Review: Oh yes, we love it when Theo represses some of his most sought after tracks and this one is particularly well-timed. Leron Carson is still an unknown figure, a kid who used to make viciously raw and futuristic techno tracks in the late 1980's! "China Trax", alongside the rest of his tracks on a different Sound Signature double 12", is totally ahead of its time and if it was truly made in 1987 then it is nothing short of amazing. Of course, it's not just the year it was made in that's interesting but also the fact that it's music without an age, able to be appreciated by any generation of techno freaks. Theo's own "Insane Asylum" on the flipside is also pretty monumental; rigged beats, off-kilter grooves and that familiar spontaneity so heavily associated to the label.
Review: Originally released back in 2011 in conjunction with Scion Audio/Visual now repressed by Omar S on his FXHE label "Who's In Key" features Theo Parrish!
Review: Detroit innovator and singular soundsmith Theo Parrish returns with a new EP which we're told is his response to "stagnation and nonmovement" either physiologically, mentally or physically. 'Positive Mental Attitude Solves All' is up first and is a tribute to the late great funk-father Amp Fiddler. It's a typically deep cut with dusty drums and irregular, scruffy percussive lines layered in next to diffuse synth warmth and soulful melodies. 'Traffic Jams' plays with similar signature themes and is sure to loosen up mind, body and soul. Another standout bit of work from the venerable Motor City man.
Review: 'Moonlight Music & You' was the second-ever release on Theo Parrish's now legendary Sound Signature label. This welcome reissue makes it available for all once more and reminds us of the early quality of Parrish's work back in 1997. 'Music' has swirling and humid pads, curious melodies and dusty, stripped-back deep house drums. It's a beautiful place to get lost. 'Moonlite' then picks up the pace but keeps the grainy, lo-fi feel with eerie chords and subtle vocal musings adding to the atmosphere.
Review: Theo Parrish's masterful Sound Sculptures Vol 1 on triple LP format gets a timely repressing!! In total here there are 9 of the 27 tracks from the full double CD version but these still run the gamut of Theo's inimitable talents, from rough and tumble disco edits to saccharine soul, raw beatdown and leftfield esoterica. Be sure to check the Omar S- featuring "Synthetic Flemm" and long time Juno favourite "Flotation Device". If ever there was a selection of tracks that fully showcased the incredible breadth of production talent this man has, this is it. Not to be missed!
Review: Theo Parrish lays down a marker for a long overdue fifth album, apparently due out later this year, with the sublime Footwork 12". Named in reference to the dance as opposed to the breakneck offshoot of Ghetto House, "Footwork" is a sublime slab of Theo with many of his trademark production touches. Think lightly brushed percussion, meandering bassline that juts out with an odd funk, and subtle yet sumptuous musical touches, all topped off by a gruff "let me see your footwork baby" croon. Those Theo fans out there that like the man to get a bit rugged will be all over "Tympanic Warfare" too, where off the grid polyrhythms cannon around the channels, augmented by an ugly bassline and dexterous keys.
Review: There's always a sense of reverent elation around a new drop from Theo Parrish, and he's not disappointing on this latest joint. Reports suggest this is the precursor to a new album, and there's a classic feel to this track that hints at very exciting times ahead. Parrish's sparks shine oh-so bright when he's sparring with the right vocalist, and Maurissa Rose seems to be giving him the right inspiration on "This Is For You". He's created the kind of understated soul statement that inhabits some of his most treasured albums, using a raw and simple drum machine backing to achingly beautiful key refrains that melt around Rose's voice on the vocal A side, and give rise to a sublime instrumental version on the flip.
Walking Thru The Sky (feat Ron Smith - Liberation mix) (10:43)
Review: Detroit's Theo Parrish continues to serve up expressive and utterly unique new music, but his vast back catalogue will always remain of almost just as much interest to house heads. As such his Sound Signature label has repressed some quality gems from his discography. 'Roots Revisited' first came back towards the tail end of 1998 and finds the sonic shaman in heavy percussive mode while off-grid rhythms and his unique take on soul shining through. 'Dan Ryan' is deeply meditative, while the 'Walking Thru The Sky' (feat Ron Smith - Liberation mix) is a dusty and scuffed-up deep house exploration with Theo's trademark keys.
Review: Six new tracks from Detroit's deep house hero Theo Parrish mark his most significant release since the Wuddadji album three years ago, based around the 18 minute dancefloor epic 'Dance Alone' and the Afro-slanted 'Cleo's Theme', closing in on 11 minutes, alongside a host of other cuts of varying sizes and types. 'Real Deal', for instance, is a beatless instrumental interlude consisting of organ and Spanish guitar, while the title track is nearly all off-kilter beats. Parrish's approach, as ever, is soulful and funky enough to keep house fans on side, while also being so raw and stripped down that techno fans love it too and this has plenty of both.
