Review: Omar S and Shadow Ray hooked up back in 2005 as Oasis and turned out a low key classic with Collaborating. It's an essential double album packed with signature Motor City heat and dishevelled deep house workouts for mind, body and soul. Things open with the slow paced crawler 'Oasis 4' then take in 'Oasis 11' with its pinging percussion and stripped back grooves, the standout 'Oasis 1s-1/2' with its gorgeously melancholic synth bleeps and heart melting chords and the darker energy of 'Oasis 7'.
Review: It may have taken a while - his massive debut single 'Hyph Mngo' was released 12 years ago - but Joy Orbison has finally got round to recording his debut album. It's a highly personal affair, peppered with speech snippets from various family members (including his mum, dad, sister, cousins and famous uncle, Ray Keith). It's a narrative device that works well, providing a unifying thread throughout a woozy, musically eclectic concoction that sees the now veteran UK producer give his distinct spin on ambient, slow house, two-step garage, deep house, post-dubstep beats, dubbed-out soundscapes, British bass music, experimental electronica, cutting-edge deep D&B and much more besides. It's perhaps not the all-out assault on the dancefloor some may have expected, but it is a genuinely brilliant and entertaining album.
French Audacity - "The Final One" (feat Valerie) (4:34)
DJ Spike - "Gaps In Space" (2:55)
Interdance - "Kurz" (5:25)
Bad Behaviour - "Living On Smoke" (Edgware mix) (4:09)
Frequency - "Systematic Input" (4:53)
Diffusion - "Lushes" (5:49)
MFA - "Blue To Be Happy" (7:18)
RIP - "EOPan" (5:49)
Mad Professor - "Oh Hell" (4:02)
Review: Orpheu The Wizard is a Dutch DJ and co-founder of the infamous but sadly now defunct Red Light Radio. Coming through for the fifth edition of the Sound Of Love International series - which showcases the eclectic musical tastes of the DJs who play at the Love International festival in Croatia - this fresh selectors' comp hears Orpheu crate-fiddle through cosmic disco, Balearic pop, synthwave and ambient, by the likes of Khidja, Benedek, Donato Dozzy and Gaussian Curve.
Review: Osunlade's latest release continues his transformative journey, evolving from a major-label ghostwriter to one of deep house's most spiritually attuned and culturally conscious figures. His Yoruba Records imprint has long been a conduit for globally infused, soul-drenched house music, but here he turns inward, stripping things back to something more meditative while maintaining his signature warmth. 'Wiggle Room' opens with rhythmic vocals, strings and congas that gently invite movement. The pace slows in 'PASS!!,' building a quiet tension, before 'Hang Nail' introduces Middle Eastern-inspired melodies and sharp, punchy beats. 'Luv' offers a burst of warmth with lush chords and smooth vocals, capturing the essence of that classic deep sound. In 'She Represents,' heavy 303 basslines pay tribute to Shirley Chisholm, intertwining excerpts from her iconic speech with commanding rhythms. 'So Long...Stranger' reflects on the isolation of the pandemic, a quiet moment of introspection, before 'Modular Movements' closes the collection with an emotionally charged resolution. This set offers a journey that balances movement and stillness, reflecting Osunlade's own pathideep, unhurried and reverent, like the house music he's crafted throughout his career.
Review: This is Oye Manny's second album and it is a fine progression from his first across six tracks that blend classic Salon-style house with the producer's own unique rhythm-forward sensibilities. His personal Houston roots and a wider sphere of timeless deep house influences all feature in dynamic and percussive tunes that are built on propulsive beats and rich textures. Congas, bells and timbales weave seamlessly into four-to-the-floor rhythms as each track reflects Manny's skill as a producer and composer. This one hits a perfect sweet spot between classic and contemporary and is sure to sound good all year long.
Review: If you have ever wondered what a German oompah band might sound like if they were doing low-slung and playful house music then check out 'Ofterschwang' which is one of Jurgen Paape's finest and silliest moments. Thankfully it also makes the long-time Kompakt servant's new Kompilation. It comes across four sides of vinyl and features some of his best bits from over the last 20 years. It is a wide-reaching and often leftfield collection with piano pieces, loopy disco gems, loved-up deep house sounds and steamy and seductive vocal minimal music in the case of 'So Wird Die Zeit Gemacht'. If nothing else this proves what an underrated and unique creative mind Paape really is.
