Deep House Recommendations October 2016

Review: YES. This is exactly what we need after the end of a long summer, and what has been a period of relatively lower releasing activity in the house and techno sphere. A new Soundstream bruiser to add to what is surely one of the most impressive catalogues around. The last one that was released a year or so ago was excellent, but this four-tracker is even better, bolder, and nastier. Moreover, you get four cuts from four different Soundstream aliases, so you know you're in for the score. "Aqua Dance" is an addictive disco slinger with that magic Soundstream sampling touch, but from "Track 440" onwards, things start to turn a little more off-kilter, and that tune itself is a fuzzy, distorted disco-house hybrid that perfectly encapsulates the Soundstudio alias. The same can be said for the Soundhack-approved "What You Feel", a wavy disco mutant that is of the same ilk as Pepe Bradock's material, while Soundstore's "Relief" is a more classic house spliff packed with banging drums and guided by a deep, sweltering bass. Essential.

Review: Nail's debut album from 1996, originally on DiY's Strictly 4 Groovers imprint, gets a full vinyl reissue for it's 20th anniversary. All proceeds will go to both Focus12 rehabilitation centre in Suffolk UK, and Maggie's Centre Nottingham. Many thanks to DiY crew and Juno for their help and support. Dedicated to Big D. Hold tight Pedro. Peace, Nail x

Review: Pepe Bradock is back! Some ten months on from the release of his inspired Le Fada EP, the veteran Parisian beat-maker delivers another sublime, six-track assault on the senses. The mood is set by opener "Yazuke", a pitch-black fusion of fizzing jazz drums, macabre electronics and razor sharp acid lines, before he struts off on a more positive, wide-eyed tip on the bumpy "Grodno". Elsewhere, you'll find some exotic and intoxicating ambience in the shape of "Sainte-Maure", a glitchy, cut-up take on U.S house (the brilliantly bonkers "Underground Monogahela"), an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink rinse out ("Boom Boom Crash", which sounds like Basement Jaxx's "Fly Life" on acid), and a beat-less, late night trip ("1755").

Review: In recent years American imprint Kolour have fast become an institution of sorts, known for purveying quality grooves of the deeper spectrum. Their new compilation A Tale Of 2 Cities no doubt refers to both Detroit and Houston (the two cities from where the label is based) but rest assured that on this compilation their focus is absolutely global. There's a lot to cover on here, but we can tell you it's all good. Our highlights weren't limited to the bittersweet and emotive deepness of Ugly Drums & Lady BlackTronika's "Change The Key", Kiwi slo-mo house hero Frank Booker with his smooth Rhodes heavy groove "Unburdened", Canuck in Berlin Eddie C with the wicked low slung groove of "All Time Freak" and of course former Bent main man Simon Mills aka Napoleon who works more disco magic as always with the fabulous "Over & Done".

Review: Elephant Moon hits us with a super dope batch of new music this Spring. The new release is a collection of music from several different artists and demonstrates the diversity of the label’s output. Across four brand new tracks we’re presented with smooth grooves, odd, whimsical sound design and dynamic dance floor rollers.

Things start off tentatively with Italian Rinaldo Makaj’s ‘Quasar’, a dreamy soundscape which envelopes you in its lush rhythms and deep, meditative bassline. Josh Tweek’s ‘Coffee Curves’ shares side A with ‘Quasar’, though the atmosphere is totally different. Confused robotic bleeps and effects pop up throughout, seemingly out of sync with the percussion while a sombre b-line rumbles below.

On the flip side we have ‘Oulton Road’ by Christian AB. A vibey cut, which encapsulates all that is great about the deeper end of house music; measured, emotive and utterly danceable. Accompanying ‘Oulton Road’ is ‘Element Of Lights’ by Gianmarco Orsini, a bouncing dance floor-ready slice of 4x4 rudeness . Each side includes 1 bonus locked groove from John & Giammarco :)

There you go, four distinct styles from four skilled artists. Look out for the V/A in all good record shops!

Review: The return of the Silverlining by way of the Silverlining Dubs trademark that was credited to many a remix during the late 90s and early 00s. (Full press info to follow)

Review: Spencer "Gemini" Kincy has long been regarded as one of Chicago's true heroes; a scarily prolific producer who disappeared from view around the turn of the millennium, leaving behind a decade's worth of brilliant house productions for the likes of Relief/Casjual, Peacefrog, Planet E, Distance and Classic. Here, arguably his greatest single work, the in-demand 1997 full-length Imagine-A-Nation, finally gets a re-release via RAMP's archival arm Another Day. It remains a brilliant piece of work, joining the dots between Cajmere style loop-funk, French touch, disco-house, Derrick Carter-esque "boompty" and techno in a unique way. Highlights are naturally plentiful, from the relentless loops, drum machine handclaps and cut-up drops of "Don't Look Back", to the undulating, jackin' deep house goodness of "How Can I Chill?".

