The best new singles this week
The top layer of this week’s singles cake
SINGLE OF THE WEEK
Kerri Chandler – Spaces & Places: Album Sampler Part 3 (Kaoz Theory)
Not that there’s any danger of anyone accusing Kerri Chandler of doing things by halves, but, if any proof of his prolificacy or quality of output were ever needed, his forthcoming album would surely do a cast iron job authenticating his musical abundance. Chandler has, for decades, been a larger-than-life presence on the deep house underground.
Actively releasing trademark sonic textures for over thirty years, he’s produced more than his fair share of anthems, and his output – both from the studio and behind the turntables – commands unparalleled respect among his peers. His ‘Spaces & Places’ album – due for release in October – features a whopping 24 tracks, each of which were recorded in situ at some of the world’s most iconic club venues on a temporary, dancefloor-based studio set up. From Ministry Of Sound to DC10, Knockdown Centre to Lux, Chandler chose a selection of his favourite dance crucibles: crafting the music in the heart of the spaces it’s intended to fill. Now, for a lesser artist, the seven tracks included in ‘Sampler Part 3’ would constitute an album in of themselves, but not so for Kerri ‘Kaoz’ Chandler, for whom they represent a mere taster.
From the stripped groove and atmospheric chords of opener ‘Feelin Red’ to the rolling bass, misty pads and trademark shuffle of closing track ‘Let It (Full Instrumental Mix)’, there’s plenty to admire here. Other highlights include the rugged percussion and driving stabs of club weapon ‘Industria’, the thick chords and hands-in-the-air thrust of ‘Keep One (But Do It Again), or the luscious instrumentation and hypnotic Afro charge of 15-minute epic, ‘The Calling’. Classic US garage vocals arrive too, with Dora Dora providing soul-flecked lyrics over the tough drums and shimmering piano chords of ‘Who Knows’, while the vocal mix of ‘Let It’ adds a fluid soulful flow to the already compelling orchestration. Authentic deep house pours from the New Jersey master, and the third edition sampler does a fine job wetting the whistle of those patiently waiting for the soon-to-arrive long-player.
PC
Alphonse – Smokey ((Emotional) Especial)
In an age of social media-driven self-obsession and image consciousness, it’s always refreshing to encounter artists who prefer to operate a few steps away from the limelight. Though rumoured to be the alter-ego of a respected (but only slightly less publicity-shy) producer whose name we won’t repeat here for fear of shattering the illusion, it’s fair to say that little is known for certain about the mysterious being they call Alphonse.
All that can be said with any degree of confidence is that he’s exceptionally well equipped when it comes to delivering atmospheric and genre-defying music, as evidenced by releases on Hypercolour, Klasse Wrecks, London Housing Trust, Tone Dropout and more. Here, the (Emotional) Especial team revisit one of his finest hours, re-issuing 2018’s roundly lauded four-track release, ‘Smokey’.
Hailed as an artistic triumph the first time around, the EP features two original tracks alongside remixes from The Pillowtings and Dj Normal, with each track sounding as fresh today as when first presented. First off, the narcotic wonder of title track ‘Smokey’ sees heavily delayed Afro vocals feeding back over subby toms and mesmerising percussion as synth swirls and sustained strings echo over the dubbed-out panorama. The Pillowtings then re-imagine the track as a future breaks roller, with gated vocals stuttering over slow-motion jungle drums as glistening pads and staccato synths complete the moonlit mood.
Turning to the B-side, the breakbeat theme continues into ‘Glint AM’, where neatly woven synths melt over an undulating bed of sparkling drums and bass bin testing low end. Finally, DJ Normal does fine work reforming the track, adding a hefty kick to the dusty drums while adding imaginative overdubs and rave samples to powerfully stamp his signature on the cut. If you missed this crop when they first arrived, this repress is nigh on essential listening.
PC
Space Ghost – Dance Planet remixes (Tartelet)
Sudi Wachspress has consistently surprised with the stylistic scope of his work recorded as Space Ghost. Apparently most comfortable presenting his music in long-playing form – he’s released five vinyl albums since 2018 – the oratorical nature of his music on the likes of Apron, Pacific Rhythm, and People’s Potential Unlimited is never especially easy to predict.
