Review: There's lots to get your teeth stuck into on this new and blistering collection of electro from Adepta Editions. And don't let the title fool you - it's not all accessible summer festival fare, in fact none of it is. It is all head down and serious tackle. 7053M4R14's '4 N3W HUM4N' is a driving, dark, visceral sound with raw breakbeats powering through the cosmos. Rec_Overflow offers a moment to catch your breath with some slower, dubby rhythms on 'Pocket Dial' and Pauk explores twitchy future synths capes and post-human transmissions on 'Shiawasena Fukushu'. Promising/Youngster shuts down with a sense of optimism and hope with the airy melodies and slithering electro drum patterns of 'Arbey.'
Review: Emerald's 25th outing takes the form of another superb compilation with four artists who have already released on the label and plenty of new names making an equally good impression. ANNE kicks off with the deep, thudding kicks of 'Coral Reefs' complete with lush hits to smooth the groove. There is more weight and intensity to the oversized hi-hats ringlets on Mike Konstantinidis's 'Apocalypse', DJ Plant Texture layers in plenty of gritty and grime to his gritty 'Swingers' and Jarrod Yeates goes for a twisted after-party vibe on his intense and unrelenting 'Sesh Gremlin', with many more highlights besides.
Review: This third volume of instrumentals continues the faultless Isle of Jura label's deep dive into dub versions and beyond. Side one takes in references from UK street soul and reggae and features two late-'80s tracks by Howard Hill with machine-led rhythms, rudeboy reggae skank and soulful pads. Protek's 'I Love to Dance With You' is a proto-house gem featured in a Jura Soundsystem mix and here it gets a loving re-edit by The Nightlark. Side B includes an instrumental-driven track with spacey FX from The Cool Notes' and Ilija Rudman's 'Dub 4 Love' which is a knowing nod to acid house's golden era.
Archie Bell & The Drells - "Where Will You Go When The Party's Over" (A Tom Moulton mix) (9:06)
People's Choice - "Jam Jam Jam (All Night Long)" (A Tom Moulton mix) (7:42)
Teddy Pendergrass - "I Don't Love You Anymore" (A Tom Moulton mix) (8:46)
Lou Rawls - "See You When I Git There" (A Tom Moulton mix) (9:39)
Review: During the latter stages of the "Philly Soul" era, New York remixer Tom Moulton delivered a string of inspired, DJ friendly reworks for the Philadelphia International label. For proof, check this fine selection of classic Moulton mixes for the storied imprint. Check first his version of Archie Bell and the Drells' "Where Will You Go When The Party's Over", which he brilliantly teases out and increases in intensity over nine spellbinding minutes. The funkier flex of People's Choice's "Jam, Jam, Jam (All Night Long)" is a sweaty, low-down treat, while the Teddy Pendergrass rework is a soaring disco classic in the Philly Soul style. Best of all, though, is the string-drenched disco celebration that is his mix of Lou Rawls' "See You When I Git There".
Badia Onirica (feat Rhys Ifans - Welsh version) (6:21)
Badia Onirica (feat Rhys Ifans - English version) (6:21)
Un Adeu (feat Pep Tosar - instrumental version) (2:37)
Un Adeu (feat Pep Tosar - Catalan version) (2:42)
Un Adeu (feat Pep Tosar - Spanish version) (2:41)
Badia Onirica (feat Rhys Ifans- instrumental version) (6:19)
Review: With over 50 years of experience dating way back to the early 70s with the progressive outfit Zebra, Joan has left quite a discography that is still being discovered and enjoyed. This EP - Joan Bibloni's second appearance on the label in total - features three versions of 'Badia Onirica', two of them being language versions and then the instrumental. Overall, the song is a track fitting for the Cafe Del Mar sound - a mix of folk, electronica, house with a Latin and folk influence and versions in Spanish and Catalan. An EP for watching the sunsets, dreaming on the beach and remembering life's great time with friends and family. NuNorthernSoul continues to honor the chill out legacy.
Review: Jackies Music Records celebrates a successful first year with a new special edition vinyl record, featuring five iconic numbers from the back catalogue. Retrospectively looking back, we're met with five still-fresh ones from their ambitious 2024, includeing handpicks from Todd Terry, Piem, CASSIMM, Angelo Ferreri, and DJ W!ld. Embodying the mood of mid-dance tension, at which point we're likely well into the mix and sweating our glands off (such paradoxes are not impossible), the best of this pick have got to be Terry's 'Heartbeat', a swarthily knocking groove complete with an angelic, cardiovascular vocal, and W!ld's lo-fi hip slip, 'Underdog', the lyrics on which we'll be spending at least a good week trying to decipher.