It's Out Of Your Control (feat Maurissa Rose) (9:34)
It's Out Of Your Control (instrumental dub) (10:24)
Review: The new Parrish single appears on vinyl in the form of two mixes differing in vibe but consistent in quality and suitability for DJ use. The original rides along on a shuffling, almost Afrobeat version of house, with Maurissa Rose's gorgeous vocal floating above the gloopy, hypnotic bassline which gets the full filter treatment. The instrumental dub places that b-line very much at the centre of the mix, starting from a single kickdrum before building up to a more techno-edged, vocal free climax. all throbbing bass, solid bears and minimal, glitchy keyboard interjections.
Review: In the nicest possible way, Weirdo is a perfect way to describe the music that comes from the mind of Theo Parrish. The Detroit badman has his own set of rules and they are constantly being re-written. His Sound Signature label is home to most of his work and that is where he lands here. The title tune is a rickety house workout with heat-damaged chords vocal mutterings and that grinding mechanical groove that is all his own. 'Original Weirdo' ups the ante with skittish drum patterns and more intense vocals while 'Imaginary Thugfunk' is a fusion of jazz keys, shuffling beatdown drums and dustiness.
Review: Theo Parrish crafts house and techno like no one else. He draws on the ingenuity of jazz and cooks up challenging, complex rhythms with grinding grooves and loopy, knackered-sounding melodies that are all perfectly imperfect. It's deeply spiritual music that twists the right dance floors inside out but is also so detailed and rich it works in a wider array of settings. His Pieces Of A Paradox EP from way back in the early days of his label remains one of his best ever two trackers with a pair of hypnotic and melodically infused beat workouts that are filled with curious hooks and dishevelled drums that sound like they might fall apart at any moment.
Dreamers Blues (Percussion By Jerry The Cat) (10:39)
Lost Angel (9:33)
Review: On his latest expansive double-pack, Theo Parrish has decided to dip into his epic back catalogue. The four featured tracks are taken from two sought-after, hard to find EPs released in 1997 and 2001 respectively. Opener 'Smile' is arguably one of the Detroiter's most magnificent musical moments of all time: an epic slab of drowsy Motor City deep house built around idiosyncratic drum programming, ultra-deep chords, toasty bass and an effects-laden vocal snippet. 'Lost Keys' is a breezier and looser affair marked out by Latin style piano motifs, jazzy house beats and tactile bass, while 'Dreamer's Blues' is a languid, percussion-and-electric piano rich number that tends towards the hazy and jazzy. Finally, 'Lost Angel' is an ultra-deep affair whose spacey chords seem to stretch out eternity.
Review: Given that this is the first album from the great Theo Parrish since 2007, it's unsurprising interest in American Intelligence has rocketed over the course of the year as Sound Signature left a trail of hints. Happily, American Intelligence is a fine album; deep and woozy in parts, undeniably soulful, shot through with jazz influences and full to bursting with killer cuts. By now, everyone should know the brilliant "Footwork" single (arguably one of the records of 2014); soon, clubs will swing to the off-kilter dancefloor jazz of "Make No War", the 21st century broken house of the epic "Fallen Funk" and the decidedly odd - but brilliant - "Helmut Lampshade".
Review: Sound Signature end 2013 how they started it; with a fresh slab of Theo Parrish goodness! Whilst the Dance of the Medusa EP issued back in January was Theo in marauding beat down mode, it seems the respected Detroit based producer is in a much mellower mood here. For example, the title track on the Long Walk In Sun 12" is the sort of mid-tempo production that would feature in an early doors Floating Points set at Plastic People. Complementing this, "Strawberry Dragon" features a more prominent display of Parrish's widely regarded skills at chopping percussion, but it's the resplendent instrumentation that stands out.
Review: Don't let this one go over yo head son! The final repress from Sound Signature HQ is an essential slab of late 90s Motor City deepness from Theo, presented once again for contemporary reassessment and sounding every bit as jaw dropping 14 years on. Dropping back in 1999, title cut "Overyohead" came to be regarded as a quintessential Theo Parrish track; strings incandescent with soul and lovingly off centre Rhodes riding those heavy drum arrangements towards a sweet piano infused crescendo. Face down, "Dance Of The Drunken Drums" is a prime example of Theo's own distinct brand of cavernous beatdown.
Review: While the other recent Theo Parrish reissue, "I Can Take It", is largely considered a Detroit deep house classic, "Lights Down Low" - released around the same time - is nowhere near as celebrated. This has always been a little puzzling, since the 2001 cut remains one of his most intoxicating and enveloping moments. Peppered with barely audience spoken word samples, twinkling pianos and tough-but-shuffling drums, the "Full Mix" is the aural equivalent of a slow, soapy rub down from a cherished lover. The more electronic, flipside "This One Mix", built around dancing synth bass and throbbing tribal drums, is, if anything, even better, dragging beatdown towards the dancefloor for a sweaty shake-down.
