniker for over a decade. He begins in contemplative mood, fusing tumbling music box melodies, creepy electronics and nagging 303 lines on "Outar Acid", before laying down some typically blissful, atmospheric deep house on the wondrous "Qwazars". Flip for "Nodyahead", an effortless mixture of heavy dub-house bottom end, African-influenced percussion and moody late night refrains, and the ultra-deep, piano-laden bliss of "Aether".

Review: Some two years on from the release of his acclaimed, in-demand debut album, The Boat Party, Kyle Julian Hall delivers the follow-up From Joy. Intriguingly, the eight tracks come from the Kyle Hall archives, all recorded by the young producer before the turn of the decade, and is presented as a homage to where Kyle lived at the time in his father's basement on the west side of Detroit on Joy Rd. From the outset, Hall's second album is loose, melodious, heady and synthesizer-heavy, with broken beats and wild, experimental rhythms combining effortlessly with jazz, jazz-funk, boogie, soul, Herbie Hancock and '80s electro influences. It makes for thrilling and hugely enjoyable listening and offers proof of Hall's musicianship and ability to repackage a wide range of influences.

Review: After over 26 years at the forefront of Parisian nightlife, Rex Club expanded their remit in 2015 with the launch of an eponymous record label; typically, it was inaugurated with a dash of Gallic flair by a 12" sporting the collective talents of D'Julz, Phil Weeks and Trus'Me (the latter on remix duties). Fast forward to 2016 and Rex Club present their second 12", turning to one of the most respected names in deep house, Mr Fred P. Last year was perhaps the most productive so far for Fred P, and this creative drive continues apace on this Expressing Dark Matter EP. Holding it down on the A-side is "Wave Patterns" where a restrained groove plays second fiddle to some delightful pads and oh so deep chord work. The B-side pairs up the loose percussive "Continuous Sensations" with standout cut "Unbroken Circle". Vintage Peterkin through and through.

Review: Swiss fusionists with previous on Highlife and INI Movement, Alma Negra make the logical leap to Sofrito with three rich tribal workouts: "Mageko" squares our focus on a deep cry that punctures the snake-like percussion with a yearning soulful urgency. "Tabanka" adds more dancefloor appear with a off-beat arrangement that you could imagine eclectic acts such as Optimo utilising really creatively. Finally we hit "Ramboia", a track where Doc Martin-style pads breeze through a small African village, shrouding the percussion and chants with a great sense of mysticism. Rich.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Despite only a few releases, the Electronic deep house sound of Vibraphone Records and the production team behind it had a major impact on the international 1990's dance scene.

The original 90's vinyl are now considered precious collectors items Revitalized by an increasingly new young audience interest this label has reached a cult status and it is now been re-launched via Juno Records.

Produced by The True Underground Sound of Rome team all the tracks included in this re-released are characterized by a heavenly atmosphere and a cinematic sound.

This 12" Vinyl EP contains the analog re-mastered & new recording version of the original 4 tracks first released in 1992 .

Review: Superconscious, the Australian label overseen by the most evocatively named duo Francis Inferno Orchestra and Fantastic Man, returns with a fifth offering and the welcome sight of some fresh material from Andras Fox. Last spotted on a Dopeness Galore 12" alongside regular sparrer Oscar Key Sung, this fresh 5 track 12" sees the Foxmaster taking subtle cues from Cajmere, Pal Joey and some lesser known Australian house producers from the '90s. There is a DIY, lo-fi sheen apparent throughout but it's complemented by a refreshing sense of humour in some of the little production touches. See the 'horny-Australiana disco' of "Soy Boy" for an example of this. A great 12"!

Review: Since 2010, the My Love Is Underground imprint has done a stellar job in rekindling interest in the more soulful, New Jersey-influenced end of deep house. Credit must go to label boss Jeremy Underground, who here continues his quest to champion overlooked and forgotten house with a second collection of slept-on gems. With 12 quality tracks stretched across three slabs of wax - with accompanying detailed sleeve notes - there's much to enjoy, from the thumping, rave-era stomp of DJ Tools' Cleveland City classic "Hey Mr Shy One (Not Too Shy 2 Sample Mix)", to the hard-to-pigeonhole genius of Expectations' in-demand 1992 obscurity "Techno Soul". Naturally, the more soulful side of US deep house is represented, via killer selections from Groovestyle and Dionne.

