Crackazat - "Can't Blame A Soul" (Mana dub) (5:51)
Beatsbyhand - "SARS" (6:24)
Review: Kid Fonque presents the sixth instalment of his label Stay True Sounds' compilation series. Showcasing the best of South Africa's dynamic musical talents, this 15-track volume of intense deep house and Afro house cuts is not to be passed over. Highlights on this 12" sampler edition of the wider comp include 'We R 1', a technologically driven, syncopated, trippy Kalahari jam by China Charmeleon and Hypaphonik; and 'SARS' by Beatsbyhand, a hollering ambient amapiano mystery.
B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition
Shining Of Life Flutemental (unreleased version) (11:01)
Shining Of Life Flutemental (Lambros Jahmans remix) (5:15)
UNDUB (Space Ritual dub) (10:40)
Shining Of Life Flutemental (Space Ritual dub) (11:15)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***
Some 20 years ago, Japanese producer donned the K.F alias (the initials of his given name, Kiyotaka Fukagawa) and delivered the astonishingly good 'Shining of Life', a sun-soaked Balearic house treat shot through with Japanese nu-jazz musicality, gospel-influenced vocals and expansive, life-affirming piano solos. This EP offers up previously unheard 'Shining of Light Flutemental' takes. Calm's own 'unreleased mix' retains some of the key elements of the 2004 original while adding morning-fresh flute solos and starry sounds seemingly inspired by Detroit techno. The 'Lambros Jahmans Sunset Mix' is a dreamy and immersive interpretation underpinned by an Afro-house style beat, while the 'Space Ritual Dub' is an almost entirely beat-free soundscape. On 'Undub (Space Ritual Dub)', the same producer wraps echoing flute and piano motifs around a tactile, hand percussion-driven rhythm track.
Review: Exemplary nu-disco wax from the German Kaskadeur crew, lending a much-coveted plodders' energy to two sonic units by disco's twin queens. The slow churn of 'Kaskadeur 08', the eighth in the eponymous series, is characteristic of much contemporary techno-disco, betraying a capacity to urge foot, leg and hip movements in the listener and yet still without so much as a hint of histrionics: a must if you want to leave so much as a scent of cool in today's scene. The mysteriously named 'AN' and 'NE' play back like electrochromic disco hits of yore, though their source material is various, making this a special case of not just editing, but remixing: the A's 'Hearts Run Free' by Candi Staton and the B's 'No Mountain High Enough' by Diana Ross are make for great uses each.
Last Night (feat Harriet Brown - MAD vocal mix) (7:11)
Last Night (6:27)
Phone Sexting (5:23)
New Life (5:19)
Review: One-man dance music production line Tom Carruthers - a regular contributor to L.I.E.S and the man behind the admirable Nonstop Rhythm label - makes his bow on Make a Dance's M.A.D imprint. Fittingly, the fast-rising duo kick things off with their take on title track 'Last Night', delivering a vintage-sounding house cut featuring sublime lead vocals from Harriet Brown that sits somewhere between Frankie Knuckles' turn-of-the-90s productions and Larry Heard's late 80s deep house jams. Carruthers' gorgeous instrumental original mix follows. Over on side B, 'Phone Sexting' sees Carruthers blur the boundaries between proto-house and early Chicago jack tracks, while 'New Life' is a picturesque slab of deep techno loveliness.
Review: The third edition in Ten Lovers' Coin series hears Marcello Cassanelli, Caruso and Helen McCormack fuse churnout disco, chicken pickin' guitar and Rhodes solos, in an extravaganza of fresh, sartorial dance music. Never pressing too hard, Cassenelli's 'Starlight' and 'Tropical Breeze' go easy on the master channel, with unhurried pan flutes, roiling strings and twizzling G-synths stuck loosely to a soft but firm electro-tropical backbeat. 'Dream Horizon' is a brilliant outerlude on which to close the side. On the flip, Caruso & Helen McCormack allude equally to the Manchester Street Soul scene of the late 80s with 'Have & Hold', whose razor-edge r&b vocals and low-slung progression lend the record a surprise twist. Their 'Love You More', meanwhile is lushness personified, before Caruso's 'Central' chugs magnficently towards the run out groove with oozing synths and glitterball glamour.
