Back catalogue: All genres

Review: When it comes to gospel-powered 21st century dance music, Detroit trio Dames Brown have been involved in many of the most memorable records - not least Sophie Lloyd anthem 'Calling Out' and Horse Meat Disco hook-up 'Message To The People'. Here they join forces with fellow Motor City musician Waajeed for another arms-aloft classic in the making. In its original form, 'Glory' blurs the boundaries between gospel disco and gospel house, with the trio's powerful vocals rising rubbery bass guitar, loose-limbed beats and riotous organ licks aplenty. It comes accompanied by two fine remixes: a stomping, piano riff-powered gospel house take from Rob and Lyric Hood's Floorplan project, and a stomping, thickset gospel disco 'dancing club dub' courtesy of Kelly G.

Review: Two of Detroit's finest contemporary talents come together here for House of Hits, a brand-new collaboration that cannot fail to get house heads excited. Both Wajeed and Ladymonix have fresh signature sounds and they collide both into something more party-starting than you might expect from each in solo mode. 'Work That' is bumping house with masterfully smeared synth work and edgy rap vocals all getting things going. 'Did You Do A Gig Last Night' is a deep but slamming house sound with traditional chord vamps bringing the heat and 'Extravaganza' then takes it down again into heady, cavernous dub house territory with intimate vocal whispers adding soul. 'Work That' (Winston Dream remix) is a thrilling broken beat version with sun-drenched pads and cosmic leads.

Review: In his usual no-nonsense fashion, Theo Parrish has not said much about the surprise release of Gentrified Love Part 2, despite it being his first fresh material since 2014. The EP features contributions from two of the Detroit's legends oldest friends: Rotating Assembly member Duminie DePorres, and original Slum Village member Waajeed. A-side "Warrior Code" is a quietly foreboding proposition, with spiraling electronics, jammed keys and cosmic chords riding a chunky, West London style broken beat groove. Flip for the altogether brighter and breezier "Leave The Funk To Us", a jaunty and jazz-wise 4/4 excursion blessed with some superb, Herbie Hancock style jazz-funk keys.

Review: Wajeed maybe doesn't get the credit or attention of many of his Detroit peers, but he surely deserves it. His take on his hometown's house sound pairs gorgeous synths with steely drum work and new one 'Motor City Madness' backs that up. It's got the nice raw drums, the elastic bass and is smothered with synth goodness while incidental sax and trumpet pads bring the romance. A People Mover remix goes heavy on the jazz vibes with a broken beat workout, Underground Resistance take it deep and SHE Spells Doom jacks up those drums into something close to a UK funky take on Detroit house.

Review: Born less than an hour from Chicago but now based in Detroit, Rick Wade cut his DJ teeth in Michigan's Nectarine Ballroom in the 80s and early 90s, at the same time as a certain Jeff Mills was also making giant strides at the venue. Wade's sound is more rooted in deep house but, as this four tracker demonstrates, there's a cosmic spirituality and otherworldliness to his music that it shares with the best of UR and other notable Detroit greats. We kick off with 'Groove Tool', powered by a beautifully pliable, funky bassline and embellished with floating chords and subtle bell sounds way up in the high frequency range. 'Pimp Prophecy' boasts a little more disco swagger, with its niggling guitar riff and some excellent bongo bashing. 'Jazzy Tears' revolves around a sturdy kick and a processed, timestretched vocal refrain, played off against jazzy guitar chords and strings ascending to the heavens. 'Ooo Ahh' is probably the catchiest of the lot, with a shuffling beat undercarriage and an infectious hook, all wrapped up - as all four tracks are - in some understated but still lush musicality. 'Deep Incantations' indeed.

