San Proper

Review: 2016 has been an important year for the Beesmunt Soundsystem duo, led by David Va Der Leeuw and Luigi Antonio Jansen and, this new EP for London's Church imprint alongside San Proper is both firmly on-point and exactly the sort of smooth, laid-back house we're vibing on. "Simcha Riddim" gets three versions: There's the slow, balearic OG mix with its cool harmonics and warm glow of vocals, the more kinetic swing of the Percussion dub mix, and a fuller, more beat-heavy remix by Project Pablo. All in all, this makes for a fine slice of house and another stellar addition to the Church catalogue.

Review: From the label: When trends in music can come and go in the blink of an eye, ten years is a long time to stay relevant, passionate and real on the frontline. From its roots in the Parisian club scene by way of its spiritual home at Fuse in Brussels and so on to the globe-trotting, multi-faceted entity that it is today, Lessizmore is living proof of how to do a decade right. The fundamental heartbeat of this European house and techno institution is the maverick music that its affiliated artists make. Of course what the label sounds like now is not necessarily what the label sounded like back in 2006, but it's telling that some of the original characters are still with the label to this day, while many are long time members of the LIZM family that have joined the ranks over the years. In piecing together this compilation, the idea from label founders Jessica Bossuyt and Pierre Noisiez was simply to represent where their brainchild is at right now, from guests at their events in the early days to more recent collaborators of all kinds. Borrowed Identity kicks off the second EP with a smoothly rendered vision of contemporary deep house housing a poignant message at its core, while San Proper follows it up with his irrepressible personality positively leaping out of the track in a fit of live instrumentation and unbridled psychedelic funk. Dave Aju too is an artist it's hard to mistake, his cool and deadly vocals sitting amongst a sleek club construction that ranks among his most DJ-ready tracks to date. Always a trusted source of unconventional magic both in the studio and on the stage, Frivolous is on hand to demonstrate how to be playful with wild sound design and still come out with a killer party track.

Review: Amsterdam prankster San Proper (Rush Hour/Perlon) returns with Love 2, a follow up to his Love LP released earlier this year, also on Dopeness Galore. There's some funky R&B reminiscent of the Purple one on "Lovesick" featuring some impressive pop vocals courtesy of Steven van L. on top. On the flip there's another offering entitled "Monkeys Play With Fire (San & Wouda dub)" which is some reduced disco dub goodness reminiscent of legends like ESG or Arthur Russell.