Review: Italian DJ and Producer Jo Paciello proves that full length album do very much still have a place int he modern world wit his superb debut on Groove Culture. The title of this one gives you an idea of what to expect - jazzy melodies and sophisticated house beats. He does so with a modern viewpoint but also plenty of reverence for the glory days of jazzy house. Trumpets, saxophones and guitars all feature here and embellish the drums with quality, meaningful layers of melody adn mood. As he merges the past and present, this richly textured work shines with improvisation and timeless deep house warmth.
Review: One of New York deep house's foremost day ones returns to the limelight with a fresh 12-track mini-album, showing the yutes how it's done with an onslaught of unlikely-sounding beats, cuts and breaks. All tracks on Hear are loose and lackadaisical, often forgoing the need so behooved by many house music producers to get the transient design - the snap of the hit, the length of the tail - just right; Joey's drums are wide and ungated, seeming to prove the point that minutiae don't tend to make a tune. It's instead the ineffable quality of "nailing the vibe", the nuts and bolts of which we can't claim to know, that convince us of Pal Joey's expertise. 'We Show Off' is the gem on this self-released album, with its dreamy, vocoded and slowed acapella, crude car-horn synths and glossed-out backing washes.
Review: Electronic duo Pale Blue releases their highly anticipated second album 'Maria' on Crosstown Rebels. With eight captivating tracks, the long-player takes listeners on an immersive electronic journey. Mike Simonetti (Italians Do It Better) and Elizabeth Wight (Silver Hands) formed the outfit in 2015, gaining acclaim with their debut album. It showcases Wight's personal experiences and thoughts through her lyrics, accompanied by techno-infused melodies that lean towards rock influences. From dreamlike melodies to haunting productions, the album seamlessly blends electronica with pop touches.
Review: Given their famously militant approach to music formats, it's a surprise to see Paranoid London's previously vinyl-only 2014 debut album finally being issued on CD. For those who missed out first time around, it's well worth checking. As you might expect, it makes great use of both vintage analogue equipment and similarly old skool influences, in turn doffing a cap to Phuture-style Chicago acid, Inner City, hip-house, Green Velvet, Dance Mania style ghetto-house, and stripped-back, dancefloor-friendly machine soul. Despite the ragged nature of some of the material, it's both hugely listenable and hangs together impressively - no mean feat given the DJ-friendly nature of the tracks. It all adds up to a retro-futurist treat.
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 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 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.
She's Bliss On The Dancefloor (feat Grant & Nata) (6:03)
Rivers (feat Jesus Gonsev) (5:04)
Dream Delivery (4:55)
Deeper Imports (4:39)
Review: Passport is the inter-Atlantic duo of George Btp Dan Piu and Roger K. Versey and their all-new album is a truly global voyage of musical adventure. Wonderful Elixir is all about seeking the deeper grooves in dance music from a range of different genres. It's a seamless fusion of jazz and acid, deep house and street beat with special appearances from DJ Nata, Jesus Gonsev, and Grant. The likes of 'Prelude Turismo 97' is a Balearic beauty, 'Oceans of Emotional Wealth' is a shimmying groove with sensuous vocals and lush keys and 'Dream Delivery' is more prickly for those late-night dances.
Review: [Emotional] Especial looks back at the first 9 releases since its inception to provide a
selection or "Eleccio" via a special dubbed out DJ meets studio mix from label stalwart
Jamie Paton. Ever since the first white labels appeared at the end of Summer 2013, [Emotional] Especial
has been busy putting out music that are their own warped take on club music. Mixing the
influences of dub, electro, disco, proto-house, house and techno, a sound appeared without any preordained plan. To celebrate the end of the first series of releases come EES10CD - a DJ meets studio
compilation mix created by label artist, remixer and even in-house designer, Jamie Paton. Freaturing tracks from every EP, including two unreleased remixes are the tight productions
of Richard Sen; the wiggle of Scott Fraser; deep, chugging Cage & Aviary dubs; the Eastern
influences of Baris K and newcomers Khidja; the quirky discoid wonk of Maurice & Charles and finally not forgetting of course, the stand out Timothy J Fairplay touches. Whether
alongside Mr Weatherall, Andy Blake or in solo remix mode, young "Junior"s skills (and name)
grows and grows.
