Freerange レコード& CD

Review: It's been a while since Freerange boss Jamie Odell (better known, of course, as Jimpster) delivered an album; in fact, his last full-length dropped way back in 2006. Seven years is a long time between drinks, but the rest seems to have done Odell good; Porchlight & Rocking Chairs is arguably his strongest album to date. While deep house remains his focus (see the intricate "Glowing Embers", Detroit influenced "Cracks In The Pavement" and Moodymann-ish "High Wire"), there's a soulful bagginess and barely concealed jazziness throughout. More impressively, many tracks hark back to his pre-house days as a producer of lovingly crafted downtempo gems (see "Jasmine Dragon", "Wanting You" and previous single "These Times".

Review: Originally a drum & bass, future jazz and downtempo producer, Jimpster has really evolved and showed how excellent of a producer he is with his style of house music. The Freerange sound has helped Jimpster become one of the most looked at deep house producers in the world. The Passion EP features two of his new productions plus a special remix by another deep house hero, Atjazz. 'You're My Ecstacy' is a great example of the work that has brought him so much acclaim. Soulful deep house that stays more linear in the groove and stays in the sweet spot, becoming great moments on the dancefloor. The original of 'The Passion' sends a message to all the fake house music artists out there getting into the business for all the wrong reasons. With King Crowney on vocals, Atjazz's version is a little more techy, which is what we expect from him. All in all, this is right in the wheelhouse of the esteemed Freerange record label sound.

Review: Greg Paulus is a noted trumpet player who rose up through the ranks alongside the likes of Wolf & Lamb and Soul Clap. The American has genuine chops which he shows off once more here on an EP with Taylor Bense for the UK deep house dons at Freerange. 'Heat Makes Sense' is a leftfield sound with curious melodic motifs and off-grid bass notes next to funky whistles. 'Switch' (feat Stimulus & Malik Work) is then a more blissed-out and summary deep house groove and 'Marino' (feat Big $exy) comes alive with Paulus's trumpet licks bringing the playful and sun-kissed energy. Last of all is a nice stripped-back and dry tech cut, 'Do You Love Me?' (The Martinez Brothers edit).

Review: New Zealander via Berlin Philippa's passion for house music, tireless commitment to her craft and ear for what makes a dancefloor tick is slowly but surely starting to pay off. With her recent release, 'Rainy Nights', on Slothboogie and 'Things I'd Like To Be' for Razor n Tape getting a lot of love, Philippa continues to deliver the goods, further lending remixes for Fat Freddy's Drop (The Drop) and Roach Motel (Faith). Here on the 'Latent Magic' EP we're treated to three new tracks highlighting Philippa's deft touch and musical approach to making interesting and leftfield house. Opener 'Hold' sets the tone with lush orchestral strings, crunchy drums and a bouncing analog synth bassline, while 'There It Is' umums hints of Mr Scruff with looping horn stabs, live drum grooves and rolling basslines. All in all, another mighty fine Philippa release recalling the early days of Freerange when artists such as Square One, Shur-i-kan and Jimpster were melding live musicians with electronics, for a refreshing, UK-centric take on house music.

Review: Nothing is tastier than some Freerange deep house and so it proves with this first new offering of the year from the venerated UK label. Aroop Roy is the man on the buttons and 'Mama Mwana' is the Afro opener that transports you to somewhere hot. Squeaky guitar lines unfurl over the warming rolling beats to a hypnotic effect. Next is a remix from Moroccan scene mainstay FNX Omar who flips 'Re Bulele' into a deeply sonorous affair with twinkling melodies and steamy vocal coos and the original version rounds out the EP with percussive, funky and soulful house grooves. A typically rich EP from this crew.

Review: As part of the mammoth Out Of The Ashes compilation that pulls together records previously lost to Freerange in the PIAS warehouse fire, the latest record on Freerange has everything you need for a freakier kind of deep house. Of course Isolee can always be counted on for bringing the weirdness and pleasure in equal measure, and his remix of Manuel Tur adeptly demonstrates this with a driving yet woozy vocal jam. Switch is in a steadfast jacking mode, getting into a funky techno looping frenzy whilst fuelling it with a more organic kind of sample. Audiomontage rounds things off with twitchiness aplenty on "The Darkness", tussling with nervous synths and neatly interlocking rhythms to reach nervy perfection.