Review: Plastik People has hit 10 releases & were super excited about that! to celebrate this fantastic achievement we bring you 3 cuts of pure underground quality from some legends of house music, A side is amazing deep soulful track by Mike Perras who's been in this game for over 25+ years, he brings us 'Dream4You' smooth keys, raw baseline and a hook that will suck you in and spit you out. B side we bring back the a man who's gained huge recognition back in the 90s after releases on F-comminucation, Aquabassino is back, and this time he's working along side jazz musician Neil Warden to bring Plastik People a slice of pure house jazz grooves, finally to round up the EP comes label regular Playin' 4 the city & his amazing late night deep house track 'Orbit', must have for your vinyl collection.

Review: Three relases in and we still have no information about the people behind this label. Whoever it is seems very keen to keep it a secret. 10" vinyl. One press only

Review: Uzuri proudly welcomes Giorgio Luceri with the 1st of 2 eps signed on the label for 2016 . with previous releases on Jamal Moss's Mathematics imprint , On the Prowl ++ , 'Space Fire Truth' sees Giorgio charting new territory to his previous output & coming correct in the process .

Review: French artist Kool Vibe is back on his own Paris-based label KV Records with a new 4 track EP. True to the mission assigned to the label, this release brings us back to the early 90s through basics sounds and elements which have defined deep house since then : fat syncopated rhythms, heavy and groovy basslines, warm chopped vocals. There is something raw and genuine about this record. 'Basics' and 'Back To The RealA' definitely emphasize the minimal and raw side of deep house. 'Tribute' is humbly dedicated to the legendary Todd Terry, whose ultimate knowledge of the art of sampling contributed to shape house music in the early days . At last,'Sleazy Joint (Touch It, Suck it') closes the record with a nasty and sexy touch . Anyway, the whole EP is meant for the dancefloor and the simple pleasure of partying. So forget about the pressure and enjoy !

Review: Tominori Hosoya landings on Minuendo with Love Stories EP, this work contains beautiful deep tracks and intros with personal sign and vision of nipon artist, he was know for work to another labels like DeepArt Sounds, Soire, TH Pressin, Mixx and more. check!

Review: US deep house master Patrice Scott steps out of his own Sistrum Recordings label and lands on the Detroit-laden People Of Earth for a sublime three-track excursion. "Odyss Dance" is a classic Scott joint, a deep and ethereal house experiment that instantly gives off the producer's signature feel of mystique, best described as a 'dubby haze'. "People Music" is a little brighter, a little warmer around the edges, thanks to an uplifting synth riding solo in the upper edges of the mix, and a funky bassline driving the engine beneath. There's also a 'bonus beats' version as a final slice of magic, where Scott adds a layer of tribalistic percussion to an already ritualistic drum pattern. Another Patrice Scott blinder.

Review: Snallpeople and Moomin are two pillars of the contemporary deep house game, and the Closer label from Germany is the perfect spot for them to unleash their singular beats on. We see this as a perfect match, and a great leap for the label. "Lack Of Lighters" is a tightly packed house gem that strays onto a delightful off-kilter mode thanks its wobbling bassline, while "Secret Elevator" is much dubbier and focussed on the low-end. The latter reminds us of a perfect fusion between Mood II Swing's harsh grooves and Villalobos' organic knots of minimalism. Wonderful.

Review: A Landmark for Contrast-Wax as the label hits its 10th Release, with a solid 4 track EP, of Analogue, emotive Techno from the Sheffield Based, Modular tweaking, John Shima.

With previous releases on the likes of Boe Recordings, Common Dreams & Ferox, Johns signature of warm pads, punching kick drums & acidic vibes doesn't disappoint throughout this whole EP & he provides an absolute stellar release for the boutique label & a very welcome member to the Contrast-Wax Family

Review: Doublet is the production moniker of friends and musical partners Tomoki Tamura and Tuccillo, previously releasing together on other labels, they have come together to form the new eponymously named Doublet imprint as a channel for their own music. Tomoki and his Holic Trax label have long been serving up solid house music whilst Tuccillo has conjured up numerous Beatport chart toppers on labels like 2020Vision, Visionquest and Holic Trax. Here their unique style brings you back from classic house music to future minimalism and is sure to fill you with joy. Up first is the title track, a charming house shuffler with woozy synths, light footed percussion and skipping rhythms that give an off kilter and deep dancefloor vibe. 'Brother Other' is a slightly more physical affair with lumpy beats, tense synth crescendos and stiff snares that really encourage you to shake your limbs. Lastly, 'Buri Planet' is a deep and sensual number with clever vocals samples adding an element of pained soul, rubbery bass bringing warmth and golden synths and acid squelches building yet more character. This is accomplished, alive sounding house music that really does sound fresh. Doublet, then, is already off to a winning start. Vinyl Only.

