MEDLAR Vinyl & CDs

Review: Given their illustrious rise over the past twelve months, the appearance of Belfast duo Bicep on the latest Wolf Music release is quite the coup for the London label. Artist and label are of course no strangers, with a Bicep dub of Medlar appearing WOLFEP009, yet there's currently a Midas touch style momentum driving Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar that should ensure this 12" sells out even swifter than previous lupine plates. "Mixmaster 88" is an unadulterated party anthem and another ode to some of their heroes (spot the cheeky Armando usage) yet it's most memorable because it shows Bicep at their most confident. Further house music excellence is afforded with contributions from Casino Times, Medlar and newcomer Ishmael that ensure this is yet another all killer, no filler emission from the Wolf Music stable.

Review: Wolf Music family since the early days, Medlar (Nitework/Still Life) presents his latest mini-LP titled Aerial, which features a wide variety of moods and grooves across seven cuts. From the low slung cosmic chug of the title track, to 'Elephant Bingo' with its infectious nu-disco energy, through to B side cuts 'Phoenix Lights' which goes for that classic Stateside deep house sound and the slo-mo Balearic bliss of 'Sin Prisa' closing it out. All in all, it's another stellar effort by the respected London-based producer.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Wolf Music family since the early days, Medlar (Nitework/Still Life) presents his latest mini-LP titled Aerial, which features a wide variety of moods and grooves across seven cuts. From the low slung cosmic chug of the title track, to 'Elephant Bingo' with its infectious nu-disco energy, through to B side cuts 'Phoenix Lights' which goes for that classic Stateside deep house sound and the slo-mo Balearic bliss of 'Sin Prisa' closing it out. All in all, it's another stellar effort by the respected London-based producer.

Review: Having spent the last 12 months sharpening his disco credentials via a variety of re-edit EPs and sample-heavy "secret weapons", Medlar is back on Wolf doing what he does best. In this case, that means sparse, drum machine driven electro/proto house fusion ("Cascinari"), delay-heavy, stripped-back analogue house blessed with dreamy chords and grime style lo-fi synth-strings ("Nisantasi") and Ruf Dug style dancefloor sweetness seemingly created using forgotten old synthesizers, dusty drum machines and a solitary TB-303 ("Priet"). Excitingly, the EP's final track - a bustling fusion of beatbox electro rhythms, layered breakbeats, heavy bass and yearning chords - is a studio hook-up with similarly well-regarded producer FYI Chris.

Review: One of the few complaints fielded about Sleep, last year's debut long player from Medlar, was some of the tracks were a bit short to really satisfy the needs of the DJ specifically the monumental beatdown of "Tides". So both Medlar and Wolf Music deserve applause for issuing this 12" which attends to this issue with an extended 12" take on the track. The extra room only improves the track and is complemented well by the preceding remix from dusty fingered Boston producer and DJ Kon who flips the track into a straight up house cut. Don't skip the B Side either as fellow Wolf Music regular Grey Matter is on board with an equally good revision of "Listen" whose dusty, sunken qualities will appeal to fans of Anthony Naples output on TTT.

Review: Medlar has consistently been one of Wolf Music's biggest assets over the last three years, delivering a string of impressive tracks and singles for the growing house imprint. Here, he steps up with a debut album (incidentally, it's also Wolf's first full-length proper), a sleepy, heart-warming trip through late night deep house. Littered with atmospheric samples, jazzy skits and restless interludes, Sleep proves that house albums need not be solely focused on the needs of the dancefloor. Highlights are plentiful, from the cymbal-heavy nocturnal paranoia of "1516" and string-drenched sweetness of "Tap Spring", to the Moodymann-ish "Blues" and hazy jazziness of the inspired "Lines". Recommended.

Review: Medlar, who also produces as Klic, drops his first solo EP for London imprint Wolf Recordings. Lush chords and woozy rhodes partner up with "uh-huh" vocal snippets and tribal percussion in "The Sun". James Brown "uh's" and basic synth progressions make up "Knockard Pearl", which receives a stellar Detroit Swindle remix of bolstered stabs that verge on rave. "Govern" lowers the BPM for a shuffled groove, maintaining the lo-fi brilliance of the rest of the EP. A secret weapon for the transitional DJ.

Review: Big manoeuvres as usual from the Wolf Music crew on their 18th release! Session Victim must rank amongst the most high profile inductees into the Wolf Music series so it makes perfect sense for the German duo to open proceedings with the classic slab of European deepness that is "Random Blues". Worthy of a Raw Cuts release, Session Victim weave dusty drums, sweet vocal intonations and the warmest of basslines together with the resultant laid back track likely to be much played in Croatia over the summer evenings. Complementing this, "Carry It" from Wolf Music regular Medlar adopts a similar hazy house tone whilst the flip holds a pair of newcomers in Squarehead and Ishmael - the latter's cut is particularly special!