Deep House Recommendations November 2011

Review: Forever ambitious and eccentric in his output, Space Dimension Controller presents The Pathway To Tiraquon6, a double twelve inch prelude to the full debut album promised next year. Preceded by an exquisitely detailed press release that explains the concept behind the music, you don't really need to read it to fully engage in what is a sumptuous ride through cinematic hi tech jazz. The ease with which the Belfast Sun Ra veers between twinkling soundscapes and heavily compressed, jerking techno ("Usurper" being a certified highlight) is naturally very impressive and bodes well for the album proper, which is given a sneak preview in "Closing Titles".

Review: This EP from the man also known as Alex O Smith is as fine as his album from a few months ago. Opener "Got The Drop On Dem" is typically stripped back Omar S: a melodic bassline forms a soft cushion for the scattershot claps and hi-hats on top, while "Gunup Runup" is a deceptively hypnotic 303 jam which expertly cycles through distortion and delay levels. "My Neffew Randy" meanwhile, is a neon lit house cut straight out of the late 80s, as midnight bass is illuminated by bright organ tones, and flanged piano chords deep in the background add serious weight to the track, before it turns down a dark path as disembodied film audio floats over dischordant synth percolations. "Unitarian" is another twisting acid journey accented with crystalline cymbals; however the best is saved for last, as "Who's In Key" sees the man team up with another of Detroit's favourite sons, Theo Parrish. Smith provides a backdrop of tough bass stabs and glassy chords, whilst Parrish's improvised synth flute contribution throws a more chaotic element into Smith's more mechanical approach.

Review: ** Repress ** In the canon of twelve inches that require little in the way of additional prompting from the Juno review staff, the latest release from Delusions of Grandeur must surely rank high. Pairing We Play House duo FCL with VFB, the latest alias from Dani 'MCDE' Plessow proves to be a smart choice, securing Delusions perhaps their finest release to date! Love Prescription is nominally formed around three variations on the title track from Plessow's new VFB moniker (yet another smart ode to his hometown) introducing the yearning soulful tone of Stef Gustaph amidst a nicely stripped down take on house music which is perhaps best utilised on the bubbling Dirt Dub version. FCL appear on the flip with the masterful "Matrix Plus" full of bouncing rhythms and high rise chords dipped with Mr Fingers style emotion.

Review: A superb second release on the fledgling Nsyde imprint from Detroit's secret weapon Kevin Reynolds, emboldened no doubt by the positive response to his drop on Todchai earlier this year. Lead track "Liaisons" is a delight, masterfully expanding from the industrially charged and finely sculpted rhythms that open the track into an expansive realm of mesmerising vintage Motor City utopia. The ease with which new layers of sound and texture are implemented amidst the subtly shifting directions keeps your senses enraptured throughout the sumptuous eight minutes. "Port" is just as memorable though more simplistic in its execution, utilising slick beat programming and a thick set bass line to draw you before the vast waves of Detroit emotion come rising through and take effect. The second wave of creeping keys imbues the track with an odd sense of kaleidoscopic warmth. The Del Parque remix of "Portal", which closes out the release, twists the track inside out to focus on the swinging groove, marking it out as a more functional entity for the floor.

Review: Fledgling UK imprint Tenth Circle maintain the standards set on their early release from Zoo Look and Duff Disco, enlisting Dikso's Daniel Solar to take the reins on their fourth release. "Needin' You" is impeccably produced, the swinging dubby groove aided by some fine electronic bass touches during the opening moments and the arrival of loose limbed keys and deep echoey vocal stabs lay down the template for a fine, tracky house production. Complementing this "A Larger Scale" demonstrates Solar's talent for crafting deep house hypnosis, stripping back on the percussion to simple kick drum led programming to let the multi layered fuzzy rhythms take effect.

Review: Kevin Griffiths' Tsuba imprint has built itself one hell of a discography in six years, with the likes of Steve Lawler, Dyed Soundorom and Audiofly making appearances. It's relative newbie Jordan Peak who is up next, with the Kinda Fine EP featuring a remix from Panorama Bar resident and Klakson label owner Steffi. The title track bears the same Jordan Peak tone as we are used to; deep, dusky and analogue-tinged house that serve as either peak time throbbers or sultry after hours tunes. Ricocheting hi-hats, a hearty kick and dripping female vocals form "Kinda Fine's" peak appeal, while the warm scuttling synths and tip tapping percussion see it through to afters. On the flip, Steffi's revision picks the original's warmer tones as her focus, with drawn out synths and reverbed piano stabs taking centre stage. Last up, "Brutal Life" once again balances its textures between raw and sweet as shimmering beds hum and a deep bass line bellows.

Review: In a year where Vakula has released countless records on a number of labels (with more to follow) his Saturday EP on 3rd Strike perhaps stands alone for marrying his trademark attention to detail with dancefloor appeal. Whereas his Shevchenko twelves in particular have the capacity to draw a dancefloor into a collective standing stupor at the sonic richness, the four tracks on the Saturday EP bumped hard. The title track is revisited by the label here as they enlist some illuminating names to add their own slant on it with Legowelt, Fudge Fingas and Deetron all featuring across this twelve. Naturally, the effort from Legowelt proves to be a real highlight, especially when the strains of acid lock in amidst the constantly unravelling analogue oscillations and rough drums, but the other remixes provide enough variety in tempo and feel to ensure this is worth investigation.

Review: Honest Jon's continued endeavours to choose the interesting remix artists to tackle the high BPM joys of their Shangaan Electro compilation sees them turn to that venerable Detroit magician and erstwhile Wu Tang Clan member Theo Parrish. The Sound Signature boss comes through with a masterful thirteen minute plus rewiring of Mancingelani's "Vana Vasesi" which retains the thunderous tempo and brilliantly chaotic rhythms yet instils the track with a woozy, intoxicating swing via the twisting synth waves. Complementing this, iconic German producer Burnt Friedman turns in a remix of "Ntombi Ya Mugaza" by Zinja Hlungwani which is far less frenetic but no less enjoyable, flipping the track in a dub wise style with off kilter drum programming, spine tingling keys and staggered vocal affectations.

Review: Leonid Nevermind's Light Is Here EP released in May on Belgium label Nowar was quite a hit for the relatively unknown artist - so much so that "Feel" and "Thymus Stimulator" are now released as remixes on Nowar with Detroit's Kris Wadsworth, Duijn & Douglas and UK deep house producer Miles Sagnia taking the role. First up is Dutch duo Duijn & Douglas and their take on "Thymus Stimulator"; their blend of deep, funky and floor orientated grooves winning the dance floor vote of the three. On the flipside Wadsworth turns "Feel" on its US jackin' head by stripping the original warmth down to raw, machine like punch. Last up is Atmosphere Existence boss Miles Sagnia who employs his usual humid deep house charm to give "Feel" a sweet and funky edge for the 'Drifting Soul' remix.

Review: Underground Quality's latest twelve inch endeavour sees husband and wife team Jus Ed and Jenifa Mayanja introduce the first in a series of collaborative EPs under the EDJ prefix. This murky purple twelve sees Ed act the gent and allow the A Side duties to fall on Jenifa's shoulders, and Mayanja responds with a delightfully idiosyncratic house jam in "Dark Matter". The track's early moments present a dusty, percussion heavy tribal groove that slowly builds into a glistening procession of future thinking house dynamism. An unannounced swerve into a rippling acid bassline mid way through proves inspirational. In contrast to the laid back nature of this track, Jus Ed opts for a much rowdier approach with "Slammer", all ebullient house stabs and constantly rising string flourishes over the rasping four four kicks.