Review: Hardcore followers of deep and jazzy house might well know the name Terry Tester already. He has dropped some fine cuts on labels like Brownswood and BBE and now he cooks up some gritty but glorious new grooves for Creak Inc. His loose-limbed rhythmic style is laid bare on the opener 'Walkin' while 'Wansel' brings some bright and jazzy melodies that light up the ramshackle drums with future soul. Things get nice and trippy on 'Chance' which is wried up with pixelated stabs, acid mumbles and off-grid hits. The best of the lot might be the final cut 'Seven' with its seductive female vocal coos, wispy pads and Detroit drums. Innovative stuff for sure.
Review: Terry Tester hails from Copenhagen and has already impressed with some Detroit-inspired house heat on labels like Brownswood and BBE. He has also dropped a fine solo EP on Creak Inc this month but at the same time the label has enlisted two artists to remix two of his tunes on this new 12". Up first is 'Grace' (Buscrates Reflip), an early evening and boogie-fried deep house cut with hip-swinging claps and conversational leads that bring the funk. The B-side is more business-like - 'Space Million' (Ian Wallace remix) has dev, dynamic drums and heart-aching vocal hooks for late-night dancing.
Review: The Cuttin' Grooves series is back on TNT Records, featuring a raw reissue of Todd Terry's essential, old-school productions. Leading with 'Do What You Want', it's an uncompromising, drum-heavy track that reflects Terry's gritty, underground vibe. 'Definition Wild Style' is a chaotic, sample-driven cut that keeps the energy high, while 'Dreams of Santa Anna (Remix)' offers a fresh twist on a classic. Wrapping it up, 'A Day in the Groove' is a hypnotic loop-driven gem built for relentless dancefloor action.
Review: Under his Sound Design alias, legendary US house producer Todd Terry dropped his seminal tune 'Bounce To The Beat' back in 1994. 30 years on it is out into the ether once more here courtesy of Hard Times, the newly relaunched label that played a key role in bringing Terry and his peers to UK shores back in the day. As well as the original it comes with two fresh remixes from modern-day tastemakers in Chris Stussy and Dan Shake, both of whom bring it right up to date in style.
Review: Series Of Taboo presents its third release, collating the fiery, broken works of two ingenious verging on igneous artists. The first is the established Copenhagen producer Terry Tester, who sports a two-decades-long career as a turntablist and beatmaker. The second is the talented producer Jay Sound, the keyboardist and composer based in Detroit. Whether more a testament to biographical clout or the music itself, 'Rhythms From World Vol. 1' EP is a compellingly minimal broken beat bound-about, both tracks giving off ineffable moods of formal curiosity over concept ('Triplets' taking after the stave-straddling, crotchety musical three) and 'Loose Idea' sounding like, well, just that.
Glass Slipper - "Unification Vibration" (Atjazz main mix) (6:32)
Diephuis - "Listen To This Drum" (feat Ursula Rucker - Turbojazz & Sean McCabe remix) (7:03)
Review: Reel People Music's latest Foliage Records sampler, the second so far, is another magnificent celebration of the deeper and more spiritual end of the house music spectrum. Freerange label boss and deep house don Jimpster opens up with a shimming and warm remix of Thakzin & Ray T's 'Don't Let Me See.' Atjazz also shows off his signature sound and deftness of design with his remix of Glass Slipper's 'Unification Vibration' and Turbojazz & Sean McCabe remix Diephuis's' 'Listen To This Drum' (feat Ursula Rucker) into a steamy house jam for cosy back room sessions. A rich EP for those who like their disco house musical.
Review: Delusions Of Grandeur, easily one of the most consistent deep house labels to come out of the post-minimal era, returns with that guy we all love, Thatmanmonkz. Himself and Chicago's Khalil Anthony are remixed by the equally consistent Jimpster, who delivers the goods by laying down some utter tech house quality on "Take U 2 My House", while Brooklyn-based Sound Signature man Ge-ology takes on "Jus Anutha Wunna Deez", and comes out the other end with a murky, beat-heavy house monster that bumps so perfectly along. The originals are sexier, chunkier in the mix, and backed by some killer vocals, particularly "Take U 2 My House" - what a beaut! Recommended and tipped...
