Review: Styrax's alphabetized Specials series reaches its fourth volume (or Styrax I / Styrax J to use the correct parlance) with four typically sumptuous examples of archival house. 154's delightfully fuzzy "Daze" opens proceedings, which will cause much misty eyed reminiscing for anyone who indulged in the 2004 Delsin released album Strike it first appeared on. Alongside it, Damon Lamar's luxuriously paced "Rising Sun" is borrowed from Tetrode Music, its intoxicating swirls of kaleidoscopic textures every bit as potent as when it first surfaced. The flipside tracks are naturally in a similar vein with some 2003 bounciness from Claro Intelecto complemented by "Dat America", Lowtec's 1999 jam for the Playhouse imprint.
A Man Called Adam - "Que Tal America" (Mericana mix)
Chuggles - "Thank You"
Chez & Trent - "Don't Try It"
Chez & Trent - "The Meaning"
Review: The third in Prescription's From the Vaults series is perhaps the most crucial to date, delivering a clutch of veritable classics from the label's archives. Proceeding kick off with the timeless Latin house swing of the Mericana remix of A Man Called Adam's "Que Tal America" from all the way back in 96 - check that sax! Alongside it is Chuggles aka UK house don Ralph Lawson's collaborative effort with Chez Damier brings the searing Chicago emotion via the chord heavy bump of "Thankyou". Mr Damier owns the B Side too, in conjunction with fellow house icon Ron Trent with two of their finest works - "The Meaning" in particular is worthy of purchase alone.
Review: To date, the Acid Arab Collections EPs and CD - compiled by the Paris-based producers behind the concept, Guido Minisky and Herve Carvalho (who DJ/produce under the Acid Arab alias) - have been little less than stunning. This third vinyl-only EP is of a similar standard. As usual, there's a strong focus on house and techno, with Middle Eastern instrumentation, vocals and samples atop. Highlights include the raw, heavy pump of Society of Silence's deliciously distorted "Baghdad", the spiraling, Brown Album-era Oribital style intoxication of An-I & Capablancas "Farsi Farce", and the ghostly horns and humid pulse of Gilb'r Beesan Rum's "A Song For Anna".
Review: Another arm of Chez Damier's multi-limbed Balance Alliance, Courtesy of Balance inaugurate a new series of 12" compilation releases with COB 3, arriving on limited edition transparent vinyl. Amir Alexander kicks things off following a crop of killer releases for Vanguard Sound and Hype LTD with "Dragon Fly!" featuring the subtly undulating bassline and fresh take on the deep house template he's known for, while City 2 City's "True People 88 89 90" comes true on the promise of its title, with a piece of vintage house that goes beyond the usual hollow revivalism. On the flip, Immer & Mr J's "Delta 23" offers a thick piece of mid-tempo house, with a piercing kick drum, offbeat dub chords and contained acid madness, while St Sene & Janeret's "Nightshifter" takes things down a notch with a late-night house track filled with swirling pads and diva vocals swelling on the midnight horizon.
Les Mondes Engloutis (Psychemagik main mix) (7:17)
Les Mondes Engloutis (Psychemagik 5am mix) (9:07)
Review: Martin Brodin's MB Disco imprint continues to deliver the good stuff, this time featuring two utterly essential Psychemagik mixes of Alico vs Cagri's "Les Mondes Engloutis". These mixes actually first surfaced on a digital-only release back in 2013, but now they've been buffed up for a full vinyl pressing, and rightly so. A side "Main Mix" is a full bodied, emotional banger with a lead drop to get crowds waving arms and singing along wholeheartedly. Our pick is the "5am Mix" on the flip though, where the synths take on a more shimmering nocturnal tone without losing that bright and bold character that will land this 12" in all manner of record bags this summer.
Review: End of Level Boss Records is a joint project from Tusk and Cyclonix celebrating the world of video game technostalgia through electronic music. End Of Level Boss 1 Ganondorf. Ganondorf is the humanoid form of Ganon, the ultimate embodiment of evil and hatred, the nemesis of Link, and the final boss in many of the Legend of Zelda games. Ganondorf is a formidable sorcerer and a shapeshifter. His hatred is so intense that he can survive even the total obliteration of his body and remain conscious. An ultimate bad ass.