Review: Esuoh Limited's third outing takes the form of another various artists offering, and it explores an on-point mix of garage, house and tech. Ale Castro gets things underway with the bubbly bass motifs and retro stabs of 'IDWTAD' with a vocal refrain repeating the line 'I don't want to talk about drugs'. Hurlee's 'Spectral Echoes' is a super breezy house cruiser with sugar chords and more widescreen smears adding the oil to the drums while a simple, effective vocal hook brings the soul. There is a darker, more heads down energy to Housewife's 'Jus A Lil Bit' then Midas Field's 'Groover' brings class, jazzy magic and plenty of fist pumping fun.
Review: Since making her production debut last year, Courtney Clarke AKA CC: Disco has released a handful of inspired and colourful singles which the boundaries between styles. The Lisbon-based Aussie is at it again here. She begins with the sun-soaked ambient shimmer of intro track 'Feel The Peak', where decidedly Balearic classical guitar flourishes catch the ear, before heading towards peak-time dancefloors on the wide-eyed dancefloor synth-pop flex of 'Touch The Vibe', which sounds Pet Shop Boys' Chris Lowe after a fistful of happy pills. She lays down another atmospheric interlude before going darker and moodier on the psychedelic nu-disco throb of 'Me Gusta Is Dead (Period Pain Mix). The new beat-meets-proto-trance throb of 'Yes Papi (Miami Daddy Theme)' completes a fine EP.
Review: Mr Bongo take an MPB breather, tempering their recent larger-scale ambition to reissue mammoth Brazilian disco on comp with a 7" side order appetiser of a classic Brazilian MPB track. Celia's 'Na Boco Do Sol' ('At the Mouth of the Sun') is a gestalt slice of slow-samba, bringing with it a dash of torrid soul and telenovela cinematics. The favourite Arthur Verocai collaborator sings of psychic cities and imaginariums of the soul, verifying a well-travelled spirit; Verocai himself, and Vitor Martins, both lend the song a fuzzy phonic with their guitars and strings. And on the B side comes 'A Hora e Essa, the first track from her second self-titled LP: a lively samba-funk workout, doused in jazzy piano licks, strutting guitars and punchy horns.
Review: In 1992, a trio of Italian house music producers brought to light one of house music's inherent contradictions: that a genre can be both ex-centric, and hold a stylistic centre. So far, house's haecceity, it's hearty essence, has held firm for nearly 50 odd years. And some records nail the inner sound of a sound, as though experiments need not only take place on the outskirts, beyond the walls, but also using the building blocks kept enclosed within the fortress. On this Groovin reissue, Davide Ruberto, Patrick Duvoisin and Ricky Montanari triply unveil the piano as one of the coremost ingredients of house music, with staccato chords standing right out on the titular 'Alright, Alright', of which there are four mixes here. Here's an unusual kind of rawness, blending as-do building blocks with a minimal but perfectible soul.
Review: Ceri's 'Don't You Wanna' is a cult cut that has now been remixed several times. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Mr. G and Fred P and D'Julz, this one features four more on-point artists adding their own spin. It's Paul Rayner who goes first brings old school 90s synth lines that bubble up through the mix. The Zombies In Miami remix is more buoyant with raw stabs and drums, Cici then hammers home a tribal techno groove with psyched-out synth patterns and last but not least is a warped, ritualistic and tribal dance rework from Dee Diggs with her excellent Whisper mix.
Review: Evergreen house master Kerri Chandler digs back into the vault for 'Lost & Found Vol. 4', the latest instalment in his archive series on Kaoz Theory. A genuine house pioneer, he continues to shape the genre while staying mighty true to the scene's roots. And it's fair to say there aren't many out there making more authentic house music than this veteran US producer. Vol. 4 unearths more hidden gems, including 'Since I Met You' featuring the late Michael Watford, the piano-laced joyride of 'Grandiose Garden' by Alopeke, and the brooding soul of 'Circles' featuring Natalia. Closing things out is 'The Dark One', a deep and driving cut built for the floor, with its dramatic string stabs and searing synths.