Certainly rooted in retro-futurist fundamentals and recognisably his own, Space Ghost material nimbly flits between deep house, swing, funk, boogie and more, offering much to enjoy as he skilfully blurs genre boundaries. Having found a regular home in the bosom of German label, Tertelet, the Oakland native served some of his most engaging work to date on 2021’s ‘Space Ghost’, and here, the label revisit some of the record’s finest moments via this expansive remix collection.
First up, Dirk 81 shows up with a faithful interpretation of ‘Deep’, retaining much of the original instrumentation while stretching out the arrangement to allow the melodious blend of vibes and piano added room to roam. Barely recognisable from the original, the Central remix of ‘Be Yourself’ marches along over up-tempo house drums, with alien synths joining positively-charged vocals to form a stirring, floor-focused groove. The Jarren remix has a little more in common with the source track, as the spoken word vocals dance over bumping synth bass and swinging garage drums. Next, the dance mix of ‘Emotional Healer’ re-imagines the album’s ‘back room’ version over throbbing four/four drums, driving chords and classic house organs as spacey synths hover across the endless horizon. Finally, Nelson Of The East steps in to reform the track as a future dub workout, entirely flipping the rhythmic script as syncopated chords propel the simmering tempo. This is stunning work across the board, and – with each new version pitched to appeal disparate tastes – there’s something here to tempt even the fussiest of listeners.
PC
Brazilian Boys / Rubinho E Mauro Assumpcao ‘Super Herois’ (Mr Bongo)
The quality level maintained by London-based Mr Bongo is far beyond reproach, but even by the exacting standards they continue to set themselves, their Brazil45 series has dazzled with its brilliance.
The long-running collection has resurrected a glittering selection of lesser-known and hard-to-find gems from Brazil’s ’60s and ’70s archives, digging up unthinkable amounts of musical wonder in the process.
Heralded as “the missing 7 inch”, the 88th chapter took a little longer to see the light of day than its predecessors, with the label going above and beyond to licence this glorious pair of tracks. On the A-side, we find a rare piece from Rio de Janeiro outfit, The Brazilian Boys. First released in 1975, ‘Super Herois’ blends pop-centred vocals over psychedelic riffs and rolling conga rhythms for a gently-hallucinatory slice of fusionist funk.
On the reverse, the summery samba vibrations of Rubinho E Mauro Assumpcao’s 1972 released album track, ‘Ta Tudo Ai’. Though short in duration, the spirited jazz-funk essence of the track helps set it apart from the strictly samba, with fuzzy guitar solos adding a little bite to the sunshine rhythms. You’d be hard pressed to find useable or affordable copies of the originals, and the release isn’t being made available digitally, so grabbing this tidy 7 while the chance presents itself is highly recommended.
PC
DJ Aakmael – Deepness Xpozd (Upstairs Asylum)
DJ Aakmael arrives on Upstairs Asylum with his latest round of sumptuous deep house excursions. The Virginia-based producer has rightfully won over legions of admirers over the last 20 or so years, managing to maintain an impressively lofty quality threshold while scoring releases on the likes of Kolour Limited, Uzuri, Freerange and Slothboogie. Generally staying true to a hazy, deep house manifesto, his releases are always worthy of attention, and the four tracks assembled on ‘Deepness Xpozd’ are certainly no exception.
Kicking us off, ‘Deep Cookie’ shuffles along with a carefree flow as phasing chords glide over looped percussion and sub-focused bass before a fizzing synth lead adds fluidity to the groove. ‘Singaye’ sees evocative harmonies blended over sturdy drums, with its free-flowing solo meandering above a thick kick drum as looped chords cheekily progress to lift the heads-down mood. Next, the shimmering organs of ‘Jimmy’ dart across irresistibly swung drums and speaker-rumbling bass, steadily unfolding over a club-primed arrangement.
Last but not least, the elegant strings and woozy horns of closing track ‘4evr’ are joined by teasing vocal chops, creating a gorgeously bygone atmosphere as the loosely-spun rhythm unfurls. As one might very well expect, Aakmael serves four eminently useable tracks here, with nothing remotely close to a dull moment across the collection.
PC
This week’s reviewers: Patrizio Cavaliere