Review: Given the quality of Session Victim's 2012 debut album, Haunted House of House, expectations are naturally high for this follow-up. Like its' predecessor, See You When You Get There takes a widescreen approach to deep house, with the German duo drawing on a myriad of influences, from jazz ("Hey Stranger"), soundtracks ("Crystal Maze") and evocative downtempo beats (the impeccable title track), to Atmosfear-ish jazz-funk ("The Most Beautiful Divorce In The World") and, most notably, classic Balearica (see the druggy pop of "Hyuwee" and deliciously slow "EOS Place". Best of all, though, is "Never Forget", a glorious blues-house epic laden with smoky vocal samples and thrilling piano motifs.

Review: As the label continues to serve up mouthwatering house and hip hop, D3 Elements now dips its toes into more techno leaning territory with a series entitled Technologie. The first release comes from American D'Marc Cantu under his lesser known Rival alias and features three tracks of hypnotic and widescreen grooves.

Cantu has put out plenty of EPs and LPs on labels like Creme, New York Haunted and MOS over the last decade, and also runs his own Run Out Run label. As well as working solo he has teamed up with the likes of JTC to great effect, and here he proves he cooks up unusual atmospheres and freaky sounds that really permeate the mind and body.

Session 020 is first and is a woozy, spaced out number with trippy melodies and squelchy synths unfolding above a rolling and rubbery drum line. Acid prickles add texture to this serene bit of soul and pained vocals add a human feel, making it a truly intoxicating number. Session 026 is much busier, with frazzled textures, metal synths and hurried melodies making for an urgent tech cut that cannot help but make you dance. Lately, Session 006 is a gorgeous mid tempo number with smeared pads adding depth and soul, distant acid, glowing melodies and well treated vocals panning left and right. It is emotive electronic music with a real heart and heat to it, and it rounds out a classy and elegant

Review: To mark the 20th release on essential house label Holic Trax, boss man Tomoki Tamura steps up wth his first solo outing on the imprint. Coming on vinyl and digital, one of the cuts is a sample for you to use on your own tracks that you can then fire back to the label.

Founded in 2012, this go-to label is run by London based Japanese DJ and producer Tomoki, who has A&Red some rock solid, no nonsense house music from artists like Mr G, Rick Wade, Tuccillo, Keita Sano and many other key talents. Now he impresses with four of his own firing cuts which will hopefully be the first of many.

The title track gets things underway with big flabby bass underpinning trippy synth details and loopy drums. It is a straight up house jam that is deep and driving, sprinkled with twinkling melody and will make a big impact in any set. An even more stripped back and direct dub version is included for those who like it deep and playful. The absorbing 'Keypella 4 U' is a spooky thirty-second synth sample that is fluid and cosmic, and can be used in your own music in anyway you like.
The creepy 'Room 202' is an atmospheric number with sci-fi sounds and deep space synths all unfolding over a machine drum line and forceful kicks. It is back room dancing dynamite that will make anyone sweat. Last but not least, standout vinyl only treat 'NY Bassworks' is a skipping, percussive house number with wonky sine waves and crisp hits all jacking you into a groove.

This is another faultless releases on Holic Trax that will win the boss and his label many new fans as a result.

Review: Gerd Janson and Phillip Lauer's Tuff City Kids moniker has given us nothing but sweet joy since its first appearance for the Berghain-affiliated Unterton, back in 2012. The two artists respectively know their shit when it comes to Djing and record collecting, but they've also turned out to be pretty killer producers, too. Here they appear on the mighty Permanent Vacation label alongside singer Annie, with two cuts of "Labyrinth". The first, the club mix, is an 80's-leaning house monster with a subtle electro feel that makes it instantly hummable, whereas the TCK mix offers a slightly dubbier, darker and more contained version. There's a genial Morgan Geist remix on the flipside, with the oddball producer naturally transforming the tune into something altogether different but nonetheless party-ready, and the more mysterious DJ Oyster delivers his "Drum&Bass dub', which doesn't contain any breaks at its core but is packed with enough drums to create some serious damage in the clubs. Dope.

Review: After succes releases on labels such as Tsuba, Slow Down, Sleazy Beats, Rose Records, and much more, German Luvless is ready with a strong release on Danish label Deso Records - You should is a strong Deep House track, with a beautiful hookline, that will make troubles everywhere is will be played. On the remix, we got the Mannequins back on Deso - this remix is supported by Jimpster to name one, Deep House when it is best. Limited solid white vinyl.

This EP is supported by names like: Mike W (Kolour Recordings) Lo Shea (Phonica) Nacjtbraker (Dirt Crew) Jimpster (Freerange) Onsulada (Yoruba) and much more! Get your deep head on!