Review: Sonder is a new London-based label dealing in sprightly tech house with plenty of wiggle. Cutting the ribbon is ADMNTi, who has been on superlative form via releases for Dansu Discs, 4Plae and Yamanu amongst others. His 'Liquor Locker' and 'BetaSpace' cuts are splashed with a little sunshine, some garage bump and subtle trance touches, all the better to grease up the dancefloor. Laidlaw takes up position on the flip, offering his own strain of shuffling funky stuff for the peak time crowd. 'Open To Receive' has a subtly spiritual slant to it, while 'Repeated Patterns' gets into a snaking house trip with cheeky hooks and snappy basslines for days.
Review: Basel-based experimental labels Amenthia Recordings and A Walking Contradiction join forces for their first collaborative release here in the form of the Flash Crash/Hack Crash EP. Both labels are known for pushing boundaries within their close-knit creative circles and this one features Agonis' heavy stepper and Konduku's whirlpool of low frequencies on the Amenthia side, while Lemont continues the low-end, tripped-out vibe. Varuna represents A Walking Contradiction and delivers swampy, slow-motion sounds in their signature style. This release embodies both labels' commitment to daring, unconventional electronic sounds.
Lego Edit - "Party Freaks" (Lego party dub) (5:59)
Review: You can always count on the Legofunk crew to bring you disco and funk edits from less mined sources that will absolutely rock it on the floor. On this instalment we have five different joints to get stuck into, from the slow Afro house throw down of Alexny's 'Meneao' to Siggatunez's slinky, soulful groover 'Boogie'. Look out for the low tempo seduction of DJ Laurel's 'Let The Good Time', which will get a warm-up slot thoroughly juiced for the night to come. The Lego Edit 'party dub' of 'Party Freaks' heads more explicitly towards peak-time house, but as ever it's delivered with heart and soul thanks to the vintage source material powering the track.
Review: This is another reissue of a record that remains an ongoing favourite. Original Gravity delivered again with the original pressing featuring two unique versions of 'Burning Spear'. Nestor Alvarez opens with a lively, Latin-inspired rendition filled with fluttering flute melodies, raw drum beats and vibrant dancing keys that radiate sunny energy. On the flip, La Machine D'Argent takes a more cosmic approach, smoothing the vibe and layering spaced-out sounds for a dreamy, immersive journey. This release showcases Original Gravity's knack for reimagining funk with flair by offering two distinct yet equally good takes on a timeless groove.
Review: After the success of their last outing, A New Chapter, from this label, Balders Audio offers up a second various artists 12" with some punchy techno for loud sound systems. Audio Units opens up with the thrilling drum programming and intense synth textures of 'Transmodality.' Linear System then keeps up the pace with '0724am' which is a sleek, linear, heady techno roller marbled with eerie little cosmic details. Tangram's 'Variant Trials' shuts down with what is a deep, dark, moody acid-laced techno mind melter. Perfect 5 am tackle if you ask us.
Review: Well Curated is a series of releases and parties that - in its own words - "reflects the ethnomusicology of the last 50 years of music" - and aims to reach into all genres, merging classic styles and breaking down barriers. Steve Spacek occupies the A-side with the breezy broken beat and soul-in-space of 'Alone In Da Sun', while Lukid's 'Hair Of The Dog' is a more intense counterpart, with wobbling sub-bass and swirling, surging atmospherics hovering above.
Review: Rebirth kicks off its 2024 with a remix EP that serves as "a tribute to the Brescian music scene in its many facets and declinations." The full original project is a complete 12-track album that brings together many different sounds, scenes and generations, with the best bits now assembled on this new 12". The revered deep house master Fred P opens up with some texture spiritual synth depths, K-Lone brings some nice house swing to his version of 'Paline' and edit maestro Rahsaan also keeps it paired back and late night on his soulful take on 'Scent Of An Old Life'. A great reimagining of some moving musical adventures, then.
Lynn Williams - "How Can You Call Love Fascination" (2:26)
Review: Jimmy Bo Horne brings his raw and expressive vocals to this new release on Japanese label Ultra Vybe. The oft-sampled America singer, writer and producer has been turning out such sounds since the mid 70s but remains on top of his game here. The big horns bring energy, the rolling rhythm section gets you up on your feet and the whole thing screams floor filler. On the flip is Lynn Williams with 'How Can You Call Love Fascination,' a much more slow and sensual soul tune with acrobatic vocals and nice piano fills next to a big horn section.