Review: Kerri Chandler's 'Bar A Thym' is one of those tracks that seems to contain everything great house music aspires to beia groove so undeniable it feels perpetual, melodies that loop and evolve as though they've always existed. This reissue, spanning Chandler's original extended mix, Foremost Poets' vocal edit, and THEMBA's reimagined version, charts not only the track's history but its continuing relevance. The Foremost Poets edit imbues the already hypnotic motif with an enigmatic narrative, its vocal fragments both anchoring and reframing the mood. THEMBA's remix, on the other hand, nudges the groove toward Afro house, subtly opening up the track's spatial dynamics while preserving its magnetic pull. Chandler's work never feels datediit shifts and reshapes to meet each new moment, and 'Bar A Thym' remains as arresting today as it was when it first found its way onto the dancefloor.
Charlotte & Reinhard for WeCanDance - "To Be Free Again" (extended) (5:10)
Ollie Loudon - "LMT" (extended) (6:21)
Lily Ko - "Pure Rubber" (5:58)
Biancolato - "Resolution" (edit) (5:46)
Review: We're promised Mellow Magic and that's precisely what we get, across four tracks emerging from disparate corners of the globe but united in a common mission to provide beats that work on the more relaxed end of the dancefloor. Belgian duo Charlotte & Reinhard of Rheinzand fame kick things off with a slow motion Balearic version of a well known 80s MOR classic. Ollie Loudon's 'L.M.T.' finally makes it to vinyl after long being a secret weapon in Gratts' DJ sets, where handclaps and languid strumming meet a gentle but infectious groove. Flip it over for the more tracky affairs, as Japan's Lily Ko makes an impressive debut with 'Pure Rubber', an original mix of disco foundations and always snazzy but never showy 80s synth play. Melbourne's Biancolato finishes things off with understated deep house shuffling that adds just a touch jazzy keys and dreamy, wispy pads.
Review: Matthieu Chedid and Seu Jorge's long-running collaboration reaches a new peak with this latest release. A-side, the track 'Parioca' brings together the duo's signature stylesiChedid's French flair and Jorge's Brazilian rhythms, resulting in a seamless fusion of groove and melody that invites listeners into a warm, joyful world where their distinct musical identities meet. The B-side's dub mix of 'Parioca' takes things in a deeper direction, layering hypnotic rhythms and atmospheric textures that open up the track, creating an expansive, dubby atmosphere. It's a perfect companion to the original, showing the depth and versatility of their musical partnership, which continues to evolve after more than a decade of collaboration.
Review: Cheeba's Latin brothers are back with yet another Havanan shuffle, extensively vacationing in Cuba to soak in very best of the nation's ripest stylistic amassments. Taking cues from cut and paste funk to Latin boogaloo, 'Cuban Shuffle' and 'Pablo's Theme' urge us formerly to "keep it going, now" before latterly dropping us into a fuzz-scat vat of hazy brass and stomping, found percussion. Most notably, the A-side's vinyl scratches sate a pruritic itch, and a careful dosage of reverb marks out a roomy but expansive atmosphere, one difficult to recreate lest you actually were there in 1970s Cuba.
Review: Some 18 months on from the launch of his Better Together Records imprint, Sydneysider Chech is finally ready to deliver another expansive EP. Standing six tracks deep, Gemini Era tends towards the loved-up, saucer-eyed and gently psychedelic, with colourful melodic motifs aplenty and tons of audible references to early progressive house, ambient house and ambient techno. There's plenty to admire, from the spacey, analogue-rich dreaminess of 'XTC' and 'Gemini Era', to the low-tempo ambient techno head-nod of 'Slowride (93 Theme)' and the dusty, piano-rich deep house of 'Interstate (M1 Mix)'. Elsewhere, 'Jia's Dance' sees the Aussie explorer wrap vintage New Jersey garage-house sounds around a punchy breakbeat, while 'Birds of Prey' is a dubby chunk of sunset-ready dancefloor bliss.