Peter Seiler - "Timebend" (feat Sheryl Hackett) (4:32)
Eoism - "Ultraverse" (5:00)
Voertuig - "Cego" (5:19)
Voertuig - "808 Ambient Jazz" (3:45)
Eoism - "Even Flow" (5:45)
Review: Colkin from Raw Soul and Mauke Club sets the tone on this new FUTUR compilation, which has been curated by Benedikt Meger with a spherical acid house meditation. Peter Seiler's track, a standout from the reissue of his debut album Flying Frames, features Sheryl Hackett's soulful vocals and merges song structure with jazz improvisation. Eoism from Pulse Drift, Undersound, and Inch By Inch delivers low-swung electro flavours perfect for sunset vibes while the B-side opens with Voertuig of Tonal Oceans and Cobra Club who presents a seriously raw acid jam followed by an experimental, jazzy piece, reminiscent of the 90s downtempo era. 'Eoism' closes things with a floating, futuristic banger, going to make a well rounded (in more ways than one) and ultimately very useful piece of vinyl.
Review: 'Suite For Chick' is a heartfelt tribute to the late jazz legend Chick Corea. This 12" was assembled to reimagine classics like 'City Gate, Rumble,' 'Time Track,' 'Hymn of the Heart' and Return to Forever's 'Romantic Warrior.' It finds Bangkok-based Maarten Goetheer collaborating with Thailand's jazz virtuoso Pong Nakornchai and blending Wurlitzer chords, Moog basslines, ARP leads and Rhodes phasings. Inspired by his jazz-pianist father, Maarten fuses classic jazz with modern genres like techno, cosmic disco and ambient for a fresh take on jazz fusion. These electrifying interpretations honour Corea's pioneering legacy in jazz and fusion from his groundbreaking work with Miles Davis to founding Return to Forever.
Review: EC Underground is back with more inquisitors of low-end heavy sounds on Bass Scene Investigation vol 1 and again digs deep into the worlds of electro, techno, breakbeat and IDM. The compilation kicks off with the skittish percussive patterns of Illektrolab's 'Making Heads Dip', then heads into moody ground with ADJ, Pablo Funk brings some menacing synth work and Errorbeauty gets all weird and trippy with some mad electronics. Francois Dillinger offers a dystopian electro sound full of irresistibly jacked-up drums. A fine investigation indeed.
Review: The Fourier Transform label outlay an arresting sonic journey on their debut release, bringing together breakbeat, ambient IDM, ambient techno, and prog house under a single banner. Opening with Inkipak's 'Betwixt', we're met with sonorous low-mid square waves and machine-gun-fire breaks, recalling the breathtaking, verging on apocalyptic expanse of a warehouse rave turned laser light show turned warzone. We break from this warring weir with 'Omnicron Acid' and 'City Of Tomorrow' by Gimmik and Brian Kage respectively, which lowers the intensity and sonic flow via spacious atmospheres and dudding percussive pops. Finally, the perfect fusion of the former two moods is achieved on 'Corrosive Tongue', the lead synth on which sounds like just that.
Review: Leipzig based Riotvan, run by Peter Invasion and Panthera Krause, welcomes Kalexis and Paulor for this collaborative four track that mines techno's deepest depths. 'Going Through The Void' is a moody and slow motion opener that rides on an undulating bassline with plenty of ambient pads for company. 'Energy' is more edgy, a stomper with fractured vocals and wonky synths that builds a darker mood. On the flipside there is the brilliantly unhinged and unusual melodies of 'Lashes' which sounds like a marching band on acid and 'Magnetic' closes down with haunting low ends and spooky pads.
Review: American label Deep Bow makes a notable vinyl debut with this heavyweight 10" featuring King Stanley and Prince Jamo, both voicing over a thunderous riddim crafted by producer Dub Sev?. This roots-driven slab stars with King Stanley's passionate cries over sleek drums with shiny digital synths and neat guitar licks. It stays true to the deep, meditative spirit of sound system culture and becomes much more roomy and spaced out in the hands of Dub Seva. Prince Jamo's 'Joke' has a cleaner vocal and some natty keys, and also gets dubbed out by Dub Seva. A strong introduction from Deep Bow that showcases talent from both sides of the Atlantic.
Review: Italian producer LTJ Xperience (Luca Trevisi) and fellow jazz-funker Papik (Nerio Poggi) join forces for a fresh new track here, 'Best Life', featuring the American singer Anduze. Recalling the classic sound of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, the track brings a hard-hitting verve to their bright spark, and does good justice to the trio's prior collaborations, coming hot on the heels after one of their earlier works was included on the GTA V soundtrack. This 12" version also includes an instrumental version as well as a radio edit.