Review: As you most likely know, Rick Wade is a machine when it comes to turning out killer, effective, stylish house cuts. His vast discography is perfectly consistent but still some tunes stand out more than others. His Hustler's Lullaby EP, which was originally released in 2013 on the Japanese label Unknown Season, is one of them and as such it now regularly tops more than three figures for a second-hand copy. The Yore label ends with this one-time-only reissue. The title tune is a belter with deep cut and mid-tempo drums topped with some dreamy, exotic and sunny melodies. 'Shinjuku Strut' is another playful jaunt with lounge vibes and noodling melodies and 'After Dark' shuts down with a third and final take on Balearic house perfect for the golden hour.

Review: Following the recent dip into the Theo Parrish archives that was The Twin Cities, Phil Weeks' Robsoul imprint looks to another one of Detroit's adopted sons in the form of Rick Wade. Like that recent Parrish reissue, Weeks re-releases another three tracks from Wade's bulging discography. The upbeat disco loops of "Players Theme" was originally released on French label Funky Chocolate in 2002 and still sound fresher than anything being plied by the Soundcloud dwellers today, while "Can't You See" from 2003 provides a more soulful take on house music. On the flip, the tracky funk and cascading string melodies of "I Feel Good" originally graced Wade's own Harmonie Park imprint in 1998, but sound no less vital today. Essential.

Review: Almost two years have passed since Detroit deep house man Rick Wade made his bow on Rawax Motor City Edition with the awesome Another Galaxy EP. Happily, we can report that this belated sequel is every bit as alluring as its predecessor. For proof, check A-side 'Delicious', where mazy, mood enhancing electric piano solos, spacey electronics and and woozy, starlight chords stretch out across a bongo-enhanced deep house groove. Wade switches to sci-fi techno/yearning deep house fusion on the equally admirable title track ('Mystic Tech'), before rounding off proceedings via another slab of electric piano-enhanced deep house hedonism ('Nasty Night').

Review: Rick Wade has been serving up quality deep house for so long (since the late 1990s in fact) that each new release he delivers comes with an obligatory "must check" tag. Predictably, his latest missive - his first, we think, for German imprint Eat More House - is packed to the rafters with high-grade cuts. Check first locked-in, head-nodding deep house roller 'Bmore Banger', where minor key chords and trippy electronic noises ride hypnotic beats and a filthy acid bassline, before turning your attention to the hazy, eyes-closed dancefloor deepness of 'NY'. Over on the flip, 'Deep Sweet Dreams' is a heady fusion of metronomic TB-303 bass, snappy drums, suspenseful synth-strings and drowsy chords, while title track 'Too Deep' lives up to its title via shuffling deep house beats, hazy field recordings, ambient style chords and twinkling lead lines.

Review: Wisdom Wita Z aka LaShonda Corder hooks up with Dark Entries for a rare Detroit-adroit arsenal of new 90s-style house bangers. 'It's Me' was produced by DJ Maestro and DJ 001, both influential figures in the Detroit techno scene. The B-side, meanwhile, hears a retake from the adjacent DJ Resurgence. An anthem for owning and loving oneself, direct comparisons could be made to the diva vibes of Crystal Waters or CeCe Peniston, but Wita Z brings an entirely new character to the genre, with the production bringing a moodiness to the sound and giving neat contrast to her up-front vocals.

Review: Motor City earned its name thanks to the increased mobility bestowed unto black Americans thanks to the invention of the car, and the centrality of the car industry on Detroit. On his latest LP, house maestro Waajeed pays homage to the joys of black leisure and play in the city, which came about in large part thanks to technological advancements such as this. In his own words, 'Memoirs Of Hi Tech Jazz' signifies the 'transition from labor to pleasure', a transition we can all but dream of in today's age. Laid-back, frivolous, decadent house tones blend effortlessly with super-swirly jazz motifs.

Review: Truth Manifest Records release an LP by their very own head honchos here. Badriyyah Wazeerud Din and Malik Aston are the respective CEO and COO of the label, but don't let the necessary evil of corporate-speak distract you. The pair's main craft is putting a contemporary sheen on funk, combining the sound with elements of gospel, not to mention putting their back into competition-ousting vocal performances and swung harmonies. Theirs is an undeniably Detroit-endemic sound, sure to not just impress, but light soul-fires.