Review: New label Taf Kif kicks off with this classy VA package from some cool cats who know how to lay down a slick groove or two. First up on this distinctly 80s-styled package is Axel Boman, who brings some of his signature sparkling melodies to a synth-pop indebted jam entitled 'Oasis'. Meanwhile Velmondo follows up with something a little more trippy and adventurous on 'Echo Welt', before MLiR inaugurates the B-side with the sultry tones of 'It's Baby Time'. Lusille completes the set with the hazy Afro house deviations of 'Une Longue Route', riding a swung groove that offers something different from the everyday cookie cutter house we know so well.
Review: No prizes for guessing the motivation behind this new EP, 5 Years Of B2 Recordings. It is a tidy and tasteful celebration of half a decade of top quality deep house from a range of key players. This one opens with Frenchman Brawther getting dubbed out and deep as ever with some nice lounge chords and blissed-out pads. Bengoa's 'Neftina Dub' has a subtle US garage shuffle to it that harks back to the 90s and Lex & Locke then bring rich paint chords and withering synth motifs to 'Atenas Blues' before Zaq's 'Make A Wish' shuts down with some cosmic rays of positivity. A fantastic EP so here's to the next five years.
Review: DJs this one is for you, The Makossa Man is back AGAIN after its 18 years of hiatus with more of their covers and remixes of the original 2003 EP. Limited to just 300 copies this is a much-welcomed love letter to DJs and the original EP, giving it a lease of new life and being a much-anticipated sequel to the sold-out original Makossa Man Remix EP that is set to release later this August. Carlos Nilmmns and Simoncino are a welcome return to the roster, serving up another plate of fantastic tribal deep house. The rhythms are infectious and hopefully serve as samples for some incredible DJ sets to come.
Review: This new collection offers up a quartet of tracks that are all tailored for slightly different moments on the dance floor. On side A, Dani Casarano kicks off with deep, hypnotic grooves that make for an immersive atmosphere before transitioning to punchy, bass-driven energy with other cuts. Side B introduces a new alter ego from Felian and Bruno Schmidt and the pair explore a robotic, looping groove with incidental breaks and nostalgic synths in the euphoric third track. Closing the release in style, Omar Akrhif & Lucretio present a minimalist masterpiece that is aimed at heady after-hours sessions.
Charlotte & Reinhard for WeCanDance - "To Be Free Again" (extended) (5:10)
Ollie Loudon - "LMT" (extended) (6:21)
Lily Ko - "Pure Rubber" (5:58)
Biancolato - "Resolution" (edit) (5:46)
Review: We're promised Mellow Magic and that's precisely what we get, across four tracks emerging from disparate corners of the globe but united in a common mission to provide beats that work on the more relaxed end of the dancefloor. Belgian duo Charlotte & Reinhard of Rheinzand fame kick things off with a slow motion Balearic version of a well known 80s MOR classic. Ollie Loudon's 'L.M.T.' finally makes it to vinyl after long being a secret weapon in Gratts' DJ sets, where handclaps and languid strumming meet a gentle but infectious groove. Flip it over for the more tracky affairs, as Japan's Lily Ko makes an impressive debut with 'Pure Rubber', an original mix of disco foundations and always snazzy but never showy 80s synth play. Melbourne's Biancolato finishes things off with understated deep house shuffling that adds just a touch jazzy keys and dreamy, wispy pads.
Review: Colossio and Luke Garcia combine on this new EP for Microcastle and offer up a mix of solo and collaborative cuts. Musically, techno is the foundation sound here but is explored far and wide. Colossio gets things underway with 'Amen' which is all fizzing pads and buzzy synths over tough drums. Luke Garcia's 'Ryen' is then an explosive mix of strobe lit and peak time tackle with writing lines and freeform energy. Then the pair combine for 'Situation' which is more white knuckle techno and finally 'My Body' which is a dark industrial cut for tense moments.