Review: Smart Bar resident Garrett David previously impressed with the bumpin' Queen Tracks EP on Stripped & Chewed. Here, he returns to the Chicagoan imprint, this time working alongside fellow Gramaphone Records employee Adam Rowe. For the most part, the duo sticks to a hazy, warm and melodious sunrise deep house blueprint, melding attractive melody lines, sugar-sprinkled electronics and toasty chords to grooves that shuffle loosely, rather than bang hard. There are notable diversions, though; the standout "Summit (Smashed Mix)" adds a little old school Detroit flavour to the percussion for an altogether more rolling vibe, while "Space Jam" is as atmospheric and intergalactic ambient cut as you'll hear all year.

Review: Volcov's Neroli is definitely all about the classic sounds as much as it is about emotive deepness and soul. A label where Domu, Dego and Kaidi Tatham have all appeared in recent times so you know how serious they are! This time around it's over to NYC producer Trinidadian Deep who has served an apprenticeship of sorts under legends of the craft such as Ron Trent and Osunlade. Speaking of which, the spiritual Afro vibe of "London Steps" is very reminiscent of Osunlade or Ron Trent's African Blues Project. "Spirit Speaks" is pure bliss amidst a wash of rich synth textures and swirling pads with hypnotic conga drums. Finally "Lil Love" is driving deep house for heaving dance floors featuring yet another execution of fine elements, no doubt honed by his time with NYC's finest. Tip!

Review: Back again on board the deep man Four Walls with 2 fantastic deep tracks driven by a mix from the Atlanta-man KAI ALCE!!

Review: The story of how this record on Wolf Music came to be is a shining beacon of how the underground works at its finest. Booked to play Dortmund venue Oma Doris last year, the Wolf lads were handed a CD of demos from young resident DJ Mr Fries which had them very impressed. Soon after label and artist shook hands, and now Mr Fries becomes Wolf Music's Dortmund correspondent with this blissful 5 track EP. The young German is a fine fit for the Wolf cause, brandishing a deep take on house that's got just the right amount of dust and plenty of soul in the samples used. We'd wager Mr Fries was signed up on the strength of lead track "Get Together" alone! Money $ex Records alumnus Hodini and long-time Wolf affiliate Garth BE provide extra sweetness on remix duties.

Review: The Organ Grinder mints his new record label with a bulked up reissue of a gem from his back catalogue that will make DJs - and dancers - very happy. Far from throwaway, this is music rooted in the '90s US garage sound of Kerri Chandler, Masters at Work and early Todd Edwards, with the intensity of true deep house and the light rhythmic touch of UKG. 'Obsession' originally came out almost 5 years ago, but there's simplicity in its skittering rhythm and a mantra of rising minor-note synth hits that keep it burning into the dancefloor. 'X Rated' hits like its inverted counterpart, with a more heavily weighted drum groove and garage stabs that spiral down your spine. 'Physicality' opens the EP with cunningly-sampled soul music, sung notes of passion belted out over a tense background of keys and Rhodes chords, weaving an atmosphere that only comes out of expertly woven harmony.

Review: Andrew Morgan's Peoples Potential Unlimited label may well have been founded to document the lost and forgotten funk, disco and boogie that peppered the DIY and private press labels of 1980s USA, but their contemporary releases are just as good. See 12"s from the likes of Legowelt, Beautiful Swimmers and Pender Street Steppers for evidence. Fried Chicken Skin adds to this small but deadly canon of contemporary PPU releases, presenting one of two records on the label from Stefan "Rekchampa" Ringer, a Stockbridge, Atlanta-based producer who got his break in late 2014 thanks to Kai Alce's NDATL label. "Fried Chicken Skin" is a bumping, rough US house delight replete with ad-libbing vocals from Ringer himself, whilst "Ride" sees him collaborate with Personal Trainer for a more reduced, deeper cut that will appeal to Sound Signature fans.

Review: French label D3 Elements returns to Chicago for its next EP, this time looking to the assured house talents of Hakim Murphy for three tracks of raw, dense grooves right from the heart of the Windy City. Opener 'Boxbeat' is a curious, freaky jam with bobbing percussive hits, wonky, pixel thin synth lines and free roaming pads that wrap the whole thing in a nice sense of spaced-out serenity. 'Taste o'Rainbow' has a much more firmly planted kick drum that pounds away uninterrupted below a free flowing brew of modulate synth sounds. It's expertly reduced and masterfully reserved and is sure to send dance floors wild as a result. The flipside cut 'Freshness' has pinging drums and a big, frazzled bass line as slithering chords rain down the face. Musical yet jacking, cosmic yet propulsive, it is a perfectly contemporary Chicago house sound that rounds out a fine EP from one of the best in the game.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Hugo Lx lands on the Courtesy of Balance Recordings planet with an exquisite ipiece of House music on wax. Inspired by his travels across Japan, these tracks will cater for most djs and music lovers alike. From the powerful and Dubby "Low Altitude" to the slow burner of "Kansai Kick it", Hugo Lx showcases some of his musical ability and talent. Hugo is the former production mastermind behind The Funk League, and the frenchman's hip-hop roots take his music production take on House music back to it's roots! Hugo Lx is the latest addition to the legacy of french underground house producers! Nuff said.. Drop the needle on the record!

