DJS: MOST CHARTED - MINIMAL / TECH - MOST CHARTED IN MARCH 2014

Review: Fred P is never short of ways to get deep, but here he's kicking off a new alias for a slight twist on how he approaches his signature plush chords and hypnotic constructions. Anomaly did previously appear on a Soul People compilation with "Above Below", which appears here as the B2 and represents everything you can love about classic Fred P with its soaring pads and dreamlike finish. Elsewhere there are more rough edges to be found, as on the more abstract roll of "Tunnel Vision" and the moody grind of "Dark Room" with its spooked out synth strafes and poised sound design.

Review: As well as being a reliable outlet for the refined works of label owner Patrice Scott, Sistrum occasionally dabble in the art of the V/A split releases and they are consistently as on point. This four pronged Genesis Tracks 12" is a case in point, featuring the collective talents of Modular One, Johannes Volk, Marco Zenker and Sharif Anderson. Listening to lead track "Quasar" from Modular One, it's easy to see why Scott was drawn to this apparent newcomer, the production filled with the kind of deepness and purity of sound you expect from the Detroit producer himself. Having remixed Scott for Sistrum back in 2011, Johannes Volk makes his debut proper with the dubby yet elastic sounding "Stream" whilst "Second Flight" from Marco Zenker could pass for a NWAQ jam! Another newcomer rounds out Genesis Tracks in style with "Future Acid Test" from Sharif Anderson wedged neatly between the functional and the psychedelic.

Review: With over a year having passed since his debut album Changing Days was released to massive acclaim, Mano Le Tough returns with more emotive, melody-laden deep house for the Berlin-based Maeve Records. The title track of Tempus is a glittering combination of twitchy arpeggio, Four Tet-like chimes and no-nonsense rhythms, while "Return To Yoz" is considerably darker, pairing a churning bass and elastic with a techy structure that will set fire to any peak time dancefloor. "Sorry Is A Useless Word" finishes off with something a little more experimental, as the kind of melodious keys you might find on a Dial release are interspersed with a loose limbed house beat that is definitely not of the ordinary.

Review: ** Repress ** Almost twelve months after he first debuted on Clone Jack For Daze, L-Vis 1990 returns to the Rotterdam label with a 12" that features the first new material under his Dance System alias. First introduced on a mix for DIS magazine that featured a glut of the producer's Chicago influences like Paul Johnson and DJ Deeon, original material under the Dance System name takes a similarly Dance Mania influenced approach. Four tracks deep, this EP demonstrates the New York-based Night Slugs CEO has the energising functionality of Ghetto House down to a tee and look out for "Move It" which sees Connolly draw a direct line to Dance Mania's lineage. Here the producer teams up with Jammin Gerald whose titular vocal hook is thrown about with the same gleeful abandon as the rusted key line

Review: For the Juno review team, Munich record shop turned label Public Possession were one of last year's breakthrough operations with killer releases from Bell Towers, Matthew Brown and Tambien complemented by some fine sleeve design. Marvin & Valentino, Public Possession's founders, team up once again with fellow Munchner Bartellow for some hot new Tambien jams on PP following that excellent ESP Institute 12" late last year. A metallic sticker adorning the front of the record sleeve offers handy track descriptions from Tambien themselves, who state lead track "Overheater" is filled with heavy afro vibes and percussion workouts. For us Hanna Barbera fans however, the real knockout punch from Tambien is "UGLI Elevator" that features some killer cartoon samples!! Final track "Hans Renegade" is the cut the more serious techno selectors will draw for.

Review: Surfacing from somewhere in the Russian Federation, Gost Zvuk Records live up to their name's rough translation of Ghost Sounds on the basis of this debut release from newcomer Aleksei Nikitin. There's versatility to Nikitin's productions here that will serve him well, with the taut, subtle groove and programming on opening track "Tevi" giving the producer the space to lay down some impressively emotive melodic arrangements. The opening bars to "Tebe Nujno Vernutsya" hint that the production is heading for a weird place, yet there's a smart switch up that takes proceedings into bumping raw house with some smart vocal edits. Face down "Inache" finds Nikitin indulging in some gritty dub house whilst "Ostavim" comes from the Gerry Read school of thumping house tools.

Review: The Cubo Rhythm Trax 12? sees the Versatile stalwart end nearly two years of radio silence in style, with inspiration coming from Jive Rhythm Trax's Volume 2, an eight-track tape of electro first released in 1989. Named after their BPMs like the original, I:Cube's techno-take on these retro productions also come with a throbbing Pilooski edit of "Makossa Suspens" taken from the producer's "M" Megamix album from 2012, which although unrelated to Jive, provides a complimenting bonus to two jangly, metallic, tribal drum tracks.

Review: In the past few years Vince Watson has released records for Delsin, Tresor and Planet E, as well as his Serene album on the Rekids-affiliated Pyramids Of Mars. Now Watson finds himself on Steve Bug's Poker Flat following releases from Alex Niggeman, Martin Landsky, Daniel Dexter and the boss-man himself. The three-track Planet Funk 12" sees Watson provide some deeper, linear house in title track, which is made even more progressive and bouncy in Marco Resman's remix. The revered Scotsman then provides a spritzy and uplifting B-side with the conga-chugging "Paradise". A very strong second Poker Flat release for 2014.