Review: The brilliant Room In The Sky All Stars presents a heavyweight roots reggae slab here with some serious steppers from guests Joseph Cotton, Laylah Arruda, Ashanti Selah and Rivah Jordan. This essential 12" includes two new tracks, each with four mixes that take the original into all new sonic realms. Rico from the renowned OBF Sound System and Dubquake Records does a fine job with his versions which spin out 'ever bless' into worlds of reverb and lyrical worship. 'Mother Nature' is another impassioned sound with swirling Latin vocals and florid melodies.
Review: "The world's greatest two person rock 'n' roll ensemble, the next big thing - out now!" You can hear the delicious wit and parody in the copy sitting on The Courettes website, a band that have managed to do the unthinkable, swerving all trends to come up with music that simultaneously sounds self-aware in its retro nostalgia, yet incredibly fresh. Hailing from Denmark and Brazil - another curveball in many ways, California, which welcomes the additional vocals of La La Brookes, is a case in point. Jangly yet snarling garage rock, seductive art pop aimed at the charts, beach guitar stuff that supplants realism and experimentation for the doe-eyed dreaminess of, err, beach guitar stuff. Original as ever, it's more evidence that these guys may well be on the money with that description of themselves.
Review: The Belgian label Higher Hopes is run by DC Salas who now returns to it with a new EP with the collaborative Los NiNos Del Parque project alongside Anthony Barbarich aka Mirror Minds. They say it is a release that has been 15 years in the making and has roots in their shared love of 2000s electroclash, plus new wave and new beat. They set out to make something inspired by that and have done so over the last four years with a mix of rugged and mechanical rhythms and angular synth lines. A fine remix by the assured Badaboum and Rinse France resident Belaria rounds out the package.
Dead Man's Chest - "Living Real" (Artificial Red remix) (5:41)
L Own X Response - "Rumination Cycles" (7:59)
Eusebeia - "Affinity" (5:44)
Esc - "Hot Hands" (7:11)
Review: Dead Man's Chest is about to unleash all kinds of breakbeat mayhem with the third volume of Western Lore's Blunted Breaks series and here's a little taster of the full flavour experience to expect. Artificial Red kicks off with a hazy-but-heavy remix of DMC's 'Living Real' before L Own & Response's 'Rumination Cycles' enshrouds us with rasping tendrils of acid and loose live drum breaks. Flip for two more breath-taking moments in (blunted) breakcraft as Eusebeia captures that early Good Looking magic on 'Affinity' and ESC closes the EP with the powerful, cobweb blast celebration of hardcore's influence on 'Hot Hands'. Get blunted!
Review: Originally released for LNS & DJ Sotofett's Japan Tour 2024, this 12" now sees a global repress and it is a fittingly chaotic sonic postcard from the road with unpolished, playful and strictly for the heads cuts. Kicking things off, Tokyo's DJ Gizzard delivers 'Jitter Analysis', which is a tight blend of analogue funk, crisp grooves and rolling basslines. LNS & DJ Sotofett follow with the cosmic 'Electrolium' with its whistling synths and spaced-out, vintage-style rhythms. LNS's solo effort 'Work Them' explores robotic electro-funk with computerised melodies and percussive precision. Closing the EP, DJ Sotofett's 'Out of Place' fuses ominous electro with bold p-funk.
Review: In a move towards soulful French electro-funk from the duo that brought us 'Caipirnha', comes the latest new single from DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson. The two producers here bring together a vast cast of musicians playing everything from Moog to claviers, culminating in a texturally rich afro-soul single that urges us to "hold our horses" ('Pas Si Vite') in these troubling times.
Rhythms Of Africa (Jazzphonic instrumental) (7:20)
Review: There ain't much that Matt Early and Lee Jeffries cannot do, and they have more than proven that with the music they have dropped this month alone. There have been four or five essential 7"s on Sonic Wax In Da House and its new sister label Disco Edits and this latest one is another bomb. It finds the duo taking Afro banger 'Rhythms Of Africa' and flipping it with their own Jazzphonic mix. It takes the original into new sonic realms with jazzy, dancing keys, restless drum funk, lashings of percussion and plenty of manic flutes. The instrumental is no less busy nor effective.
The Sun Will Shine Another Day (Jeffries & Early main mix) (7:19)
On & On (Jeffries & Early main mix) (7:31)
Review: Jeffries & Early step up here to add a contemporary spin to a stone-cold classic sound. The original is a rather iconic tune that now gets a modern update: 'The Sun Will Shine Another Day' brings lung-busting vocals and colourful pops of synth colour to liven up the dusty beats. 'On & On' (Jeffries & Early main mix) then has big synth energy from the stabs and a sense of cool funk in the drums that roll on down low. The likes of Keinemusik, Black Coffee and Damian Lazarus have already been hammering this one so expect to hear it all summer long.