All this is perfectly put together by Jamie Paton, the man who launched the label with his
Bizarre Feeling EP. As well as the inclusion of several unreleased cuts, Jamie has edited the
"selection", adding live studio dubbing, FX and the odd mega-mix to make it truly (E)special.
Methods Of Dance - "Aggravation" (instrumental) (4:09)
Claudio D'Ignoti - "Anche Per Noi" (3:19)
Jennifer - "Come Into My Life" (3:51)
Lena - "Embrasse-Moi" (instrumental) (5:11)
Fabrithia - "I Want You" (instrumental) (3:59)
Jimmy D - "Rescue Me (Imagination)" (dub version) (6:40)
Alison Sheryll - "You're Not Alone" (3:21)
Precious Child - "Come Alone" (6:22)
Review: Inspired by his neon-lit walks around London's docklands, crate digger Ilan Pdahtzur's 2019 compilation Night City Life marked him out as a dusty-fingered crate digger and record collector with a distinctive, synth-heavy musical vision. It made him the toast of the selector/collector community, but more than that it was a genuinely superb selection of obscure, hard-to-find cuts. This belated sequel is every bit as essential and filled, unsurprisingly, with rare and lesser-known gems. Highlights are too plentiful to mention, but our current favourites include Sharon & Tracey's 'The Sheik' (a belly-dancing inspired slab of TB-303 bass-driven house hedonism), Jennifer's 1992 Euro-house gem 'Come Into My Life', Scicilian musician Claudio D'Ignoti's boogie-era treat 'Ache Per Noir', and the fashion scene inspired leftfield synth-pop of Lena's 'Embrasse-Moi (Strumentale)'.
Review: A cool piece of post-Apartheid South African pop history, and a major success for the blog-turned label Awesome Tapes From Africa. Originally re-discovered by the site in 2010, it's taken the label three years to track down Penny Penny - who is now a South African politician! Unashamed early 90s dance-informed pop music with a Shangaan twist, it's a fine balance of catchy chants, warm synth work and lush female harmonies. Completely of its time... But that's the idea. Stunning.
Review: DJ Sodeyama is a veteran of Japan's underground scene who returns to Sound Of Vast as The People In Fog with a new long player that follows notable outings on cult labels such as Rekids, Trip and more. Here he back on the Tokyo label that's housed all his Fog material and flexing his deep command of house, all infused with his signature warmth. Classy deep house cuts like 'Red Morning' sit next to Chicago-flavoured stompers like 'Jack Out' and disco-filtered bangers like 'Dance To The Air' and he even flips the script with 80s-inspired funk on 'Night Driver' and the Balearic dreamscape 'Sun Moon Lake.' A true trip.
Liminal Space (feat Yana & Einarindra - Riffz remix) (7:08)
Tribes (Tropiki remix) (3:50)
Metal Fear Bolid (Molehead remix) (2:58)
Headshell (feat Dizkret & DJ Eprom - TVB remix) (2:54)
Zbywasz (feat Dominika Plonka - True Dat Re-groove) (5:38)
Review: U Know Me present a fresh, modern object of intrigue, with Balance Remixed, which takes Pepe's 2023 album of the same time and makes it over into another full-length vinyl only release, throwing back to the days of vinyl only DJ sets, which were necessitated by technological limitation alone. DJ BLIK, Envee, Molehead, Riffz, Tropiki, true.dat, and TVB top up Pepe's original house, funk and disco blend with a brasher bass bisque, mastered and masterminded by cyborgish music titan Eprom. Spanning ever bassy tempo-set from 87 bpm to 164, we've a thrilling range of momentums here.
Review: Pilgrims of the Mind is the one and only album Vancouver's Stephane Novak released. It was back in 1997 and was a CD-only issue that now makes its debut on vinyl. The record fuses pop, downtempo, prog and house in a series of silky tunes high on emotion. It is awash with classic 90s melodies that are whimsical and dreamy, carefree and magical. Each track has a real sense of musicianship and adds up to a captivating listen overall - something all too many LPs of today seems to forget to focus on. In recent years this record has started to get some of the underground recognition it deserves, and this vinyl release will only hasten that positive contemporary reassessment.