Review: Taken from the highly praised debut from Maurice Aymard album Between Stars we present the first remix EP featuring new as well as more seasoned remixers such as Roberto Rodriguez, Sasse, Miguel Puente and Jonas Saalbach. On The A-side Sasse takes a dark Detroit path on his remix of 1994, adding throbbing sub bass and soaring strings for a 5 AM dancefloor workout. Miguel Puente houses up Dead feat Colorado and the result is a very emotional house ride. Roberto Rodriguez drops a beautiful slow jam of 1994, full of nuances of deep house, acid and soulful vibes, perfect for the warm club night in the middle of the winter. Jonas Saalbach from Einmusika transforms Different Channels into a hypnotic and dark journey for the modern dancefloor, making a perfect closing for this fine EP

Review: Apollonia continue to welcome some legendary names into their prospering discography, but whilst Kerri Chandler's recent contribution took the form of a much needed reissue of Sunday Sunlight this appearance from Jovonn offers the NY house icon the chance to demonstrate how his production renaissance is faring with some all new material. Apparently an inspirational figure to the Apollonia trio of Shonky, Dan Ghenacia and Dyed Sondorom, Jovonn really needs no introduction for anyone who has a keen awareness of house music history and The EP demonstrates he still knows how to put together a dancefloor bomb. Specifically "Trippin Body 'N' Deep Vox (mix)" which in original and dub version offer a masterclass in rolling house music, whilst sandwiched in-between is "The March" which is Jovonn in a deeper mood.

Review: Ibiza based imprint Fathers & Sons brings back label boss Julian Perez to deliver the second installment in his FAS007 series, serving up two tracks that highlight the ever deepening sound of the producer. "Reef" is a taut and muscular tech house cut that packs a touch of New Jersey swing but decorates it with immersive dub styles that send it to a more contemplative headspace, and the results are a club ready workhorse that punches in all the right places. "111" is a more daring affair that spends a great deal of time in a fragmented found sound space before the argpeggiated bass line propels the track towards a floor-ready structure.

Review: Under the Petre Inspirescu guise, Bucharest based DJ and producer Radu Dumitru Bodiu has built a reputation for intricate, minimal house across numerous 12" releases over the past few years. It was little surprise when fabric invited him to contribute to their long running mix series last year with the resultant fifteen track set filled with unreleased material, adding further credence to the notion that Inspirescu is a bit of a demon at production. Surfacing on mule musiq is pleasantly surprising - the label claim to be massive fans of the Romanian - and the Talking Waters 12" is likely to introduce Inspirescu's typically understated, hypnotic minimal house to a wider audience.

Review: Recent times have seen Gerd Janson and Phil Lauer focus on developing their Tuff City Kids project into a fully fledged production unit, with a EP on Delsin complementing the usual raft of remixes the pair get involved in, which include Internasjonal, Phantasy, DFA, Visionquest and Mojuba this year. This new Running Back record sees the pair revert to their other successful ongoing partnership, with Janson as label owner and Lauer as artist. Entitled Laui XIV, this four track 12" is the first solo Lauer record since last year's superlative BIS transmission and lives up to the label's billing as "Post-house-proto-disco-trance rockets fuelled by new wave and sound transmissions from middle-wave Caucasus". Lead track "Tyler" is a particular delight, filled with the sort of effervescent, rich sonic qualities that Phillip has made his name on!

Review: As the title would suggest, this double pack monster from Roger Gerressen and Ivano Tetelepta is forged from digging through dusty records to create a spotters delight of beat constructions to make DJ Shadow blush. While the pair's grounding in house and techno shines through, not to mention Nilla's role as an All Inn offshoot, the real informer here is hip hop, as titles such as "Kool As Keith" attest. Throughout there's a tone of smoky, late-night ambience which lends itself perfectly to this kind of project, but it still kicks when it wants to. The title track surges forth on a limber break while "Mambo Town" shimmies with resurrected energy. There are plenty of mellow moments to be enjoyed as well, so if you like your beats outsourced then get on this sizable package.

Review: As a new project for long-serving house trooper Darren Emerson, The White Lamp seems to be picking up pace swiftly following the well-received singles for Sonar Kollektiv and Futureboogie. Making the move to the ever-more house-orientated Hotflush, this latest single sees Emerson and vocalist Peter Josef get their track "Ride With You" re-examined by a host of characters. First up is Italo Johnson, exclusive to the vinyl with his finely toned machine-driven remix, before the original version sidles up in all its woozy, hazy bombast. Emerson turns out a more club-ready "Dub" that works in some solid drums and lets the simmering vocals swirl in a pot of delay and reverb, leaving it to Mike Dehnert to drop a sparse and cheekily funking abstraction that usurps the warm tones for a cold bite.

Review: As they hit release number six Chicago's Episodes label reach out beyond their regular circle of producers and invite a fellow Windy City dweller to extol the virtues of outboard gear. Compared to the rough edges of Ike Release, Hakim Hurphy and the label as a whole, G Marcell's approach is a smoother one, allowing plenty of drifting synth lines and gently tempered drums into the mix for a worthy take on yearning techno and homespun house music. From the gentler shades of "I Be Damn" to the jarring jack of "Strange Blu Fish" there is a great focus on futuristic synth lines for all times and places, and it gives G Marcell a character all of his own.

Review: It's a busy time for the hotly tipped house music duo, as their recent turn for No Fit State is swiftly followed up by this appearance on D'Julz's ever consistent Bass Culture stable. There's a techno thread at work in the lead track "Pajala Sunrise", what with its peppy tempo range, tweaked siren noise and general sense of urgency, but there's still plenty of the soulful sample selection going on in the midst of it all. "Ressle's Restroom" is a touch more focused towards house music, but it's certainly of the submerged, hypnotic kind, as distant samples fall into a loop and the drums keep pounding without much sign of respite.