Sounds Vinyl & CDs

Review: Billy Nightmare, aka "Mystic Bill" Torres, grew up in Miami and spent much of his life involved in various parts of the music industry, but he's hardly seen good recognition for his work until now. Following its re-cropping-up online in late 2018 (the album was thrown up on the net by the artist himself) Sounds Records have ridden the wave of revived interest in the 'Reality Check' EP with a new vinyl reissue. Dreamy and industrial, we're nicely jostled by this one's cold sonic waves.

Review: The most sought-after release from the entire Sounds catalogue, Gemini and Unit T's 1995 release, 'Sideburns', finally gets a much-needed reissue. A1 track, 'Trip', is a prime example of deep house if there ever was one. An infectious, encircling melody meets the deep groove of the bassline to create a finished product that is in equal measure sun-soaked and cosmic. 'B Trip', the A2 track, is a gloriously shifted, off-beat reimagining of A1, pummeling percussion reverberates across the track, left alone to enjoy moments where everything is stripped back, before the body of the track returns. On the B-side, 'Mystery Tones' arrives with the kind of groove that instantly makes its way across dancefloors - a unifying track that feels precise in its simplicity, whilst still retaining exactly the right degree of looseness to get a crowd moving. This is a must-have record for any deep house aficionados, and you can now save yourself the hefty Discogs price tag!

Review: Sounds label continues to impress with its reissues, and this release from 1998 is no exception. Kicking off with 'Midnight Groove' on Side-A, the track offers a minimal beat layered with a warehouse-style funk and the signature filtered house sound that defined the era. Its smooth yet gritty feel brings back the vibes of late-night warehouse parties. Following that, 'Easy Gold' brings a more upbeat, tech-house vibe. With clean production and a funky edge, this track is catchy and radiates a feel-good energy, perfect for those who love a solid, uptempo groove. On Side-B, 'Walkman' offers a nod to 80s electro funk, infusing the release with a nostalgic touch while still feeling fresh and funky. The veteran producer brings a depth and precision to this track, highlighting his experience in the genre. Closing out the release, 'Direct Disko' unleashes a dynamic, ravey energy, packed with high-octane tech house elements that propel the track forward. This reissue encapsulates the golden era of 90s house while remaining timeless.

Review: Last year Woody McBride's Minnesota label Sounds. reissued the Lovers EP, a 12" he originally released back in 1996 under his Modal alias. Now the remixes gets reissued to follow up, leading in with some Mariana trench depth charge gear from Roy Davis and DJ Skull. The Terry Mullan mix is a springy, 909 techno workout, while the Boom Box mix takes a lighter, drum machine jazz approach. There are so many old-school heroes involved here - Hyperactive, DJ Slip, Mystic Bill - but then what else would you expect from someone as invested in the scene and community as Woody McBride?

Review: Woody McBride's Sounds label continues to dive back in the archives and revive some absolute gold standard techno for modern diggers. This collab effort between McBride (in his DJ ESP guise) and DJ Skull originally came out in 1995, and it still sounds fierce to this day. 'The Drive' is a stripped down tool with all the right chops to tweak out a locked-in raver, but 'G-Rated' is the real gem on the record. In a blistering hailstorm of 303 squelch you get a definitive example of acid techno at its finest. 'The Power' might well find relevance in the present day trance-techno scene thanks to its unsettling leads and relentless forwards thrust.

Review: Reissued from an obscure 1995 release on the Sounds. Records imprint - a sublabel of the Minnesotan label Communique Records, founded and run by Woody McBride - Neighbours has been touted as among one of the strangest releases to have come out from under the McBride umbrella, putting together a slew of tracks that for various reasons may not have easily made it onto each featuring artist's solo releases. Oddballs from Fred Fresh, Kem M, Mind Phase One, and the like make for an overall broken sound; our favourite is the rabidly strange pulsator, 'Tonque Crystal Moss', by Chris Sattinger.