Review: What is bad house music? Besides lazy non-objections like "it's a matter of taste", we'd go deeper and suggest bad house music is house music that doesn't respect the genre's roots (note: respecting should be defined in contrast to absolute loyalty; the two ideas are altogether different). Love Exposure's very own Chinichi shows an awareness of this distinction, laying down four tracks which only hint at the vibe of bumptious genre disrespect that some producers exhibit, without truly indulging it. "Bad" is defined secondarily here: "bad" as in devilish, seductive, charming. The title track and ensuers like 'Prog Power' and 'Do It' thus pump and kick, inducing extra fluttery come-hither eyes in the listener, by way of burly kicks, moreish trance elements and extra curvaceous synth hoots.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Hundu Boulevard (6:42)
Can't Escape (6:17)
A Traveler On The Dusty Road (6:13)
Can't Escape (Giammarco Orsini remix) (6:19)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
'Breathiness' is one dance music texture not so oft trodden, but that's just what's been achieved on this new tech EP 'Mysteries Of The Universe', pondered by Chris Stussy of Up The Stuss fame. Neon cities bustle and flying cars whizz past, as vocoded vocals caress the low end on 'Hundu Boulevard'. 'Cant' Escape' meanwhile dubs things out further with janky funk and inescapable vocal whispers. A strong new one from the Amsterdam pusher.
Review: The Manchester producer, already known for his work with Hot Creations and Cuttin' Headz, channels a refined, magnetic energy here that solidifies his rising-star status. Back for his eighth EP since breaking on to the scene, AJ Christou makes a triumphant full EP debut on Crosstown Rebels with Desire, a sleek two-tracker that feels both sharply contemporary and deeply rooted in classic house vibes. The title track is a smouldering cut built around a throbbing bassline, crisp, polished percussion and a teasing, seductive vocal that coils through the mix. It's a slow, deliberate burn that feels primed for those moments deep into a set when the dancefloor is locked in and the lights are low. Flipping over to 'Patience', Christou leans into a more textured, intricate sound. The drums are playful yet tight, driving a track that's equally effective but more subtle in its progression, with layered synths and understated melodies gliding beneath. Both tracks show Christou's talent for crafting grooves that are as detailed as they are danceable.
Review: Massive jazzdance and UK bass fusions on the new e-glowup from Eglo (though the record is also released physically). Celebrating 15 years of the nominal "post-dubstep" label, this limited 12" EP hears four exclusive, unreleased tracks from an upcoming label-definer compilation, the third in a series. Born from the basement of Plastic People, the pressure has remained continuously on Eglo to keep the same foment of bass musical innovation that the club nurtured alive. Plastic People is a routinised object of nostalgia, and it is often deemed the last proper place for innovation in bass music before austerity Britain militated against it. Zed Bias's remix of Chunky's 'Dancing On Tables' with Metrodome - and the deep, bruk-inspired track, 'Minerals,' from Liverpool's rising star Sticky Dub - both prove this assessment totally wrong. Genius thrives. On the flip, we've also house legend Giles Smith (formerly of Secretsundaze) delivering fresh material, as well as label boss Alexander Nut making his official debut with the lo-fi electro house track 'Arcade Fun Pt. 1.' The full compilation, featuring artists like Shy One, Steve Spacek, and Fatima, drops in April.
Santonio Echols - "Piano In The Light" (Emanuell Echols mix)
Brian Kage - "This Saturday Night"
Ryan Sadorus - "Down Below"
Review: Upstairs Asylum is kicking off the year in some style with a couple of killer new EPs. This one is the first in what is presumably a new series to showcase the talents of the Motor City. Mike Clark & Marcus Harris get things underway with 'Hey' which has a subtly uplifting feel thanks to the bright, sustained chords and cuddly drums. Santonio Echols's 'Piano In The Light' (DJ Emanuell Echols mix) is laidback, playful deep house with magical chord work and Brian Kage brings his classy depths to the smooth grooves of 'This Saturday Night.' Ryan Sadorus brings things to a close with the smoky 'Down Below.'
Review: Two supreme MPB/bossa nova cuts courtesy of Mr Bongo's resident popular-musica plug Claudia. The MPB singer began her career at the tender age of nine and gained recognition in the 1960s. Her repertoire extends to samba and rock, and having put out an extensive suite of LPs, we're more than faithful in Claudia's selective brilliance, not least when it comes to her own catalogue. Here on the A we have 'Deixa o Morro Cantar', which features on Claudia's very first 7", released in 1965 by RGE: a warm, burring, brass-backed beat typhoon. And on the flip side comes her timeless version of the mythic 'Mas Que Nada', a jazzier folk-funk take on the Jorge Ben classic.
