ART CRIME Vinyl & CDs

Review: Russian imprint Private Persons are back, following up some terrific releases by the likes of Florian Kupfer, Jensen Interceptor and Locked Club. Taking over the reins this time is one of the more enigmatic figures in the Moscow music scene - Art Crime. He serves up some dusty and emotive deep house on his latest long player entitled Memoirs of Naive - a collection of old/previously unreleased songs written over the last five years, and described by the label as 'melancholic late-night bedroom diaries full of reflections and hopes.' Highlights include the evocative opener "Seoul", the chilling ambient interlude "Dearth" and the bittersweet melancholia of "Images Of You" that's just perfect for all the solitary dancers out there.

Review: Art Crime was responsible for two of 2015's most overlooked 12" singles, the fine Renessence EP on Creme, and the Phonica released Obsession EP. Still Life marks his first appearance on the mighty Pinkman imprint, and contains four distinctive chunks of melodious deep house/Detroit techno fusion. The title track is particularly potent, featuring as it does a relentless piano riff, dreamy pads and unfussy house beats, but the more cosmic, heavily electronic "Distant" isn't far behind. Elsewhere, "Hectic" combines the rush-inducing bliss associated with early Italian deep house, with the rhythmic surge of techno, while "Dead Carnation" is simultaneously oddly bittersweet and deliciously hypnotic.

Review: Mysterious Russian producer Art Crime has previously impressed via releases on Phonica and William Burnett's W.T Records, so it's little surprise to find him popping up on Creme Organization. Nor is it surprising to find the Renessence EP another superb 12" that fully showcases Art Crime's talent for the old ivories. "Anxiety Is Always Here" is surprisingly melancholic, with drifting, Detroit influenced chords and tear-jerking pianos complimenting a rolling groove, while "The Owner" is an altogether spookier, more discordant bubbler. There's a fantastically jazzy feel to title track's hissing cymbals, mournful synth strings and minor key melodies, while closer "Intention" is almost ecclesiastical in its use of cathedral organs and heavenly electronics.

Review: Our pals over at Phonica Records have always moved with the times and their label is a prime example of how up-to-date they are with the underground dance scene. The imprint's fifteenth outing comes in the form of a 12" EP by Art Crime, a Russian artist who previously appeared on Willie Burnett's WT Records as well as providing the artwork for his recent Black Deer outing on Rush Hour's No 'Label'. "Obsession" itself is a pumping house number with a noticeable disco shade, "Show Interest" is more cavernous and on the techno side of things, while "Eye Contact" is moodier in character, and "Rise Fall Run" goes for a lo-fi approach in true outsider style. Brilliant house tunes.

Review: Not much is really known about Art Crime, the latest new name to appear on WT Records, besides the enigmatic statement that they are a "mysterious new Russian producer". Avid fans of William Burnett's label will be familiar with this approach, with the New Yorker a trusted guide for mining new talent on WT - with the likes of Hunee, Entro Senestre, Alex Israel, Shawn O'Sullivan and Portuguese duo Sabre all gracing the label with early 12? releases. Nineties house keys play a big role throughout this EP, with the nostalgic piano sound appearing in three of the four tracks, falling between something you might find on a cute Greta Cottage Workshop 12? and the more anthemic notes heard throughout that brief period when house music littered the pop charts.