Review: In his usual no-nonsense fashion, Theo Parrish has not said much about the surprise release of Gentrified Love Part 2, despite it being his first fresh material since 2014. The EP features contributions from two of the Detroit's legends oldest friends: Rotating Assembly member Duminie DePorres, and original Slum Village member Waajeed. A-side "Warrior Code" is a quietly foreboding proposition, with spiraling electronics, jammed keys and cosmic chords riding a chunky, West London style broken beat groove. Flip for the altogether brighter and breezier "Leave The Funk To Us", a jaunty and jazz-wise 4/4 excursion blessed with some superb, Herbie Hancock style jazz-funk keys.
Review: Theo Parrish's Gentrified Love series seems to be a collaborative affair. Part two, available separately, contained hook-ups with fellow Detroiters Wajeed and Duminie Deporres. "Ghetto Proposal", which is available in Vocal and Instrumental versions, features sublime contributions from another Motor City legend, veteran modern soul man Amp Fiddler. It's something of a deliciously trippy affair, underpinned by a freaky, delay-heavy groove, fireside-warm Rhodes keys, meandering trumpet lines and - on the vocal version, at least, drowsy female vocals. Both artists jazz influence is clear, particularly in the crunchy percussion hits that begin to dominate as the track progresses. Interestingly, the instrumental moves a little further towards jazzy broken beat territory.
Review: Sound Signature's latest release is an all-star crew affair, with an impressive cast list of vocalists, musicians and producers joining main man Theo Parrish in the studio. He's at the controls on the sublime A-side mix, a jazzy affair where layered twinkling electric piano motifs, spacey chords, jazz-funk riffs and sumptuous deep house grooves combine on a fearlessly loose and organic dancefloor workout. On the flipside friend of the family Dego offers his interpretation, adding even more warmth and some tasty additional hand percussion parts whilst wisely utilizing most of the original version's intricate musical elements.
Review: Theo Parrish and Maurissa Rose are Detroit musical veterans (even though Parrish was actually born in Chicago) and they have worked together on a number of superb singles in the last few years. After that fruitful start to their working relationship they finally flourish into a new full length that arrives soon in the form of Free Myself, It arrives, as you would expect, on triple vinyl on Parrish's own Sound Signature label, but also here as a CD. It is a lovely deep house exploration with smooth vocals of Rose - which come in the form of a soulful stream of consciousness - over Parrish's dusty, hypotonic beats.
Review: Theo Parrish is giving his new album with Maurissa Rose the full treatment - serving it up on his preferred vinyl, but also as a CD and here a cassette on his own label Sound Signature. It is a complete coming together of these two revered Detroit musical talents following a string of great singles with one another since 2019. As you can expect, the grooves are dusty, complex and rooted in house but with plenty of influences from soul, funk and jazz. The vocals from Rose are as smooth as you like and take the form of soulful streams of consciousness. Utterly vital.
Review: Hard to define, rule breaking and game-changing producer Theo Parrish is back with another of his challenging and superlative albums. This one - which naturally arrives on his own Sound Signature label - is a collaboration with Maurissa Rose that true sooth the soul. It s full of his usual deadly grooves, shamanistic percussive layers and jazz energies with plenty of his famous luscious, meditative loops. Add in the smooth vocals of Rose - which come in the form of a soulful stream of consciousness - and you have yet another unique album from this true maverick of the form.
Review: Theo Parrish teams up with Maurissa Rose again on a rare if not completely unprecedented outing that is pure soul magic rather than the dancefloor spells Parrish normally casts. It's a quite the classy outing, as Rose goes full pelt over tinkling percussion and hip-hop beats, showing that every inch of her reputation is totally deserved. Fans of the pair's previous single, 'This Is For You', will find this more coneventional in a 70s classic soul way, but even more spectactular.
Meftah - "When The Sun Falls" (feat Mohammed Meftah) (7:16)
De'Sean Jones - "Psalm 23" (2:13)
Ian Fink - "Moonlight" (Duality/Detroit live version) (8:05)
KESSWA - "Chasing Delerium" (feat Nova Zaii) (3:33)
Specter - "The Upper Room" (10:23)
Raj Mahal - "Hudsons" (2:01)
Raybone Jones - "Green Funk" (6:09)
Whodat & Sophiyah E - "Don't Know" (5:25)
Howard Thomas - "Experiment 10" (4:33)
MBtheLight - "aGAIN" (T edit) (2:48)
Sterling Toles - "Janis" (4:05)
Review: Theo Parrish is a world-renowned name in the global Detroit house and techno game, and he's thrown a fascinating curveball as the latest entrant for the acclaimed DJ-Kicks series. Mr. Parrish has gone above and beyond the duties of most invitees - rather than just licensing tracks from his favourite artists and big-name-friends, he's asked his own community from Detroit to each produce their own mixable tracks, exclusively for the comp. What's more, these are hardly established names - they're organic connections to Parrish, not occupying the top layer of attention and recognition. Bits from H-Fusion, Jon Dixon, Donald Lee Roland II, Ian Fink and Raybone Jones all dominate this anarchic new deconstruction of the otherwise exclusivist mix series.
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