Groove Armada - "Get Down" (feat Stush & Red Rat - Mark Knight extended mix) (6:15)
Illyus & Barrientos - "When You Gonna" (extended mix) (5:41)
David Penn & Offiah - "Satisfied" (5:18)
Ben Remember - "Waiting 4 You" (extended mix) (5:16)
Review: Mark Knight's epic Toolroom label returns with a four-track sampler featuring plenty more big-room house excursions. First up, the boss himself offers up an extended mix of Groove Armada's legendary 'Get Down' which is full of rave stabs and big vocals. Illyus & Barrientos offer the synth laced and peak time sounds of 'When You Gonna' and David Penn & Offiah combine for the supersized piano house rollercoaster that is 'Satisfied' complete with big hooky vocals. Last of all comes Ben Remember's 'Waiting 4 You' (extended mix) which ducks and dices with some smart filters, chopped-up vocal stabs and raw percussive house energy.
Review: As Toolroom only puts out a small percentage of their releases on vinyl, those given the wax treatment tend to be anthems in waiting. Martin Ikin's 'You', featuring some seriously loved-up, glassy-eyed lead vocals from Chenai, certainly sounds like a future classic. Shamelessly positive and life-affirming, 'You' is a turn-of-the-90s style piano house workout with added 21st century weight, a few disco-house style filters and a raw, stabbing bassline. The cheery vocal version (side A) comes back by a quite different Dub mix. This opts for a darker, chunkier big room sound - all wobbly riffs, pulsing electronic noises, cut up vocal snippets and mind-mangling motifs - that should delight all those who love Toolroom's trademark sound.
Review: Toolroom share the seventh instalment of their label Sampler series, bringing together four new ones from six artists in their roster; Martin Ikin, Raumakustik & Tony Romera, Low Steppa & Crusy, and Eden Prince. These are huge, ravey, deep techy numbers for the big-room-inclined; we're rhythmically and vocal-samply implored to oscillate at a nigh-militant frequency, though the impulse to dance doesn't come without its shuffles and wonks. Our highlight here is the beatless breakdown in 'BFG', on which that delicious chord stab truncates all expectations thereafter.
Milk & Sugar & James Hurr - "I Love Music" (extended mix)
Crusy - "Hey Girls, B-Boys" (extended mix)
Illyus & Barrientos - "DANCE" (extended mix)
Review: Top table house label Toolroom is back with another window into its current sounds. This 17th sampler is one that will likely get hammered at the annual parties in Miami for this year's conference. KC Lights & Welt open up with 'Fly' which is catchy dance pop with summery vocals. Milk & Sugar & James Hurr keep it on a similarly light and airy tip and Crusy's 'Hey Girls, B-Boys; reimagines a classic with extra rawness. Illyus & Barrientos shut down with more synth laced peak time house sounds on 'DANCE.'
Leftwing: Kody, James Hurr & I Jah - "Music Is The Medication" (4:58)
Review: The mighty and unmovable Toolroom offers up a snapshot of where it is at right now with a fifth volume of its Sampler series. The boss himself Mark Knight kicks off with a collaborative tune with Crusy: 'Daddy Shhh' is loopy, tribal, full flavour tech with jumbled drums and lots of buffed metal. Huxley's 'All I Need' is one of the UK producers warm house sounds, a smart vocal brings a sense of pain over simple but effective beats. Essel's 'Lennon' then brings peak time energy with strobe-lit synth sequences and churning drums, and Leftwing: Kody, James Hurr & I Jah shut down with 'Music Is The Medication', a muscular bumper with dub-wise vocals.
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.