DJS: MOST CHARTED - DEEP HOUSE - MOST CHARTED IN OCTOBER 2013

Review: After a break through 2012 with EPs on Dirt Crew, Murmur and Freerange, Detroit Swindle take a second bite out of their 2013 cherry with the Break Up to Make Up EP on new label Heist. The A-side is "The Break Up", a sidechaning rollercoaster of sampled, looped and filtered vocals that bounce of bit-staccato Rhodes, silky hats and tight drums. On the B-side is a deeper "The Break Up" featuring breathy, feminine vocals similar to Australian and Third Strike act The Tortoise. Deep and flowing house music for the dancefloor.

Review: **REPRESS**The last time a newcomer graced Theo Parrish's Sound Signature, it resulted in widespread praise for the Flowers EP from London based producer, DJ and singer Andrew Ashong, somehow we get the feeling this latest release on the label will prove to be as memorable. The Scorpio Rising EP sees Parrish look much closer to home and grant the DC-born, Detroit-bred producer Jay Daniel his debut release and the four track 12" more than lives up to his billing as one of Boiler Room's most exciting new discoveries at DEMF. Wild Oats obsessives will probably know Daniel from the Fundamentals residency shared with Kyle Hall and he's clearly spent some time honing his Detroit influenced craft, with cuts like "No Love Lost" expertly balanced between melody and rugged drum grit. "Brainz" is the kind of no-nonsense DJ tool you might have heard on a FXHE B Side circa 2008 whilst "I Have No Name" demonstrates Daniel is eminently capable of the sort of hope inducing Utopian house from the D that the much missed Aaron Carl was renowned for.

Review: Despite having already released a 16 track album this year, Detroit's finest, Omar S, proves that there is quite simply nothing stopping him as he issues the four track Nelson County. "Don't Let Dis Be HapNin! Comes on like the classic "Psychotic Photosynthesis" at witnessed through a haze of smoked glass, while "U Heard What Da Man Said Muthafukka!!" is something much more driving, like taking a spin on Detroit's streets after dark in a souped up Dodge Charger, before "Nelson County" sees the tough house-focused denouement take place in a dingy backstreet club. As always with Omar S, this stuff doesn't mess about....

Review: REPRESS ALERT! My Love Is Underground return with only their second release of 2013, with MLIU15 introducing the sounds of Dungeon Meat. The new collaborative endeavor between MLIU regular Brawther and Tristan Da Cunha of Back To Basics fame, Dungeon Meat live up to the brash nature of "The Fuck Off Track" with heavy hitting percussion driven house at it's finest. Look out for a label of the same name from Dungeon Meat later this year. Face down Ukrainian producer SE62 returns for MLIU duty for a third time with the hook heavy deep house burn of "True Force".

Review: Tipped as one of this year's breakout stars in deep house circles, German producer Max Graef may belong in that small percentile whose talent more than justifies the obligatory, never ending, wildly oscillating circles of hype. Last month's platter for Melbourne Deepcast kept the Juno office 1210 well serviced and this new release on Detroit Swindle's Heist label offers further proof of Graef's knack for heavily percussive house music distinguished by certain production idiosyncrasies. Lead track "Jungle" features Andy Hart and stands out because there's just so much detail and attention without ever sounding overly busy - the mark of a real talent. Raw Cuts era MCDE is an easy comparison with B Side opener "Ignorance Is Bliss" but where most would lazily slap down a hastily cut up soul hook, Graef opts for an outer galactic vibe that threatens to explode with vivid colour. "Ztize" also rolls on a similar tip to Graef's celebrated compatriot but with Plessow currently on a production hiatus this newcomer offers fans of current soul and jazz indebted house music a compelling alternative.

Review: Killer hookup between Versatile and Sex Tags bosses! In Versatile's own words... "We booked DJ Sotofett a few months ago for a Versatile Party at Rex Club. He decided to stay in Paris a bit more, to work with Gilb-R in the Versatile studio. And here's the result! They jammed with Zombie Zombie, recording the infamous bongos of Cosmic Neman and the modular synths and saxophone of Etienne Jaumet. Then each of them took the parts and did a version on his own." The two cuts here are the first of several planned releases with B Side "Foliage (808 Stax mix)" the standout jammer here!