Review: Charles Noel has been enjoying a resurgence of late, with his early explorations as Archetype resurfacing on a number of reissue labels. Future Primitive have tapped Noel up for two cuts that typify his left-of-centre approach, leading in with the sharp-edged beat excursion "Form Of Change" that will appeal to all lovers of reduced, off-kilter rhythm workouts. "A Mental Image" adopts a softer stance, laying out a bed of silken pads and errant tweaks that tap into the head-tripping mood of vintage techno while maintaining the future-minded thrust that makes true machine music timeless, whichever era it was crafted in.
Review: It's been 12 years since Creative Swing Alliance's Pablo Valentino launched the Faces label, and this is only the imprint's 16th 12" release. Despite the sometimes infuriating infrequency of their releases, Faces records are rarely less than inspired, offering a deliciously soul-soaked take on deep house. This split EP contains four superb offerings in the label's trademark style. There's some loopy, Rhodes-laden goodness from S3A (doing a good impression of Moodymann), a more bumping but thrillingly immersive outing from 4004 & Sebastien Vorhaus (the sumptuous "Selections B"), a lovingly loose and sweet blast of soft focus deepness from Valentino under his Creative Swing Alliance alias, and a bassy chunk of eyes-wide-shut house from Aurelian AKA KM3.
Review: Given their illustrious rise over the past twelve months, the appearance of Belfast duo Bicep on the latest Wolf Music release is quite the coup for the London label. Artist and label are of course no strangers, with a Bicep dub of Medlar appearing WOLFEP009, yet there's currently a Midas touch style momentum driving Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar that should ensure this 12" sells out even swifter than previous lupine plates. "Mixmaster 88" is an unadulterated party anthem and another ode to some of their heroes (spot the cheeky Armando usage) yet it's most memorable because it shows Bicep at their most confident. Further house music excellence is afforded with contributions from Casino Times, Medlar and newcomer Ishmael that ensure this is yet another all killer, no filler emission from the Wolf Music stable.
Review: Initially released as part of last week's Record Store Day antics, Juno are happy to get our mitts on some of this limited "split grooves" 12" from the always reliable Kolour Ltd. Mr Frank Booker of Hit It Or Quit It fame leads the way with two A Side productions that sit happily between disco and house; loose, funk laden disco is very much the shape of lead track "Movin On" which features some great drum chopping. Complementing this, "It's Time" takes discoid elements and applies them to a crunchy mid tempo house template. Flip over and rising talent Ugly Drums pairs with Chesney for two soul laden productions, with the dusty Raw Cuts style antics of "Soul To Keep" complemented by the sugary beatdown of "Girls Girls Girls".
Review: Like many labels founded by producers, Naked Naked started as an outlet for Breach's productions, but has since expanded its' roster to include a swathe of like-minded producers. Here, Breach wrests back control, joining forces with Cinnaman for two tracks of molten deep house with subtle UK garage influences. Opener "Liberty" sets the tone, with chiming melodies wrapping themselves around a snare-heavy, tech-tinged deep house groove. The track benefits from the duo's use of held chords and surprisingly sparse production. Flip for "Avocado", a hustling fusion of hip-wigglin' beats, chopped and screwed vocal samples and a killer bassline.
Review: On this latest transmission from the vale of Dresden, the Uncanny Valley crew have sewn together another four solid cuts of convention-bucking house music to suit more adventurous ears. Brodka comes correct with a heartfelt turn that isn't afraid to embrace vocals within a stripped construction, while Sandrow M's remix of Alex Ketzer opts for a darker tone weighed down by growling bass before turning out some Joy O-style vocal mangling. Cuthead meanwhile is not as concerned with refined production, instead delivering a rugged acid melter that blossoms into a thoroughly jazzed-out affair. Jacob Stoy has his own curious take to bring to the table, working around minimal tones and a simple beat and fleshing the track out with discordant keys that have their own modal message to intone.
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