Review: 'Tribute To The Flowers' is one of those tunes that is often considered to be a part of the holy grail cannon. It's loved up and irresistibly catchy and now it gets a sublime new house make over with Rocky Washington on lead vocal. It is another great drop on the Sonic Wax In Da House label and comes from the great pair of Matt Early and Lee Jefferies on green marbled wax. The For Real mix is all soulful and airy grooves, there is an instrumental mix and also a more bumping club mix version.
Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan - "Extremely On Line" (5:36)
Review: Exxtra Beats Records backs up its commitment to pushing things on with a new four-tracker of minimal and tech cuts. Edo Ecker's 'Extraluxxo' has warped synth lines that encourage introspection while the snappy beats make you move physically. Leff's 'Future Problems' has hazy and positive arpeggios that toot away over sustained chords and move at a nice inviting pace. Little Sea offers the snappy drums and gurgling acid lines of 'How I Wanna Feel' while Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan's 'Extremely On Line' is a snappy and upbeat cosmic tech cut with wonky lines adding the charm.
Review: The on-point Burning Sounds is a treasure trove for proper dub and lovers rock delights from years gone by. They have been digging in the vaults again and come up with a new 12" which they have pressed on nice heavyweight wax, and the sounds more than deserve that. Hortense Ellis and General Roy's 'Give Thanks' is a crucial rhythm with lazy chords and guitars, DIY percussive sounds and deft little keys with a yearning vocal up top. Lawes Rockers is responsible for the flipside version and as you may expect it's dubbed out and reverb-heavy.
Review: Intriguing new reissue from Ernie & The Family McKone on the acclaimed Boogie Back, just one of many labels to focus on obscure street soul, freestyle and R&B since the early 90s. One side is a freestylectro remix of an absolute classic, while the B's 'Make A Move On Me' is much sultrier, replete with digital organs and soft strings against a steady-sexy house backing.
Ebony Evans - "Loving You Is All I Wanna Do" (4:38)
Lewzarius - "Step Up" (4:54)
Review: Ebony Evans is a superb soul talent who for this single worked with Manny Campbell who wrote and arranged. Originally recorded in 2004, 'Loving You Is All I Wanna Do' appeared on the Luv's Fire CD Maxi Single and later on a full album in 2006 through Coastal Records but now debut on vinyl thanks to Soul Direction. On the flip side, Lewzarius' 'Step Up" shines as a rich collaboration between Campbell and Haran Griffin, who is best known for 'Movin' Much Too Fast.' Atlanta-born Lewzarius recorded this track during his time at Coastal Records in the late 90s.
The Exaltics & Paris The Black Fu - "Wea Poni Zedin Form" (4:02)
Alex Jann - "Android Memory" (5:31)
Lost Souls Of Saturn - "Rave Is Back" (6:31)
Kim Cosmik - "Moonrise" (6:58)
Review: Ralph Lawson's Leeds based 20/20 Vision label has made a distinctive shift into electro territory over the last couple years. It is a sound the boss has said has long been in his heart despite him being best known as a house head and longtime resident at Back to Basics, and the quality of the tunes he unearths to put out more than backs that up. The Exaltics & Paris The Black Fu kick off with a shiny, bright, visceral metallic electro workout then three further cuts take in dark wave drum machine rhythms and acid-laced bangers.
Review: The undeniably wonderfully named Chippy Chasers label return with a neat selection of four very playable, friendly-on-the-ear cuts from four undeniably wonderful artists. Fedo's 'Tunisian Rex' leads the chage, with a solid house shuffle liberally peppered with nicely trippy effects and bonkers vocal snippets that give it heaps of personality. Andrey Djackonda & Ovil's 'Lui Lui' is a little more stripped down and a little more soulful, with an old jazz hand muttering atmosphercially on top. Legit Trip's 'Skripi Daddy' is the most loop-laden of the quartet, but its ebbing and flowing brass samples and high frequency tweaks keep it interesting, before Firesc's 'Left Or Right' closes things down with the kind of polyrhythmic funkiness and space jazz trimmings that made Cheap Records so essential back in the day. Well worth Chasing down.
