Review: Jungle Generation is the third release on Outcast Planet, signed by its resident DJ Bakked. All the tracks are dance-floor oriented - characterized by dynamic drums, acid and trancy melodies matched together with a deep soul. Acid meets slap bass on 'Crush9', while 'Zion' describes the Kingdom of the Lamb through the mode of washy, spitty snares and glassy pads. All tunes serve to satiate, leaving you more or less chloro-filled with energy, much like the emblematic sunflower on the inner label.
Tides (feat Bajka - Toto Chiavetta edition 2022 remix) (8:18)
Tides (feat Bajka - Art Department Roxy Blue remix) (15:13)
Tides (feat Bajka - Ripperton remix) (10:03)
Tides (feat Bajka - C's Movement #1 - Carl Craig remix) (9:58)
Review: Classic deep house here by Beanfield, an outfit comprised of Compost Records chief Michael Reinboth with Jan Krause, Michael Mettke and Tobias Meggle, who released one of their biggest tracks 'Tides' with vocalist Bajka back in 2004, taken from the album Seek. Featured is the timeless Beanfield Chant Mix and of course Detroit icon Carl Craig's now legendary rework, as well as Swiss deep house hero Ripperton's impressive perspective. Providing newer reinterpretations is veteran of the Toronto scene Art Department, and Italy's Toto Chiavetta who injects the track with his signature brand of high tech soul.
Review: Norm Talley's Upstairs Asylum label approaches its 20th outing with more of that low-key, high-quality house tackle it has long been associated with. Black Eyes is behind the beats and opens up with the nice and lazy, low slung grooves of 'Gerry The Fish Whisperer' then 'Valley Of Sharks' gets more raw and percussive with its energy. 'Soul Fish' lands on heavy, knackered sounding kicks with soft shakers along for the ride and 'The People Want Hydro' closes down with heady pads swirls and wispy motifs that occupy mind and body as one.
Review: Tom Carruthers takes the baton for Clone Jack For Daze here and in doing so offers up more of his irresistibly jacked-up jams. Each one distils plenty of classic tropes next to a keen eye for futurism with no-nonsense sound designs and hints of bleep techno all colouring the airwaves. 'Analysis' opens with a blend of bristling analogue beats and smooth chords, 'Confidential' has warped synth bass adding a dark edge and 'Lurk' is another menacing sound with eerie pads. 'Optic 2X' is a thumping closer with mystic atmospheres encouraging deep thought.
Review: Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella follow up last year's beautiful "African Spirits / New World Shuffle" with two more lavish instrumentals. "Sun Song" lives up to its name with wave after wave of heated musicianship from the belting harmonies to the light-touch keys. "Nigeria" taps deep into the source too as it drives us through the heart of Lagos with full horns and sweeping keys. Spiritual, sun-splashed and vital.
Nigeria (Tall Black Guy Boogie Love remix - feat Broken Keys) (4:05)
Nigeria (Tall Black Guy Boogie Love remix - instrumental version) (4:05)
African Spirits (Andres extended remix) (5:33)
Review: Nicola Conte is one of the central figures in the Schema story, and his nu jazz and broken beat partnership with Gianluca Petrella has yielded some golden music in recent years. Nigeria originally came out in 2018, and then last year popped up on the duo's People Need People LP, but now it's getting a proper remix treatment which sees Tall Black Guy twisting the track out as a heady disco house roller for sundown moments when you need a little jazzy flair in the proceedings. That version comes in vocal and instrumental versions, and then the mighty Andres steps up for one of his simmering groove escapades as he delivers an extended remix of 'African Spirits'.
Review: Techno doesn't come much more pure and effective than when it is served up by the Planet Rhythm label. At the helm of this fresh serving is Creznight. He goes straight in at the deep end with the muscular drum funk and tightly lopped vocal fragments of 'With You' which soon get you banging the walls. 'March on Mars' is just as direct but funky with warm and punchy kicks triggering percussive rolls and smeared synths. 'Backstab' shows no let up in the drum pressure but does have a more deft melodic touch that allows in some light and 'Instinct' shuts down with more well designed loops, a hint of 90s minimalism and a taught bassline that keeps things moving at pace.
Review: No one is doing jungle quite as ruthlessly as Finnish queen DJ Sofa. One of a kind and super faithful to the craft, every cut of hers smashes whether it's a deep and dreamy one or a heavyweight dark style Dread-esque one like 'Hypervigilance'. Loaded with powerful Amens and big booming subs, this is as moody as Sofa gets. 'Ferry To The Underworld' takes us to Digital & Spirit territory. Nasty stabs and gritty breaks... Setting us up nicely for the more uptempo dnb, Headz style romp 'Sinister Sound' (with fellow Finn firebrand ODJ Pirkha) and deeper, ice cold remix from ESC and Mineral. Refreshing as ever, Repertoire.