Review: 'Deixa Eu Dizer' is a timeless Brazilian classic that was famously sampled by Marcelo D2 on his iconic hip-hop track 'Desafabo' and maybe just as notary, it was also the debut release on Mr Bongo's now much loved Brazil 45's imprint. It originally featured on Cizinha's stunning album of the same name and until Mr Bongo stepped in it had never been available on a 7". 'Deixa Eu Dizer' has been a long-standing favourite with deep diggers despite its mysterious origins and this welcome reissue not only celebrates Cizinha's unforgettable contribution to Brazilian music but also brings this beloved track to a new generation.
Gilles's Peterson's Havana Cultura Band - "The Rumba Experiement" (Motor City Drum Ensemble remix) (6:35)
Review: New York legend and Body & Soul man Joe Claussell is first to land on this new Brownswood Remix Edition as he drops a Sacred Rhythm mix of his own tune with Cuban singer Dayme Arocena. It offers a fresh perspective on the original timeless composition with drawn-out drums leading to a signature spiritual rapture. On the flip is a dynamic reinterpretation of Gilles Peterson's Havana Cultura Band by German artist Motor City Drum Ensemble, who now goes under his birth name. He brings some dusty house drums to make for a perfectly flavoursome sound for outdoor dancing.
Third Son & Baldo - "This Is Your Brain On Music" (5:12)
Review: 'Selected Label Works 11' from Permanent Vacation offers a top-tier selection of deep house gems that span Balearic, leftfield and nostalgic 90s influences. Clint's 'Bliss Science' opens with a classic piano house sound, boosted by a heavy 90s-style techno break, capturing a warm, nostalgic vibe. Aldonna's 'Pisa 97' takes a more melodic techno route, showing off crisp production and a dreamy progression that feels perfectly suited for deep listening. Sam Goku's 'Walking Drums' is tribal and atmospheric, punctuated by a wicked drop that infuses energy into its hypnotic rhythm. Rosa Red's 'Rhapsody', reworked by Known Artist, delivers a futuristic, epic trance sound reminiscent of early 90s rave euphoria. Rounding out the compilation, Third Son & Baldo's 'This Is Your Brain On Music' leans into late-night acid trance and techno, creating a deep, pulsing vibe for darker hours. This compilation is a deep house journey brimming with genre-spanning textures and rich grooves.
Review: Sacred Medicine is a label, and curative collaboration, formed between spiritual house aficionadi Ron Trent and Joaquin "Joe" Claussell. Here the pair welcome producer Coflo to the fold with a black-gold vinyl EP, coming packed to the brim with fully original, smoothy squeezed sound. Aiming at a mood of transcendence, 'Tsunami's Muse' and its proceeding mix version unfurl through layers of pentatonic piano ornamentation and jazz peaks-n-troughs, timbrally backed by glistening chime trees and lush synth layers. The B-sider is a beatless reprise, enriched by the earthly resonance of a large, rare wooden kalimba.
Coflo, Steve Howerton & Niya Wells - "Ecru" (9:51)
Review: A San Francisco house producer who is taking jazz influenced house music to another level is Coflo aka Cody Ferreira 'Syncopatience' is a stunning deep house release that highlights his signature blend of soulful rhythms, intricate grooves, and rich musicality. Each track brims with personality, that blend clever and creative vocals and lyrics to a deeper level than just for the dancefloor. Side-1 starts off with 'Get Down, Show Love', a collaboration with Fenyan that exudes a hip, jazzy charm. Playful yet refined, it features catchy vocal work and a high-level jazz flair, effortlessly blending house with improvisational energy. Next, Coflo's remix of 'Cee.Side's Elektrify' brings atmospheric depth, wrapping Latin influences around a funky, sultry groove that's as hypnotic as it is danceable. Side-2 delivers Ecru, where Coflo, Steve Howerton, and Niya Wells craft a deeper, tech-tinged house cut with sharp, clever lyricism. Its polished production and layered instrumentation elevate it to a higher plane of jazzy house, demonstrating Coflo's versatility and artistry. 'Syncopatience' has the solution on how merge soulful textures with dancefloor energy in a unique way.