Review: Fidelio and Luca Piermattei hook up here to explore worlds where acid, techno and electro all happily coexist. Fidelio's A-side offers three cuts that fuse 90s acid rawness with baroque drama that results in a unique mix of classical organ melodies and razor-sharp basslines. Punchy kicks and sizzling hi-hats drive the energy as you're happily lost on a neon-lit techno odyssey. On the flip, Piermattei's 'Gas' features a fluid bassline and glitching robotic vocals that are eerie yet inviting and 'Third Rec' (with Tascam 122) rounds out the release with pulse-driven electro and intricate percussion, perfect for late-night explorations.
Review: Figi and Luca dell'Orso are Dutch electronic talents who offer up a heartfelt tribute to the vocoder here, long after it has become the iconic voice of electro disco. Across the three well-designed tracks, the duo blends sharp production with lush textures and bittersweet robotic vocals that add an unmistakably retro-future feel. The title track kicks off with rumbling bass and crisp percussion driving it along as vocodered lyrics glide over the shimmering keys. 'Fire with Fire' leans into Luca dell'Orso's more emotive side and balances bold synths with a melancholic undertone. Figi closes with 'Moonlight (Vocoder Version),' a syrupy disco tale of love told through vocoded whispers. It's a timeless celebration of the fusion between man and machine.
Review: Samosa Records returns with Afrikano Vol. 3 which is a lovely Afro-themed, genre-blending EP featuring four standout tracks from trusted artists. Kicking things off is Vincent Galgo's 'African Rebel,' a 125bpm fusion of horns, driving rhythms, and Afro-pop bass. Frank Virgilio follows with 'Mistress,' a jazz-infused mid-tempo groover, packed with guitar riffs, organ stabs, and hypnotic bongos. Newcomer Casper Leo delivers 'Tom Tom,' a tribal delight featuring Kora guitar and melodic Marimba. Closing the EP is Lego Edit's 'El Safari,' a sultry Afrobeat banger that grabs hold and doesn't let go.
Review: Samosa is doing what's right for it and disco lovers by double-dropping to start off the New Year with a bang. The Italian label has got a new VA EP arriving at the same time as this second volume of its African series. The second volume is another fresh one with an array of artists kicking off with Vincent Galgo who brings some raw percussive energy to 'J'ngolo'. Matalo!'s 'Zaire' gets more down and dirty with some rugged rhythms and Leslie Lello's 'Alcyone' has a joyous feel thanks to the big horns. It's De Gama's 'ETA' which then shuts down things with some Afro-vocal hypnotism.
Review: Welcome to Open Space Club Tools Volume 1, a new series of 12 inch records for DJs from the Open Space label. They pull together some low key, highly skilled DJs to cook up some jacking house beats and rugged rhythms that are proudly analogue and rough around the edges. There's an old school vibe to 'Word Problems' that takes you right back to Chicago in the late 80s. Benedek layers up the kicks, rickety rhythms and rattling cow bells into another muscular groove and elsewhere there is glistening melodic tackle from Liluzu, bristling drum work from Calvin and a weirdo collection of odd-ball sounds and samples nailed to a punchy rhythm by Glue Boy.
Review: Maledetta Discoteca closes out its year with this special blue vinyl featuring a mix of brilliant Italo disco artists. They all hail from Italy and Argentina and are editing originals that span disco, electro, proto-house and more. Hararis' 'Si No Pagan' is the first under the scalpel and is a funky cut with raw drums. Lance's 'Yo Quiero A Lucy' is a more slowed down and seductive sound with 80s synths, Marta Paradise's 'Calling' (edit) is a direct and sugar synth laced house stomper and Alan Strani's 'Tension Salsable' brings things to a closer with a nice stomping disco grove with mysterious synths and lush percussion.
Review: Yay Recordings closes out another solid 12 months with a various artists' EP that showcases right where the label is at. Heavy Mental kicks off with 'Dabro', a colourful and loopy house jaunt for sunny days. Twowi's 'Metaverse' takes off to the cosmos on lithe electro rhythms with ice-cold beats and widescreen pads. Parchi Pubblici & Lucretio's 'Aladdin Sane' brings some wonky deep tech vibes with of-balance drums and muffled spoken words and Rinaldo Makaj closes down with a fresh party sound perfect for cosy floors. There's plenty of variety here, which makes this a great addition to your bag.
