New releases last four weeks: Deep House

Review: Chicago's standout beat innovator DJ Slugo is back to reclaim his throne as the self-proclaimed "king of ghetto house" with this new seven-track album. It is packed with some of the most real and raw ghetto sounds of now with hip-house and Miami bass also checked into the mixer and spat out the other side in time for Record Store Day 2025. Killer dance floor weapons are everywhere you listen here - 'Drop It Low 112707' has chopped and screwed vocals and corrugated drums and bass. 'Back Da Fuck U' (feat Missy - remix has tumbling kicks and bass and sleazy vocal samples and 'F*ck These Hoe' is as silly as it is seriously effective.

Review: Jamal Moss aka Hieroglyphic Being is one of the most fearless experimentalists in house and techno. He confronts dancefloor disillusionment head-on with Dance Music 4 Bad People, his raw, uncompromising debut for Smalltown Supersound. A veteran of Chicago's club scene, Moss channels four decades of history, highs, lows and trauma into an album that defies escapism. These are not crowd-pleasers but cathartic confrontations dense with abrasive synths, molten drum loops and uneasy textures which all crash together in chaotic, transcendent layers. There's no clean resolution anywhere, instead just tension, dissonance and moments of stark beauty. Far from a nostalgic Windy City love-in, Moss' music reflects a dance culture in crisis and provides a place to rage against it.

Review: Damian Lazarus's fifth studio album is another left-of-centre exploration of house and tech, often with a spiritual twist and hints of voodoo magic. It is heavy on collaborations and finds the Crosstown Rebels boss hooking up with the likes of Hem Cooke for the spine-tingling downtempo opener 'Searchin' while 'R U Dreaming? (feat Mathew Jonson)' is a more deep and bubbly late-night tech sound. 'La Hija De Juan Simon (feat Mestiza)' is laden with percussion and warped bass, and 'Sunrise Generation (feat Fink)' is a deft and progressive melodic roller that is sure to be huge this summer and beyond.

Review: Accomplished UK talent Medlar's Islands albums mark another leap forward for the always evolving producer. It finds him merging electronic textures with live instrumentation and some top-tier collaborations from Dele Sosimi, Rebekah Reid, Finn Peters and more. 80s fusion, jazz, deep house and amapiano influences all collide into summery sounds that work as well in the club as they do pumping out of the car stereo. From the lush, afro-laced opener 'Take a Trip' to acid-tinged house, freestyle rap and blissed-out Balearica, each track has its own charm and personality. With less reliance on samples and more organic improvisation, this record could well be Medlar's best yet and certainly a great soundtrack to summer.

Review: Synaptic Juice is a dizzying trip into the world of electronic and synth-driven sounds with Edinburgh's Natasha Kitty Katt at the wheel. Her third studio album is a melange of retro 80s beats, eerie atmospheres and futuristic storytelling which explores the surreal psyche of Ze Katt and features tales of vampires, alien love and otherworldly experiences. Each track offers a portal into a neon-lit world where reality and fantasy blur and standout collaborations with Billy Wirth, Suki Soul and His Bitter Truth add depth. The album's sci-fi and cyberpunk influences create a cinematic sound that is bold and adventurous and unlike much else, we've heard of late.

Review: San Francisco's Dirtybird label has been kicking out big-ass party jams and wonky house and tech for a full two decades now. After 20 years of keeping clubs bumping the label now launches its first-ever commemorative vinyl box set. Dirtybird Hand Picked Box Set, Volume 1 features fan favourites from label founder Claude VonStroke, Aussie sensation FISHER, house vocalist John Summit, the legendary Sacha Robotti and mainstay Nikki Nair amongst many more. The set spans iconic tracks that have defined the label's legacy across the years and each one is big, bold and colourful, much like this set which includes one of a selection of exclusive items