Search dance music

Review: Blake Reyes is an alias for Italian artist Luca Vertulli and on this release for Jeff Mills' Axis Jazz collection he presents an extended double pack of hi-tech soul of the highest calibre. Recorded between Bologna, Milan and Rome overseen by Mills himself, Vernacular takes us deep into the heart of Reyes' vision, leading with the standout track 'At Night'. Anna Bassy's vocal sits front and centre on the original version of the track, but the B-side offers up alternative versions which let Reyes' assembled players shine through. Sides C and D offer up further excursions into hidden possibilities from the project such as the epic synth symphony of 'Sound Manifesto', mirroring the warm, instrumental charm of Mills' own Millsart releases and recent collaborations with Jean-Phi Dary.

Review: Jeff Mills continues to gift us some utterly astounding house-tempered work from the Millsart project on this latest 12". Neo Tantric Parts draws from the deep well of Millsart archives, with 'Tear Drop Nebula' especially benefitting from a new mix as it shuffles percussion and vibraphone chimes around microtonal cascades which give the music a particularly giddy quality. 'The Phonetic World' has a punchy presence without losing that lighter style Mills adopts under this alias, while 'Neptunian Landing' heads into spookier territory with some faithful 909 hats for guidance. Watch out for 'Unidentified' though, a truly tweaked-out slice of space lounge gear for watching the walls of you mind melt after one too many solar flares.