Review: Marking its 25th anniversary, this gem of a reissue reminds us why it's considered a landmark in the evolution of Balearic and Latin-infused house music. Building on the ambient sophistication of Meridian, Since Then sees Pooley embrace a brighter, more joyful palette that is steeped in Latin rhythms, breezy island instrumentation and a deep love for the dancefloor. Albeit a sandy dancefloor. The self-titled opener and single, 'Since Then', is a sun-kissed blend of balearic house and relaxed ambient textures, offering an inviting welcome into the album's glowing soundscape. 'Bay Of Plenty' drips with tropical charm, its lush chords and rich horn section infusing a magical emotionality, while 'Venasque' is an energetic blast of street funk, Latin pop and club urgency. 'Coracao Tambor' keeps the tempo up with an irresistibly playfulness and catchy without losing any depth. 'Balmes' is pure summer distilled, a late-night anthem with shimmering melodies and irresistible swing. '900 Degrees' was one of the album's biggest singles. It is a floor-filler with an unforgettable bassline and undeniable heat, while 'Sundowner' closes on a softer note, nodding back to Meridian's ambient roots with ethereal grace.
Review: Led by Luke Solomon, The Legion of Boogie Down returns with their second album, Powerdance II, eight years after the success of their debut The Lost Art of Getting Down. Since then the collective has evolved by adding more experimental sounds to their vision of nightclub and basement music. This album continues their journey of genre-blending with the addition of Chris Penny, rising star Josh Ludlow, and original members Alinka and Lance Desardi. Featuring wild synths, drums and percussion from Holly Madge, this left-of-centre record offers a trippy mix of disco, funk and house that leads to a cosmic musical adventure in some style.
Review: First released digitally earlier in 2024, Prince Palmer's first outing on Bobby Donny's 'Ace' series heads to vinyl in expanded form. It's the Dutch producer's vinyl debut and a quietly impressive one at that. The headline attraction is 'Serious Play', a rolling, loose-limbed and sub-heavy slab of revivalist garage house/New Jersey deep house fusion that comes accompanied by a chunkier and undeniably trippy, dancefloor dub style 'Vibe Mix' makeover courtesy of Joy Jenkins. There's plenty to set the pulse racing across the rest of the EP though, from the Burrell Brothers-meet-Jovonn flex of 'Get Down' and the jazz-house/garage-house fusion of 'Sleeping City (Wake Up Mix)', to the organ-rich house positivity of 'Polygon Island' and the peak-time-at-Sound Factory NYC flex of Frits Wentink's fine revision of 'Airlift'.
Review: Before he released 8 and 9 as two separate vinyl albums, Prins Thomas opined that it marked his best work to date. Gathered here for the first time on a single CD, it's hard to quibble with his assessment. For starters, the collected tracks arguably offer the strongest fusion yet of the various musical threads that have long been present in his work - think sun-soaked Balearica, synthesizer-driven krautrock, dub disco, punk-funk, cosmic rock, loose-limbed grooves and wide-eyed, sunrise-ready electronic psychedelia. Highlights include the acoustic-meets-acid wonder of 'Cala Lunga', the sun-bright, slowly rising rush of 'Evig Ung', the rubbery and cosmic chug of 'Earthbound' and the heavily electronic bliss of 'I Love U'.
Review: Belgian singer and producer Bolis Pupul releases his first solo debut album 'Letter to Yu' following his smash success with fellow DEEWEE artist Charlotte Adigery 'Topical Dancer', a satirical, yet hard-hitting, exploration of spirituality, racism and identity that the two experienced in Ghent as children of immigrant families. If you're a fan of the production of songs like 'Mantra', then this project is for you. Still keeping the witty elements from 'Topical Dancer' the LP, a reference to a great emperor of Chinese history, 'Completely Half' opens up with Pupuls hallmark 80s synthpop style, partnered with the typically Belgian cerebral approach to music and allusions to his mixed-race heritage. Pupul's beats feel pensive, yet danceable and the more deep-in-thought cuts like 'Goodnight Mr Yi' benefit from they dynamic contrast with more in-your-face cuts like the blaring 'Kowloon' and its siren-like supersaws.