Review: Earlier this year the Kolour Ltd label issued the (rather indecisively titled) It's House Not House EP which featured DJ Sprinkles, Rick Wade and Bicep; understandably it was quite well received by the house (not house) vinyl buying public and sensing they are onto a winning formula Kolour now issue a second volume. It's an equally international affair too with the UK represented by the ubiquitous Waze & Oddysey and the like minded Zoo Look whilst Leipzig and South African are represented in the shape of M.ono & Luvless and Terrence Pearce respectively. W&O demonstrate a slightly more contemplative mood melodically speaking amidst the swooping vocal hooks and club ready beats on "Playin Musique" whilst "Auckland Joggers" showcases the inherent musicality of M.ono & Luvless. On the flip Zoo Look come through with a deeply layered slab of contemporary UK house whilst "The Fantastic" from Mr Pearce lives up to it's name and then some.

Review: Strength Music boss DJ QU continues his unbroken run of form in 2013 with this single for the Japanese Yygrec label, which although sporting a number two in its catalogue number would seem to be the first release. DJ QU has always been known for his idiosyncratic approach to house and techno, but this single sees some of his most free-flowing rhythms and outlandish musicianship to date; the title track offers a near psychedelic combination of tribal rhythms, deeply submerged keys and phased textures held together with disembodied voices and reversed sounds, while "Do This Here" is something equally as trippy, where melancholic vocoder speech mingles with a pulsing bassline and sonar blip lead. Essential as always...

Review: Superb bottom heavy Deep House groovers

Review: Since emerging on L.I.E.S. last year with the superb 4 Club Use Only EP, Delroy Edwards' exploration of the deeper strains of ghetto house has made him one of the label's most popular members. This Untitled 12" sees Edwards inaugurate his new LA Club Resource label with two no frills tracks for darkened basements; the A-side sees a basic but addictive bassline snaking its way around tough but limber rhythms, while the B-side track sees a flanged bassline shifting uneasily underneath driving percussion in classic Robert Armani style. Don't sleep...

Review: "Flylove" is a prominent highlight of Lovelife Is A Challenge, the digital only LP Oakland singer songwriter Chris Turner released last year; produced in conjunction with Phantom Lover, the track came off like Fly Lo dipping his toes in jazz and deep house at the same time. Rebirth have licensed the album for a remastered full vinyl release and "Flylove" makes for perfect single material and look the label have only gone and commissioned the master of Detroit Dust Andres to remix the track. The results are dipped in the same kind of tape worn warmth that characterised his ubiquitous New For U plate last year and is already a firm favourite of Gilles and MCDE.

Review: Whatever you think of Julio Bashmore, he should be given a lot of credit for getting Funkineven onto his Boardwalk label. Stevie J's particular blend of drum machine abuse, intergalactic synths and wonky acid funk is amongst the freshest in house right now, as Species proves. The centrepiece is the eight-minute "The Joker", a decidedly raw fusion of jacking 909 drums, interstellar chords and sci-fi melodies that, at one point, brilliantly slows down and speeds up again, "French Kiss"-style. There's plenty to get excited about elsewhere, though, from the title track's beatless, string-laden atmospherics, to the acid assault of "Aviator" and the next-level Detroit techno meets-electrofunk madness of "Mars".

Review: As Wolf Music reach their 20th release it seems quite fitting that three names synonymous with the London label pretty much since its inception should feature. Greymatter, KRL and Medlar have been collectively responsible for some of Wolf Music's most memorable releases and together here offer an excellent demonstration of their production prowess. This is largely a Greymatter & KRL affair with the duo combining on three of crisp London house manoeuvres that commence on a MCDE gone garage tip with the excellent "Straight Billin" - all about the ruff drum break and shuddering bassline here. "A World Without Love" features vocals prominently too but there's a touch of classic Carl Craig to this cut that demonstrates the duo's production versatility. "Mesh" meanwhile sees Greymatter & KRL trade in sampled vocals for the real thing with a soul tingled turn from Emma Brammer whilst Medlar cranks up the expectation for his forthcoming LP with a wonderful rework of "Straight Billin".