Review: Fierce, new wave hip-house and garage vibes from Utrecht's Anil Aras on DJ Haus' imprint for serious house heads only. On the A side is "Dance MF" a wicked DJ tool that features one brutally booming 909 kick you'll ever hear, supported by funky breaks and hip hop vocal samples. On the flip it's the kind of Jersey sound that'd make Todd Edwards stand up and notice on "Shake Dat Ass" with its hissing, swing fuelled shuffle, more hip-house samples and 909 boom taking it all the way home!

Review: Ruff Daft returns, and after a various artist EP for number 7, number 8 on the label goes back to the founder, with three new tracks from Cottam
'Washed Out' kicks things off, at the cross roads between Mood Hut & Basic Channel where dub techno sensibilities meet dreamy chords for a delectable deep house track.
'Horns' harks back to Cottam's earliest releases, with an afro-ish horn loop teased out over four minutes until the full loop and bass kick in to devastating effect.
'A Ruff Draft' sees Cottam look back towards his techno roots, with a killer kick drum and raw acid lending an abrasive edge to a well rounded EP of varied styles.

Review: There was something rather impressive - if slightly predictable - about the new age-meets-tropical deep house vibe of "Velvet Vortex", DJ Fett Burger and Jayda G's first hook-up on Australia's Butter Sessions. There are hints of the same style on this second collaboration between the Sex Tags maniac and the Vancouver producer, with both versions of "Wind Waker" - club and ambient - delivering warm, dreamy chords, eyes-closed melodies and humid textures. The real killer, though, is A-side "NYC Party Track", a deliciously leftfield disco-house roller full of short funk guitar licks, low-slung electric bass, pitched down rave stabs and relentless, cowbell-driven percussion. In other words, it's a killer party jam.

Review: "OK, so YSE Saint Laur'Ant has spent far too long writing and releasing music in one guise or another to endure writing clever promo/impress releases. Instead, Vinyl Only wants to let the music speak for itself - keep it simple - if you don't like it today then thats cool, we get we can't please all the people, all of the time. However if don't buy from Juno today please dont whine to us when you'll be forced to spend the better part of double/treble the price for this very same release on Discogs in a few years time.

Review: Finale Underground is back with Vol. 3 and this time the focus in on Chicago. Four tunes from Chicago luminaries that have made their marks in the scene, though all sounding different, still staying true to the Chicago ethos. Specter's deep house jam called "5th of Hen" with its lush sounds and steady melodies sets the tone. Chicago Skyway follows with a club banger titled "Digits LG" where the pulsating synth takes up the attention, giving an old school feel with contemporary string sounds. Hakim Murphy starts the B side with "Slowdown", an acid house tune that shows off some of Murphy's drum programming skills. Finally, Steven Tang finishes the session with an the tune of aggressive synth lines and a bouncy bass called "String Tension". Future Chicago is a well rounded ep that features four different takes on the current affairs of the Chicago sound.

Review: A second edition of the Various Artists Backpack EP, from French house label D3 Elements pulls together some key producers; Detroit soulful house star Terrence Parker is back once again, and joined by D-Knox, Dan Curtin and TechElectro. Curtin gets the ball rolling with "House Spirits," a summery, feel good house roller with trilling keys and organic chords all making for a jazzy vibe. Then comes a more synthetic and abstract cut, "Stars That Never Die", from TechElectro aka the fearsome American techno duo of Solid Gold Playaz, who also release as Dark Matrix. On the flip side, D-Knox aka Groove Man offers "Summer Beach Time," a cool as you like track with breezy chords, radiant pads and wooden sounding percussion flapping along next to the drums. Then it is down to Terrence Parker to close with the laid back, deep and soothing "So Beautiful," a sweet as you like house jam with magic chords and plenty of heart warming grooves.