BURNSKI レコード& CD

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight dent on the edge, otherwise in good condition***


Although James Burnham aka Burnski has been producing house by the truckload since the mid 00s, DNA is his first LP to date, and it lands courtesy of his own Constant Sound imprint. Across labels like Trapez, 20:20 Vision, and even Poker Flat Recordings, this dude has always stuck to what he does best regardless of passing trends or styles, and that is making quality, tech-driven dance music. Now, make no mistake, this album is still a collection of dance floor scorchers, but the nine tunes make sense next to each other, and they go way beyond the four-to-the-floor remit. There's some swinging garage blazers like "Another Source", hard and progressive house such as "Advanced Knowledge", and even a bit of dirty electro on bangers like "Cosmic Warfare". This is pure quality throughout, and makes for a big step up in Burnski's career. Dope.

Review: Burnski's debut album DNA dropped on Constant Sound last year, and now the label have called upon a strong cast of characters to do the remix duty on some of the LP's key tracks. Parisian trio Mandar bring a heart-melting tone to "Another Source" without losing their insistent shuffle, while Diego Krause strips things down with a functional broth of minimal minded business. The original mix of "Another Source" gets a fresh outing, and very fine it sounds too. That leaves it to Laura Jones to twist out a hypnotic electro version of "I Like You".

Review: Riding high on the success of a second release that introduced A-Scott & Chad to the Constant Sound fold, the third instalment finds Burnski back in the saddle to offer up "Changes", getting into a more techno-oriented frame of mind without losing that warmth and playful sensibility he has made his own over the years.
After strong remixes from Trus'me, Steve O'Sullivan and Cab Drivers on previous releases, Constant Sound 003 gives another opportunity for the label to call upon the finest in the business to reinterpret the original material.
In keeping with the heads-down workout tones of Burnski's original, it makes perfect sense to invite an artist as accomplished as Deadbeat up for a remix. Scott Monteith has long been a stellar example of how to push dub techno in thrilling new directions and it shows on his version of "Changes".
Kris Wadsworth has just as much to say for himself after years spent crafting heavyweight house and techno with a mercenary instinct matched by lashings of machine soul. He reduces the original track into a stripped down techno dub perfect for late at night. His remix will only be available on the vinyl.
It's yet another step forwards for a label committed to delivering nothing but the highest quality house and techno for those who seek a touch more depth from their music.

Review: Former Leeds resident Burnski has been surprisingly quiet this year. In fact, this purple vinyl 12" for Tomoki Takuri's Holic Trax label - famed for releases from Dan Curtin, Rick Wade and Mr. G, amongst others - is his first release of 2014. Happily, he's on good form, laying down a series of largely deep house focused cuts variously influenced by early Belgian techno (the bass-heavy pump of acid chugger "The Hours", whose bassline recalls the likes of Jaydee and Joey Beltram), soul-flecked tech-house (the undulating electronics and yearning vocal samples of "Visions") and hustling, post-acid house (stand-out "Time", featuring the seductive vocals of Beckford).

Review: Burnski's ' Monkey Hanging EP', on Boe Recordings, boasts a sublime threesome starting with the
marvellous title track, which oozes deep house class as it motors along on a simple but deadly
riff, goosed by early 90's nu groove style chords and jazzy squiggles to intoxicating effect.

Review: Hot Creations follow up the all conquering Lee Foss twelve inch with an equally impressive collaborative EP between Robert James and 20:20 Vision's Burnski. "Malibu" is the big track here, with an energetic post disco-house groove propelled by crisp, clean drum programming and a heavily processed sweet female vocal hook, which is soon engulfed by a menacing array of Detroit chords. "Perception" follows a similar path as the A Side but with a deeper 90s house melody and HC boss Jamie Jones drops a winning refix of "Malibu" for good measure.