Mason Vs Princess Superstar - "Perfect (Exceeder)" (vocal club mix) (6:43)
David Guetta & Mason Vs Princess Superstar - "Perfect (Exceeder)" (3:45)
Mason Vs Princess Superstar - "Perfect (Exceeder)" (1991 remix) (3:25)
Review: 'Perfect' by Mason is one of those tunes whose melody everybody knows, but few, save for the timeliest of Eurodance heads, can recall the name of off the top. Later rehashed alongside American rapper Princess Superstar, the track invaded the Western collective cochlear cortex circa 2005, whence its plucky drive-lead roused dancefloors and iPod shuffles the world over; an eerily engineered earworm arising seemingly out of nowhere. This reissue from Armada hears a comprehensive set of interpretations from various EDM giants in the years after its release, perhaps motivated by the track's use in the 2023 film Saltburn. Aside from a David Guetta re-up, the 1991 pop-d&b is a sleeker slew of ultrafast beats, as though the original's distinctive pluck line had been pre-primed for shelling at faster velocities.
Review: Olli-Petteri Pietila has skirted around the underground for a long time under his own name and as Transistor, but he's found a new outlet for his Detroit-informed vintage techno sound on Yore under the P0lyrhythm alias. Andy Vaz's label is a natural home for such vibes and he continues to place his influence front and centre with the utterly dreamy 'Lake Michigan Breeze'. He even takes on Vaz's own 'Detroit In Me', serving up a remix which takes the track far out on a blissful combo of wistful pads and rolling percussion. If you like your techno classic, look no further.
Review: P3RF3CT STRANG3RS is a dynamic collaboration between Mexican artist Paurro and New York City vocalist Steven Klavier. Their new track for the red-hot Toucan Sounds is 'Run Away!' and it mixes up slamming drums with chopped-up vocals and high-energy grooves that draw inspiration from iconic club divas. The original comes with a Midland Flow State remix that is bass-heavy and lively, and then comes the second original 'Against' which is slower and more percussive with a tribal twist. This one comes with a remix from Tata Sumo & Lakuti who layer in more colourful synths, swirling dub undercurrents and a sense of soul while paying homage to the golden era of house music.
Review: Goats In A Hypnotic State is one of those deep, moving explorations of ambient soundscapes that smudges together ethereal drones, field recording, and mesmerising synth textures. The three-track work evokes a sense of surreal calm as delicate melodies and subtle rhythms build hypnotic atmospheres and each piece unfolds slowly, with layers of sound intertwining to create a vast, meditative space. The organic sounds of nature, such as distant goat calls and wind, ground the work, while the synthetic elements elevate its dreamlike quality. Overall there is no way you can hear this and not be invited into a tranquil, introspective world where time and thought dissolve into the music itself.
Review: After a near two-year break, the shadowy CUE Point label - an imprint based in Valencia, Spain - returns to stores. To reintroduce itself, the imprint has decided to offer-up a multi-artist EP featuring cuts from new signings, old heads and friends of the label. Pad Union kicks things off with the deep, dusty and gently jazzy 'Holodnaya Para' - all rich Rhodes chords, languid bass guitar and crunchy drum machine beats - before storied producer ScruScru joins forces with Guydee on the acid-fired, funk bass-propelled house bounce of 'Nesting Down'. Over on side T, Negroove's ghostly, slipped tech-house jam 'Smoked Jazz' (a track blessed with Villalobos-influenced percussion programming) is paired with EP highlight 'Grisha (Soe)', a chunky and organ-rich slab of peak-time tech-house by label regular Heavenchord.
Review: There's not much to go on when it comes this latest release on trusted soul and funk outpost Epsilon. Whoever Pals & Gal were, their sound is rooted in the classic era of 70s soul even if the track was completed bang on the turn of the decade in 1980. There's a big band arrangement powering 'Lil' Bit Different' which was put together by Ron Foster, and there's as much focus on holding down the groove as different instruments coming to the fore to do their thing. The lyrics tell it straight - this is just a little bit different.
Review: Simone de Kunovich and Pancratio join forces on the 'Memory Card EP,' a captivating three-track release that marries retro video game nostalgia with cutting-edge electronic music. Inspired by early PlayStation 1 adventures, the duo masterfully weaves samples from obscure games into their compositions, crafting a sound that is both minimalist and evocative of 32-bit textures. Whether it's setting the mood in the mellow early hours or energising a peak-time crowd, this EP equips DJs with versatile tracks that promise to electrify any dancefloor. With its unique blend of exuberance and nostalgia, the 'Memory Card EP' is a must-have for enthusiasts looking to add both depth and dynamism to their sets.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.