Review: The new album by Quantic - aka. multi instrumentalist, DJ, composer and producer Will Holland - is in many ways an evolution. Now twenty years into his career, Dancing While Falling is the British-born, New York-based artist's most live sounding, euphoric and, in his own words, grown-up release to date. Capturing the beginnings of every good person's revelatory movement from an individual to a collective spirit, Holland originally began the album in his Brooklyn studio, before realising that he didn't just want to make a record that reflected his 'singular pandemic wormhole', but rather one that tapped into the essential togetherness of the human condition. So too does this record explore themes of connection felt through, and made more intense by, the antagonistic bouts of loneliness that characterised COVID-19. Influenced by legendary artists in the scene like Bohannon and Larry Levan, Quantic wanted to make a disco -eaning album at first; "I'm really interested in Latin music and Afro Caribbean rhythms and I think there's a really amazing point in history where the emergence of those rhythms and its combination with American soul sparked what we now know as disco," he says. This PIAS extended edition comes one year on from its initial 2023 release, Quantic here expands on his work by adding a ream of extended versions.
Review: Will Holland is Quantic and with this project he has explored myriad different musical worlds, has traversed many different areas, most notably immersing himself in many aspects of Latin American music culture, often through collaboration. He's switched it up for this new record after first starting out with some experiments that soon turned into a love letter to disco which has long been a powerful emotional tool. He brings his own sense of percussive energy to the genre and has again worked with an array of talented mates including Connie Constance and Rationale plus vocalist Andreya Triana.
Review: Quiet Dawn's latest offering, Celebrate, is an 11-track testament to the eclectic talent that has made him a cornerstone of the First Word family for a decade. Following in the footsteps of his previous ventures, particularly the Movements EP, this album seamlessly blends broken beat flavors with a diverse range of influences. Featuring luminaries like Bembe Segue, LyricL, and Oliver Night, Celebrate is a terrific drift through soulful grooves, lively bars and infectious rhythms. From uplifting jazz samba vibes to downtempo boom bap, Quiet Dawn effortlessly melds organic and electronic elements, creating a good dose of positivity and good vibes. Tracks like 'Celebrate,' composed with his son on his lap, and collaborations with talents like Bembe Segue and Oliver Night, highlight Quiet Dawn's ability to translate personal moments into universal celebrations of life, love and cultural diversity. With infectious energy and a message of turning negativity into positivity, Celebrate invites listeners to dance, reflect and embrace the richness of our individual journeys.
Review: On the debut EP 'We Are The Ones/Fire/Forever', Chicago DJ and all-out living legend Rahaan collaborates with an equally talented group of musicians: Marcus J. Austin on lead vocals, Nancy Clayton on backing vocals, Carnell C. Newbill (also known as Spike Rebel) on keyboards and backing vocals, Todd Swope on guitar, and Lou Terry on bass. Together, the outfit known as The Ones create an extended three-track EP of transcendent proportions, drawing on the avaricious world-passion for music and life heard in the joyous chasms between psychedelia, Afrobeat and disco. Bridging these precipices by way of a vast, suspensory dancefloor held together by firmly mixable kick drums serving as rivets, Rahaan produces and mixes a viscerally eye-popping set of devotionals here. From the impassioned beatitudes and thanksgivings of 'We Are The Ones', to the desirous chic-funk drum circle envisaged on 'Fire' and the eternal gospel-rock-tinged disco-soul ablution 'Forever' (a special favourite of ours), this is a holy chrism in record form.
Ship Of The Desert - "Count Of Monte Thisgo" (6:00)
Frank Hatchett Dance Explosion - "Super Hero" (1:51)
Cherish - "For You" (3:26)
Jaze - "Wanna Get Down With You" (7:21)
The 21st Century - "One Of These Days" (5:23)
Porno Disco - "Go Down Moses" (4:19)
Cousin Ice - "Catch Your Glow" (feat Zack Sanders) (6:18)
Boobie Knight - "Juicy Fruit My Love" (6:27)
John Lamkin - "Ticket" (6:21)
Review: You can always count on Z Records to bring a deep-digging, dedicated approach to anything they put out, and that goes double for their flawless Under The Influence series. The 10th volume in the series sees them inviting the incredible Chicago-born DJ Rahaan to select some seriously headsy cuts from his collection, carefully cleaned up, de-clicked and remastered for the best listening experience. Given the nature of the series, don't expect the usual suspects, and instead savour the discovery of some of Rahaan's most treasured cuts, presented here on a double LP comp brimming with discoid magic.
