This week at Juno
In a mercifully short week between one bank holiday and the next the Juno Plus editorial team has been spending the three days doing what we love most – listening to lots of techno!
That’s right, the techno stars aligned and there was an unusually plump range of techno filled twelve inches that landed on our desks – everything from the mystery sounds of Shifted on the hand stamped Avian imprint to a rather dashingly packaged final edition of the O/V/R “Post Traumatic Son” remixes courtesy of Mr Marcel Dettmann, whilst two more Sandwell District remixes, a dash of shiny new Analog Solutions material and another sterling Historia Y Valencia release also graced the office 1210s.
In the realm of house that is deep, Anton Zap and Vakula duked it out for the title of prolific Eastern European don of the week with the Zap man just coming out on top with a guest appearance alongside Rick Wade for the Shanti imprint and a remix for the newly crowned Feelharmonic imprint. Vakula only had the rather spendid Slavic Mythology release to show, but the Ukrainian has plenty up his sleeve over the coming months. Another chance to indulge in some vintage Shake Shakir friction courtesy of Rush Hour and a rather excellent Slow To Speak reissue of mid 90s Power Music anthems from DJ Duke were the other highlights.
In contrast to the multiplicity of techno, this was a relatively quiet week for fans of disco – be it old, edited or new with perhaps the epic Black Order re-edit of The Clash and a fine yellow coloured EP of new tracks from Kasper Bjorke our favourites. Word must also go out to the excellently murky Tropic Of Cancer release on Blackest Ever Black which adorns the top of this pager as well as recent Ones To Watchee Taragana Pyjarama, whose equally distinctive looking EP finally made it out onto twelve inches of glory and also check the not so white label remixes of Photek from two Bristolians with split personality issues in Addison Groove and Breach.
Those who prefer their music in binary form have plenty more to choose from this week, most notably the launch of a new label in Schmorsgabord, with their stylish first release from Appleblim and October a perfect melding of former’s DJ-friendly bass excursions and the latter’s tendency towards deep, dubby techno. On a par with this was the arrival of Paul Mac on Degiorgio’s ART label as the veteran UK producer swervied between hard, jacking techno and bleeding acid house with aplomb.
Some heavy hitting house releases popped up this week too with Innervisions addding etho house to an already plump list of Juno Plus sub genres thanks to the Ame and Amampondo release, whilst Tony Lionni leaves the sanctity of Freerange to flirt momentarily with Kerri Chandler’s Madhouse imprint with impressive results over the four tracks that make up Lost Souls. Special mention too for Roman Flugel who adds Live At Robert Johnsons to the catalogue of labels he has released music on, invoking all manner of Kraftwerkian electro/techno, ambidextrous low-end wobble and smacked-out twisted disco on the Desperate Housemen EP.
Equally fine sounding discotheque tackle came courtesy of DFA who present the new Graceful Exit project from the criminally release-shy Walter Jones whose Revolve Disco EP utilises the talents of a saxophonist and vocalist for a pleasingly live sounding take on mid-tempo contemporary discoid sounds. Do also check the Pan Atlantic sounds of Worst Friends on Internasjonal whose balearodisco skanker Billiards With A Midget comes backed with a trademark Discomiks from label boss Prinny T and an epic psychedelidisco effort from Dr Dunks!
Should you wish to indulge in a CD shaped album to engage your senses over the forthcoming elongated weekend then Crosstown Rebels come forth with the much awaited album of touchy feely catwalk house from Toronto’s Art Department, whilst Planet Mu demonstrate they’re not just about the footworking these days with the fourth album from Northern Irish producer Boxcutter.