Review: James Cole's 'Lovely Girls' EP is a polished collection of deep house with a touch of minimalism, ideal for those who enjoy a mix of soulful and techy grooves. The title track, 'Lovely Girls', balances deep, rhythmic layers with soulful inflections, while Mike Sharon's remix reimagines it with a dubby, atmospheric twist, emphasising the vocals in a restrained yet impactful way. 'My Sweet 18th' continues the mood with melodic, lush tones that create a warm, immersive feel while Diego Krause's remix gives it an uptempo boost, keeping it grounded in classic house while enhancing its drive. This EP stands out as a tasteful blend of deep and tech house with a range of moods and tempos.
Review: Blending hi-NRG and Latin cumbia, Combo Chimbita present a brand new single for Wonderwheel Recordings, 'Dimelo'. Described as an internal dialogue - a sonic representation of what it feels and sounds like to choose yourself - the refrain "Cuando por fin yo me elegi" is heard repeatedly throughout the track, as self-selection is maximised, contra the impossibility of saving others before oneself. The band's Carolina Oliveros says of the song, "however much you love someone, you can't force them to love yourself in the same way - that is love you have to give yourself." The Busy Twist remixes the idea, self-caring through salvos of oily guitar and toe-tapping woodblock shot, hitting like a health kick.
Conjunto Media Luna/Mumbia Y Sus Candelosos - "Bogotokio" (feat Hydro As BNJ) (3:20)
Mumbia Y Sus Candelosos/Conjunto Media Luna - "Cumbia Teriyaki" (3:30)
Review: Conjunto Medialuna's latest album on Little Beat More is a direct trip to the heart of Bogota's rich cumbia scene. The record blends traditional rhythms with psychedelic influences driven by the Colombian accordion and ecstatic percussion that is so strongly associated with this style. These are two of the jams from it, but frankly you should also check out the full LP. It's a tribute to the guacharaca and the lively street parrandas where each song explores new interpretations of classic sounds. Featuring collaborations with N. Hardem, Mismo Perro, Son Rompe Pera, MC Hydro and Japanese-Latin percussionist Muupy, Noches de Medialuna, it transcends cultural boundaries and joins the dots between traditional and modern urban Latin music which is now so hugely popular around the world.
Review: Makin Moves pull another funny on us; their multi-volume exclusives series is called "Unreleased", despite each release in the series, by taut definition, constituting a release. But to call a track "unreleased", when it decidedly now isn't, does, we admit, help mythologise it to the extent that it makes it more desirable; the proviso here being, of course, that the tracks in this series are relegated to vinyl first, with no promises made as to a potential future digitisation. So do New Yorker Conway Kasey and fellow artist Johnny Melek deck out the final-vinyl front side with 'Jazz Fest' and 'Myrrr', the latter especially thrilling us with a formant-shifted Juliet Mendosa on vocals. On the other hand, Reggie Steele and David Harness enter into a nice remix interplay with 'Vulnerable', piggybacking on the original 2024 release's establishing anodynes.
Review: The spectroscope of Cool Million's soundworld doubles in width, as 'One Of A Kind' marks a new phase of innovation in their patented boogie funk sound. This latest single hears Danish soul singer Seest - a longtime collaborator with the Danish production duo - add her doubled, tripled, nigh quadrupled vocal overdubs to the already well collieried disco track. With the ensuing EP packed with allusive, fiery effrontery, bringing inspirations from Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang and The Crusaders, we must warn you: this is a volatile disco 7", one that should really come with a fire hazard warning.
Review: Rhythm N Vibe label head Marc Cotterell strides into 2025 with a killer new three-track EP featuring plenty of his signature garage and house crossover jams. 'Annihilate The Rhythm' gets things underway with some rave-ready sirens and tightly programmed beats and bubbly bass. UK talent JACKARD steps up to remix and does so with razor-sharp hi-hats and low-slung kicks that bring the sleaze. 'Floor Dance' then brings the funk with some playful chord sequences and swirling pads and fFeed Your Soul' shuts down with aching vocal hooks and old school piano energy over some fresh US house drums.