Review: Massimo Napoli is Galathea and he is still riding high off the success of his second album Sacred Love. Now he backs up the quality of that one with this new EP on Space Echo which features four unreleased tracks. 'Ancestral' and 'Karimabao' on the A-side feature hypnotic atmospheres and blend African rhythms with tribal percussion and sleek pads to make for a rather addictive fusion for sophisticated dancefloors. 'Africa Carnival' then offers an Afrobeat groove infused with Brazilian spirit and plenty of jazz, and funk all added to by Mario Pappalardo's masterful keyboard work. The EP closes with 'Sacred Club,' a track which mixes up African mysticism with a danceable, clap-driven rhythm that is perfect for a more subdued yet entrancing dancefloor experience.
Review: Uruguay has been a low-key hotspot for new school techno and house for sometime. Adding its own voice into the mix for the first time here is new label Ascendancy with a debut EP from Arturo Hernzama. 'Charamusca' is tough, industrial but also astral tech with stark hits and motorised bass. 'Pichikatero' is a little more loose with wonky basslines and shimmering sci-fi synths. There is a spaced-out and trance-inducing magic to the thumping beats of 'Chucaro' and 'Break Manada' closes on a fresh and crisp broken beat.
Make Me Crazy (Potatohead People remix - instrumental) (2:57)
Review: A Moodymann remix is a mad rare thing. The singular Detroit producer very rarely steps out to tackle other people's music but when he does the world takes note. This time he sets to work on 2022's 'Hold On To It' by Colonel Red and Inkswel. In his hands, it becomes a distinctively low sling bit of sleazy deep house with punctured drums, off-grid pianos and his own vocal mutterings. Potatohead People offer a more lush and soulful downbeat vibe, while a Moodorama Weird Mistake is perfect for late-night back rooms and the Moodorama Deep Rise mix is all bubbly bass and melodies that provide real musical comfort.
Review: Outcast Torino finally unleash their new label with the brilliantly but irreverently entitled Yoga For Beginners EP from Paolo Macri. Macri is a homegrown star and resident DJ for the party arm of this project and he hits a home run with this debut offering. His blazing tunes straddle the house and techno divide - but are very much not tech house - and manage to sound new and fresh but also with a direct link to the past. 'The Kicker' is a punchy house tune with a bassline to die for, then 'Breath In' is a superbly slipper electro kicker with spoken word yoga instructions, 'Control Q' is warped and cosmic techno and 'Outdoor' then stretches its left with smeared, soulful pads and cyborg beats then 'Breath Out' closes in a whirr of machines and broken beats. Inventive stuff, no doubt.
Review: Millsart is an alias of Jeff Mills which the Detroit tech pioneer and cosmic ambient maestro uses to explore some of his most melodic sounds. 'Theme From Star Child' is a lush soundscape with rich piano chords and glowing synths all over a mid-tempo beat that is perfectly inviting. 'Satori' is more percussive with loopy drums and scintillating hi-hats dancing over the beats. 'Love Warrior' is a broken beat trip with orchestral melodies and sustained chords that all glow like distant stars. Last but not least is the jazz-dancer 'Starlight Trance Dancer' with its rippling keys bringing future soul to the supple rhythms.
Review: Motor City Drum Ensemble is the house/techno moniker of Stuttgart's Danilo Plessow. His deep and techy 3 track EP for Compost Black label reflects his love for the classic deep house and Detroit techno.
Children Of Zu Zu (feat Roberto Di Gioia & People Of Tala'aga & Samoa) (7:00)
Schmetterlinge Im Bauch (feat Roberto Di Gioia) (7:41)
Love In Space (feat Jana - part 1) (1:55)
Zu Zu Music (feat Mickey Neher & AdaSoul & Narjara Thamiz) (7:55)
Myth Versus Reality (feat Sun Ra & June Tyson) (5:54)
Love In Space (feat Harald Popp & Lu - part 2) (3:29)
Review: Now we're talking. At the time of writing - mid-spring 2025 - Britain has been basking in the warmest March and April since the first Covid-19 lockdown, but dark skies and a cold lack of humanity are prevailing emotions. Far right, fascism, the death of creativity and the onslaught of automation are enough to leave anyone feeling like they've been locked out of the sunshine and have to fend for themselves against a torrent of chilling realities. But not all heroes wear capes. Some are just called Charles Petersohn, and they make sun-soaked, soul-inspiring, warm jazz-inflected deep house that feels born in a more natural period of Earthly evolution. In fact, it was born after time spent in South Africa, one of the global epicentres of this genre, where the producer was involved in an NGO charity project. Immediately catchy, resolutely life-affirming, and probably the grooviest thing we've had all month.
Review: Tel Aviv twosome Red Axes can always be relied upon to deliver trippy, mind-altering and left-of-centre music, regardless of what stylistic or rhythmic framework they're operating in at any given time. That assessment rings as true as ever on the duo's first Shall Not Fade outing. Opener 'The Electric', for example, mixes druggy and hallucinogenic electronic motifs with a throbbing, retro-futurist house groove, sci-fi synths and the creepiest of lead lines, while 'Next One Is Bill' is a twisted, brain-melting jack-track propelled forwards by a filthy TB-303 bassline. Turn to the B-side for 'The Bee', a buzzing, foreboding chunk of punk funk/dub-disco/dark house fusion, and the intoxicating mixture of music box melodies, restless Chicago house drums and clandestine sounds that is 'Axes in the Sky'.