Review: NX12X is the first in a new series of experimental records from this label and the artists given the keys for the inaugural release are Goldsmiths student and modular synth maestro Sam Hostettler and electronic innovator La Leif who tackle a pair of tracks each. Hostettler's sounds are the moody, heavy ambient atmospheres of 'Pointalims' and the more light and airy li-fi soundscapes of 'Opalescence.' La Leif offers broken beats with a skeletal feel and a burial-style synth aesthetic on 'Kyoto' and then crunchy breaks and fizzing, distorted synth malfunctions of 'Kimochi.'
Review: Teddy Powell and Zee Desmondes are The Jack Moves, a contemporary disco and hip hop outfit who here link with unknown newbies The People Of Newark and Larry Hamm for this tidy new 7" on Star Creature. 'Horror Games' has a squelchy synth bass line that carries the loose drum work and bustling methane of background vocals and found sounds. A lead singer takes charge up top as various chatting crowds play out in the background. It's a busy tune that also comes as an instrumental for those who prefer the focus to be on the well crafted drums and bass.
Lord Pusswhip - "Sveigth" (Bielefeld Murder Boys remix) (6:16)
Unwucht - "Back Da Fuck Up" (4:40)
Crouds - "Splinters" (4:50)
LAU - "Hangover" (5:01)
Review: Berlin party crew Aller Ende Anfang presents their debut release, featuring five diverse and energetic tracks. The first side begins with the bass-heavy computer funk of 'Hyperdrive' by Icelandic producer Jadzia, followed by Bielefeld Murder Boys' peak time techno remix of Lord Pusswhip's 'Sveigth' and Unwucht's 'Back Da Fuck Up' - and catchy mixture of donk and ghetto house tropes. Over on the flip, Crouds goes for a bass-heavy and off-kilter UK sound on 'Splinters' and one more sci-fi beat programme courtesy of Hungary's LAU om 'Hangover'.
Review: The new joint on Wildcards comes from a hornsman sometimes known as Lucky Brown, sometimes as plain old Joel Ricci. He's done plenty of excellent work in the past, but after a few quiet years he's back in the saddle and this new single really takes the cake. 'A Thing Of Beauty' is a lilting slice of instrumental funk which lets Ricci's playing soar, and it's all rendered with a dusty, red-lining charm which will make it all the hotter in the dance as well as appealing to crate diggers hankering for more hot n' heavy grooves to sample. Speaking of which, the flip 'Drums Of Beauty' gives you breaks for days - B-boys and B-girls take heed.
Review: Mole Music branches out for the first time to vinyl here and shows it has a great wealth of talent to call on with a various artists' EP that is presumably the start of a new series. Holy Guacamole Vol 1 kicks off with JHNS keeping it deep and lively with 'Nevermind' while Steve End and Colau hook up for 'Back Spin' and lay down some magnificent drum loops that are silky and infectious. El Funkador's 'Shame' brings some 90s New York vibes with lovely snare sounds and warm bursts of chords. On the flipside, Alben & Laje & Errat, Hot DLVRY and Craftsmanship all cook up more fresh fusions of old and new school house.
Review: JSPRV35 and Line-o hook up for this thrilling split EP on the new but impressive label For You out of the Netherlands. JSPRV35 is first out of the blocks with 'Testing' which is some high-octane and classically inclined techno with punchy low ends and scintillating percussion. 'Funktional' is just that but is not devoid of character with its mechanical loops and bleeping synths. Line O's 'Thelle' is bristling, linear and loopy techno for 5 am wig-outs and 'Layer One' shuts down with dubby undercurrents and menacing pads that are constantly on the creep.
Review: Chicago's Tied label rolls out a 17th release as good as all the previous ones, this time with a four-track various artists EP that showcases emerging talents from deep, spacey electronic realms. Just_Me's 'Laser Brane' launches the journey with electro-funk propulsion, while Lumieux's 'In Your Space... It's Me In Space' drifts into cosmic grooves and ambient textures. On the B-side, Constratti's meticulously crafted 'Bind' delivers intricate synth delays and solid rhythms that capture the feeling of interstellar motion. Label head Max Jacobson and 97 Till close with 'Orion,' a break-infused and celestial house cut built for late-night floors.