Review: A limited edition, green vinyl edition follows in the Midas footsteps of Chicago DJ and producer Cratebug, whose recent Bandcamp movements have seen a fresh frothing-forth of free digital downloads. Two of said most recent USB-rhythm-stick fillers are heard selected for choice molten PVC compressing here. 'BOSTICH PT1' trails aureate rushes of voice and industrious percussion behind it, with both title and soundscape alluding to the stapler-heavy delights of micro-label mail order business operations. Meanwhile, 'Optimo', on the B, reissues an earlier edit by the Chicago fortunate of fellow techno titans Optimo's 'Liquid Liquid', empurpling the mix with crowded, busty percs and a manic hustler's rap on top.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Drop Music marks a marvellous quarter of a century of releases with this new slab of vinyl featuring some gems from disco funksters Crazy P and the house mainstays Inland Knights. Crazy P go first with 'Disc Odyssey' which is perfectly indicative of their much beloved sound with its low slung kicks and funky bassline. Inland Knights then offer a trio of in demand & unreleased tracks. 'Overnight' is a bumming deep house joint, 'Walk On' has an icy late night vibe and balmy pads and 'Do It Again is a more playful closer, with some killer b-line action. All four, needless to say, are timeless gems, and the fact the last two are appearing on vinyl first the first time makes it an even more desirable cop.
Review: CRYME launches his new label SEVEN with a head-turning and ear-pleasing debut single 'Hold On', accompanied by four standout remixes. SEVEN is a queer and FLINTA*-leaning imprint dedicated to uplifting, genre-blending house and techno and it kicks off with CRYME's hypnotic original which is driven by pulsing bass and echoing vocals. Berlin house Queen Cinthie brings a soulful house spin with airy strings and bouncy grooves, while Obscure Shape delivers a darker, techno-driven rework. Lydia Eisenblatter adds a rave-tinged breakbeat flair, and VOLPE closes with a dreamy dub-techno version. 'Hold On' perfectly embodies SEVEN's mission to showcase unexpected sounds, fierce energy and dancefloor joy.
Review: The SEVEN7 late makes its bow here with the sort of house jam that is going to win it plenty of fans from the off. The original comes from Cryme but is offered up here as a series of remixes. The first lady of the Berlin house scene Cinthie opens up with her signature sense of cool grooves and soulful pads, then the Obscure Shape remix ups the ante with more slamming drums and techno forcefulness. There is a distinctive old school feel to Lydia Eisenblatter's remix as she brings raw breakbeats and super sized hi-hats. Volpe brings some dubby low ends to close.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Sunday Queen (Art Of Tones remix) (5:19)
Sublime Mind (Byron The Aquarius remix) (4:37)
Tried For Love (feat Robert Owens - Terrence Parker remix) (8:12)
Walk With Me (Rick Wade remix) (5:57)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
Smooth house master James Curd has a bunch of his succulent sounds remixed by a heavyweight roster of remixes here. First up Art of Tones layers in freewheeling synth loops and tough disco claps to his remix of 'Sunday Queen'. 'Sublime Mind' gets the Byron The Aquarius treatment and becomes a cosmic star-gazer with zoned-out pads and sweet beats. Add in some signature soul from Terrence Parker and another perfectly tracky house tool from the always-on form Rick Wade and you have a classy EP.
Review: Reinforcing this German's producers reputation for delivering infectious, groove-heavy house music, the title track, 'We Luv', takes cues from French house music. Layering filtered loops and thick basslines to build a steady, club-ready pulse, its a prime example in how to produce dancefloor tension and release. 'Revolver' injects a lively mix of disco and house, boasting crisp percussion and a vibrant energy that bridges classic influences with modern production. The track’s dynamic arrangement ensures it keeps the momentum high. On the deeper side, Keep It Up unfolds with subtle, evolving progressions, drawing listeners into its hypnotic rhythm. The track’s intricate structure gradually intensifies, making it a perfect tool for shifting gears in a set. Released on his own Cecille Records, this EP highlights Curly’s versatility, delivering three distinct tracks suited for different phases of a DJ set. From warm-up grooves to driving peak-hour energy, this record proves why he remains a respected force in house music.
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