Review: Label regulars Roberta and Trilaterals are back on Worldship Music to take part in the latest Herald Tarccs instalment. Reelsoul is a new name to join the fun and pens up with 'La Costa' which is a throwback disco house sound with wild melodies and big horn leads vying for attention and getting hands skyward. Trilaterals bring plenty of percussive funk and jumbled drum brilliance to 'Flo Jo' and Teflon Dons taps into a Philly sound with the string loops of 'DONTWANTU2GO.' Roberta's "Hang Back' is a classy little jazz-house number.
Review: Cristian Sarde made a strong impression with his debut 12" on Coordinate Records back in 2020, and now he follows up with this assured drop for Outcast Planet. There's a warm, pulsing Italo slant to his productions, with 'Professional Dancer' thrumming on a bed of warm, analogue arps and tough staccato drums in a clear nod to the rich history of dance music from his homeland. 'Until My Eyes Fell On Her' offers something distinctly different, locking into a heads down, bass-led house confection for the late night, heads down crowd. 'Changes' has a more trippy, early techno twist, 'Eyesight Wisdom' takes its cues from Elecktroids and 'About Clifford' locks into a perfectly executed strain of wriggling electro weirdness for the freaks to get down low to.
Review: The debut album from Ukrainian collective Noneside unites musicians and visual artists under the inspiring words of poet Taras Shevchenko, who said 'Make love, o dark-browed ones.' Framed by a painting from contemporary artist Iryna Maksymova, the music explores the trance and tech house that is destined to bring souls together on the dancefloor this summer and beyond. Shjva opens with fresh and mashed bass and sleek trance pads that are subtle but effective. Lostlojic layer sup deep, bubbly techno drums and bass with an angelic vocal tone and Saturated Color's 'Trancia' is a speedy, scuffed-up tech groove for late-night cruising. Peshka and Yevhenii Loi offer two more future-facing trance-techno fusions packed with feels.
In Mind (Tom Middleton & Mark Pitchard aka Global Communication Reload remix - The 147 take) (13:55)
Review: Legendary Reading shoegaze band Slowdive had s short but powerful run from 1989 until 1995 (during their first spell) and that included the 5EP. In the same year, it was remixed to perfection by Bandulu and Reload and now it gets reissued on limited hand numbered vinyl. First up, Bandulu stretch the original's heavy minor chords and fatten the track out into a dubby masterclass and then the Reload version from Tom Middleton & Mark Pritchard (better known as Global Communication) is even more impressive. It's a supremely blissed out cut with a slow motion rhythm and futuristic sense of soul cut on 45 rpm but just as suited to 33rpm playback.
Soulox & Soeneido - "Lavish" (Comfort Zone remix) (4:56)
Soulox - "Dizzy" (5:36)
Review: It's an Oakland thing! Soulox & Soeneido's 2023 Future Retro release enjoys a re-up in all its ravey glory. A real homage to these cuts takes us back to that golden era crossover point between hardcore and jungle. Big pads. Bigger rushes. 'Lavish' lives up to its name in feels, drums and arrangement. A timeless corker. Soeneido's original has a chimey/Horizons feel as it builds up and hurls you into its own universe. Elsewhere Soulox's 'Dizzy' takes us even deeper for a laid back, sensual finale.
Review: Step aboard Venetia's spaceship and embark on a journey that is well with it across his fine debut EP. The ride kicks off with 'Camel' which is driven by a purring bassline that might evoke a familiar nostalgia. 'Jet' follows by weaving a hypnotic melody with sweet acid flourishes. 'The Mind' then delivers a powerful stew of vocoder-laced vocals and commanding bass and finally, 'Shangri-La Disco' closes the voyage with its striking, disorienting energy and unifying dance floor vibes. Venetia's ability to craft rich soundtracks is evident here and we're already looking forward to hearing what he has to say next.
Review: During the late '90s and early 2000s, Whirlpool Productions - a Cologne-based outfit whose members included exiled Californian Eric D Clark and future Kompakt regular Justus Kohncke - delivered a string of killer 12" singles that blurred the boundaries between micro-house, deep house, disco and Italo. Their greatest dancefloor hit was undoubtedly 1996's 'From Disco To Disco', a freewheeling affair that featured improvised vocals and electric piano motifs over a throbbing, Italo-disco style bassline and sturdy house beats. This timely reissue pairs a remastered version of the band's original mix with a later Tiefschwarz remix that's more druggy, undeniably heavier and laden with additional pots-and-pans percussion. It's a fine rework that compliments the untouchable original mix.
Review: South Africa is a country celebrated for much great music from house to jazz, but it's not often we hear techno from all the way down there. This new label Knowledge Imprint looks to change all that starting with this first EP, Selected Reissues. Rene Wise opens up with 'Mover' which is a linear, chunky techno roller. 'Primal Fever' is a percussive cut with warped basslines and chattery perc and on the flipside, Arthur Robert opens up with the more dark shades of 'Traveller' and closes with 'Wither' which is pure tunnelling techno for 5am.
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