Review: Former band "Kadri Six" - five men plus singer "Lamia" - have devoted themselves to the real spirit of funk and soul music with the release of 'Cold Sweat' on Sonorama. Their trademark sound is "real", "alive" and "black", with raw vocals, moving organ, hard hitting bass lines and trombone or sax riffs to set every dancefloor on fire.
Review: Rushing from the starting blocks as though life depended on it, Kahler opens the scoring with the perfectly balanced and fine-tuned 'Mosaic', a driving, percussive techno workout that's direct and peak time yet also minimal and patient, poised even. Grillac follows suit, keeping things ghostly with plenty of energy coming from the top ends, while using a vocal hook to add a little rave bounce. By now, it's probably clear R 0 01 is a strong collection of belters, and the remainder do nothing to quash that belief. Lorenzo Mancino and Exos arguably unleash the most fury - tracks that feel like stepping into a warehouse party in 1999 with a nose full of whizz and stomach full of pills - while BENKHLIFA keeps it more heads down and Berlin.
Review: Sometimes it's just too difficult to contain our excitement; we're quaking in our boots at news of Khruangbin's next release, with the Texan three-piece this time lending their alt-indie-funk mastery to vocal frontage by Leon Bridges. The humorously titled lead single 'B-side' is emblematic of their stated aim here - to redefine "how people perceive Texas music i that beautiful marriage of country and r'n'b i and really paying homage to that." The sonic result? Bubbling bass and wahhy riffs, over a ghostly and misty relaxers' beat. Its hook digs into our thighs deeper than a Sheriff's steel spurs, and fittingly, it's music video is themed after a 19th Century western town.
Review: MessenJAH Movement is on a roll after its first three outings and this fourth is just as momentous as it explores conscious dub. The A-side showcases the unmistakable voice of King Lorenzo on 'Down Ya Inna Babylon', which is a heartfelt collaboration years in the making. It's backed by a militant yet soulful MessenJAH Movement riddim and a heavy dub version mixed in-house with stepping rhythms and shiny digital leads. On the flip, Black Swan marks a long-anticipated link-up between Locks MessenJAH and EverestDub, who has been a key figure in Bristol's dub scene since 2008. The track pays tribute to the roots and legacy of Bristol dub and is named after the iconic venue that shaped UK sound system culture.
Review: More proper tacker makes it way to vinyl here courtesy of the blow label who enlist four more producers of this latest various artists EP. Kitchen Plug's 'Cheat Code' marries the best of tech, garage, dub and house into a kinetic bit of body music that oozes warm and lo-fi soul. CYMKA brings kaleidoscopic colour and squelchy acid to 'Sweet Peach' then it's all pout old school piano rave madness from Batenko on 'Inside Summer 21'. Last of all is the searing electro funk of Les Hauts with 'Passing Clouds', a blisteringly quick trip into another dimension with some rueful chord work. Sensational EP.
Review: L'Entourloop is a mysterious new crew headed up by Sir James and King Johnny, who fed on sound system culture and are now elder statesmen in the scene in their own rights. Lovers of vinyl culture and "epic dialogue of cinema's yesteryear" they mix up those influences with hip hop and reggae into fresh new forms. This new EP - "Golden Nuggets" - in collaboration with the Jamaican Skarra Mucci aka the "Dancehall President", offers crisp digi dub, UK funky drum patterns and plenty of synthesised bass to get your party pumping, all with some natty vocal deliveries, odes to weed and plenty of praise given to jah.
Review: Some 13 months on from the release of volume two, L'Oggetto (real name Marco Scozetto) delivers the third volume in his ongoing Musica da Discoteca series. The New York-based Italian is in fine form throughout, smoothly moving between the lilting chords, eyes-closed electronic textures, acid bass and kick drum-driven deep house beats of 'Aquatico', the oceans-deep, TB-303 powered dancefloor immersion of 'Fluido', the New Jersey garage-meets-early-90s Italian dream house lusciousness of 'DeepOrg' and the gorgeous -house revivalism of 'AltVers', with its synth-flute riffs, chunky bass and tactile pads. In other words, it's a well-rounded EP full of genuinely playable deep house club cuts.
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