Review: Long-time electro stalwart Carl Finlow is the man behind the Random Factor alias. He started it back in 1994 and it has given rise to four full lengths on 20/20 Vision, which is where he now returns with his first new long player in 15 years. Silencer is a superb return to form with a mix of electro-pop that is laden with indelible melodies, granular vocoders, angelic vocals and the occasion back room, heads down electro banger. As always these cuts are second to none with bumping electro-funkers like 'Adulterant' and celestial trips like 'Lab Grown' perfect for back rooms.
Review: While Christopher Rau has released many fine EPs and 12" singles, some of his best work has been showcased on albums. It's no surprise when you think about it, because his brand of ultra-deep and sonically detailed house and techno suits the full-length format. It's exciting, then, that he's finally got round to recording and releasing a fourth LP. Stretched across two slabs of wax to ensure club-ready loudness, the eight showcased cuts cannily combine woozy, twinkling and tactile melodic motifs with great grooves, swinging drums and toasty basslines. Highlights include star-lit opener 'Better Times', the starry hypnotism of 'On The Dancefloor', the lo-fi St Germain vibes of 'Ne Travaillez Jamais (Still Working Mix)', the deep up-tempo dustiness of 'Thank You', and the wide-eyed loved-up hug of 'Evin'.
Review: Raz & Afla bring together the talents of producer Raz Olsher and Ghanaian percussionist Afla Sackey here in order to blend electronic beats with traditional African rhythms and create a bold new and innovative sound. Olsher's boundary-pushing electronic compositions and Sackey's rich African melodies and soulful vocals result in a unique fusion that started with their acclaimed debut The Cycle. Their follow-up album, Echoes of Resistance, continues to explore new sonic realms from politically charged tracks like 'What's Going On?' to dancefloor anthems like 'Mon Ni Fere' this is a record packed with big tunes but also some real meaning and emotion.
Review: Life & Death's next ambitious undertaking is courtesy of label chief DJ Tennis who teams up with Israeli indie-dance duo Red Axes. They were first introduced to each other by Superpitcher & Rebolledo (The Pachanga Boys) at a festival in Corsica - and the rest is history. Recorded on top of a decadent old shopping mall in the middle of Tel Aviv, the trio are said to have combined their "love of psy and Mediterranean influences" over a scheduled week of recording sessions together. The result is Redrago, a collection of tripped-out dancefloor oddities that take in everything from lo-slung punk funk ("Rave 'N' Roll), heady and (acid) bass-driven dancefloor narratives that cross over into vintage pop ("Il Veliero"), deep kosmiche ("Plastelina") and deep and tunnelling techno as heard on the epic "Ventilo".
Review: Retrouve retrieve eight new future house retroversions for their resident PIV label, bringing brilliant syntheses of 80s inspo, speed garage, and hard dance groove-dynamism. So far having rocked dancefloors from Amsterdam's Thuishaven to Miami's Space, an electrifying past two years have fed the febrile fan anticipations going into this one. The sound is distinctive, with no pulse missing the mark, though the experimental ante is upped as the record progresses, as on the dark jacker with Midas Field, 'Gravel', whose textural palette hears the duo cross into an uncharted otic darkness.
Review: Fresh from serving up his first 12-inch single for almost eight years, Studiotek founder Darren Roach - an underground aggravator since the late 1990s - pops up on Limousine Dream with his most expansive release yet. Low Ranger is the long-serving producer's debut album and, in keeping with his previous output, keeps both eyes firmly on the dancefloor. It's a wise move, because there are plenty of genuinely peak-time-ready cuts on display, from the low-slung punk-funk-meets-tech-house flex of opener 'The Truth' and the bumpin' heaviness of 'Pier 23' (whose bassline and beats recall the original 1988 version of '3AM Eternal'), to the deep tech-house shuffle of 'Low Ranger Don't Stop', the dubby and spacey shuffle of 'BB' and the sparkling tech-funk headiness of 'Augusto'.
Review: Rubicon marks the first physical edition of Galcher Lustwerk's driving-themed alias, Road Hog. Collecting tracks from seven releases spanning from 2014 to 2021, Rubicon serves as the project's Greatest Hits (for now). Including tracks from the Cleveland-dedicated album 'Tour De Hog' as well as the sharp toothed 'Spares' and 'More Spares' the pithy 'Haul Ass' plus some cinematic favorites from 'DWB' and 'On The Lam'. Originally meant to be digital only and listened to while driving, demand for certain tunes to be pressed to vinyl has risen with each release. From the Road to the Club, Lustwerk's got you covered.
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