Review: Having been involved to some degree in two out of the three releases on Derive Schallplatten thus far, Christopher Rau returns to the fledgling label to helm their first full artist EP. Titled simply Derive 4, this record sees the Smallville regular in typically melodically rich territory - indeed, at first glance the opening track "Simple Set Up" could possibly be mistaken for a John Talabot production were it not for the sort of rhythmic detail that characterises a Christopher Rau track. Turn the plate over and "Safe The Energy" is a breezy jazz flecked house cut emboldened by some deep sub bass movements whilst "Athens" is Rau flexing his dusty drum programming. It's loose and abstract but still packs enough weight to slot into the middle of a set. Quintessential Christopher Rau!

Review: Love Fever, the infamous and erogenous East London discotheque and record label returns with some late night works in the form of Ron Jason and Kim Ann Foxman's 'The Dream Project EP'. After Ron Jason's Paradise Garage evoking and much played "Paradise Lost" (with Love Fever regular Larry Heard remixes) caught the ear of label bosses Alex & Andy last year with its depth and sincerity, Ron was tracked down, discovered as Italy's enigma Simoncino and connected with Brooklyn's fly girl and modernist diva Kim Ann Foxman to explore possibilities in house. The outcome is a raw 5 track EP drawing inspiration from classic Chicago house with the Master C&J evoking "M", a Blue Jeans interpretation on "R" and a melodic yet somber lead Track "E" where you find a modern bassline chugging below analogue synth lines and Kim's individualistic approach to vocals. The record pays homage to an era in house lost, deepest Chicago and New York with a not so subtle dedication to long time friend of Ron's, Dream 2 Science. With water droplets and sexual intensity harking back to early 90s masterpiece 'My Love Turns To Liquid' on "A".

Review: Heralding a quarter century of service for one of Italy's best-loved record stores, three certifiable house troubadours join forces to offer up tracks of the finest calibre, not least if you love old-school flavoured Chicago house music. Glenn Underground is up first with the Latino-tinged roller "Spiritually Captured", all charming chords and lightly drummed percussion. Isoul8 brings a more gutsy kind of acid house that both punches in the bottom end and bubbles delightfully on top before joining up with Ricardo Miranda for the sublime "P Boogie". Combining heartbreaking arpeggiated twinkles with expressive bass and luxuriant pads, a truly spellbinding track is crafted, and it's certainly not one to miss out on.

Review: Having just coaxed more killer material out of that man from Marseille VernoN, Dixon Ave Basement Jams affect a swift return with a similarly hefty package from key artist Marquis Hawkes. The brashly titled Sex, Drugs & House EP maintains Dixon Avenue Basement Jams' position as the sole outlet for original Marquis Hawkes material, despite dalliances with Creme and the excellent Crow Castle Cuts in a remix capacity. The familial bond felt between DABJ and Hawkes evidently continues to inspire the masked producer as this EP contains some of his best work so far! "Get Yo Ass Off My Grass" is a particular highlight and already stands aside "Sealion Woman" as our favourite production in the Marquis Hawkes canon.

Review: Mike Gill who has already featured on Roots For Bloom teams up with Taymor Zadeh to bring us the Coppin' A Feel EP featuring a John Dimas remix. The A side "Coppin' A Feel" brings us hard hitting groove with a hypnotic vocal line carrying the track. Loose percussion and bold tom drums really cement this to work on any dance floor. The B side cut "The Message" is a more rolling groove with a strong Rhodes line that features later on really making the track evolve. John Dimas takes "The Message" and takes the atmosphere up a notch, with slick cut up vocals. This one will work in the early hours.

Review: The Let's Play House stable know a thing or two about swinging, pumping house jams that smack you right between the eyes, and this time it's Montel delivering the punch, kicking off with the downright anthemic "Peace In The World", all epic piano stabs and irrepressible funk. "Runnin'" is a more meditative cut, stitching dusty chords and simmering strings into a gentle house groove of the finest kind. "Ecstasy" reaches for the hand-raising antics once again, while "Get Down" gets a little trickier with its chopped up vocal antics and sultry key swells making for a potent, sexy slice of record bag ammo.