MIKE HUCKABY Vinyl & CDs

Review: We have been digging in the warehouse and have found some copies of one of the faultless EPs that Detroit house royalty Mike Huckaby put out in his lifetime. It features three tracks that are all steeped in deepness and dubby goodness and are unlikely to ever age. 'Wavetable No. 9' is spaced out and rather menacing in a subtle, sparse way. 'Fantasy' is a more airy and light cut with meandering melodic leads and thinking keys that bring a cosmic feel. 'Jupiter' closes out with nimble bass and splashy hi hats joined by conversational synth leads that glow with a late-night warmth. Included in this is a CD featuring plenty of the samples used in the making of the tunes using the Waldorf synth.

Review: It was in 2007 when the brilliant Mike Huckaby dropped this second instalment in his My Life With The Wave series and once again he joined the dots between deep house, techno and Detroit with effortless style. The four cuts are all made using only his Waldorf Wave synthesiser which gives them a specific aesthetic. 'Let The Dancer Do His Thing' is a slow but persuasive groove with daubs of synth and dusty drums. 'Phuture' is a little more intense with some jazz melody adding the soul and 'Baseline 313' is one of a few tunes Huckaby put out with big fat basslines with an old school edge. 'Another Fantasy' shuts down with some nice playful leads and an inviting skip to the drums.

Review: The late, great Mike Huckaby is one a clutch of artists who helped to define the Detroit house sound of the last 20 years. The DJ and producer was also keen to give back and during his life held various workshops to pass on his skills, as well as releasing esteemed sample packs for producers all over the world. He only released a small selection of records himself, but every single one is a killer. Take this one for example - an ode to one of his chosen synths and an EP priming with grainy, lovely, deep and dubby house atmospheres, marbled with deft synth lines that bring them alive and still sounding future now many years after the first release.

Review: Given his length of service, it's rather surprising to find that this is officially his debut album. If we were being picky, we'd say it's more of a compilation, featuring as it does a range of hard to find, in demand classics from the Motor City producer's vast discography. These have all been re-mastered to guarantee louder cuts. It's naturally packed with highlights, from the luscious minor key chords, jazz-funk bass and sneaky vocal samples of "The Jazz Republic" and thrilling peak-time stomp of "Dance", to the jazzy piano flourishes, loose-limbed beats and starry electronics of "Groove Box". Also worth checking is the fireside heat of bongo-laden beatdown shuffler "Mathematics From The Jazz Republic" and the sax-laden disco-house bump of closer "Flashback '78".

Review: The second instalment of Mike Huckaby's My Life With The Wave series again showcased his seamless fusion of Detroit deep house and techno, all made using only the Waldorf Wave synth, samples of which come on a separate CD with this 12". First up, 'Let The Dancer Do His Thing' offers a slow-burning groove with dusty drums and atmospheric synths, while 'Phuture' intensifies with jazzy melodies and cymbal-heavy rhythms. On the flip, 'Baseline 313' delivers soulful electric piano loops, tribal percussion and fat bass, before closing with the playful, fluttering deepness of 'Another Fantasy.' Huckaby's timeless artistry shines through every track.