Dusty Rugs (feat John Camp - Silverlining Swung dub) (6:58)
Dusty Rugs (feat John Camp - H Foundation remix) (7:25)
Review: Theoretical Speed is an alias of Ryan Crosson, the long time Detroit underground mainstay who runs this label and has always operated at the vanguard. This EP again finds him joining the dots between Detroit and Berlin with opener 'Take Me to Bed and Mix Me Forever' featuring a trademark Visionquest vocal with deep roaming sub bass. 'Dusty Rugs' is rich with cascading keys played by John Camp as the drums bump and hints of Thomas Melchior shine through. Underground veteran Silverlining serves up a 'Swung Dub' on the flip side while H-Foundation also put their signature stamp on another 'Dusty Rugs' remix.
Review: Two years ago, Thomas Xu announced himself via a fine debut 12" on Sound Signature where he shared vinyl space with Julion De'Angelo. Here he launches his own label, Steady Flight Circle, via a first full solo EP of his own. It's really rather good, with Xu combining spacey jazz-funk synths, emotive chord progressions and rich musicality with beats that tend towards the jazzy, broken and off-kilter. All three tracks feel loose, warm and immediate, as if they were jammed-out in one take. While they clearly weren't, this improvised feel is hugely endearing. From the sounds of "Different Widsoms", Xu will clearly be a producer to watch in the months and years ahead.
Review: Detroit techno outfit Three Chairs is one of the most revered in the underground game with heavyweights Theo Parrish, Kenny Dixon Jr and Rick Wilhite all part of it. Back in 1998 they dropped this classic EP and now it's been repressed by Theo's Sound Signature. It still bangs, obviously, starting with 'Good Kiss' which is a slow, dusty and jazzy deep house methane with candle-lit pads. 'Blue Out' has heavier kicks but they're still scuffed up and scruffy with some loopy keys up top and last of all is 'Transit' with its more disco leaning loops, funky bass riffs and atmospheric vocals making for a nice cosy house party vibe.
Review: There was a time when Atlantic was one of the foremost house labels in the game, and that was back in the 1990s when artists like Kerri Chandler were defining the deep New Jersey sound. If you didn't know, Three Generations is actually one of his aliases - one that only ever spawned one tune, and this is it, featuring Chevell. It's an absolute classic of the time with the garage swing, the emotive vocals and the silky synths over a nice taught bassline as well as the sound of a needle scratching across the track which was to convey the pain Kerri was feeling at the time after the murder of his then-girlfriend. A true bit of house history.
Review: The rightly acclaimed Thundercat put out his latest album It is What It Is on Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder earlier in the year. Now a lead single from it gets offered up as three different versions. The album version is a romantic track with mellifluous chords rippling over lo-fi and subtle drums while the vocals bring the vibes. The always on point Floating Points then reworks it for the dance floor with airy drums that float in mid air as the keys get a bit busier and the vocals remain in place to bring the soul. An instrumental and acappella mean all bases are covered.
Review: As part of PIAS' 40th Anniversary celebratory series - which compiles reissues by the arch-label's proudest artist-retainers - comes this TIGA EP. A fixture of both the label and the Montreal rave scene at large, TIGA is also a renowned electro-house remix artist and afterparty promoter and owing to that legacy, he's already had his enduring track 'Mind Dimension 2' released via the series. So we're more than excited to hear his 2004 anthem 'Pleasure From The Bass', and seven others, resuscitated for another edition, most of these tracks came from TIGA's Sexor era, an LP which came to be seen as one of the foremost reference points for electronic music at the time.
Review: Tiger Stripes makes his debut on Matt Edwards' Rekids label with the I Heard It Through The Bassline EP, a two-track release that highlights his refined production skills. The title song has a deeply infectious bassline that drives the rhythm, blending seamlessly with tight house grooves and sophisticated gospel vocals. This track sets a compelling tone with its irresistible energy. On the flip side, 'Everybody's Doing It' offers a more subdued vibe, characterised by its stylish, low-slung groove. The track evokes the atmosphere of a dim-lit club or a contemplative late-night drive through the city, making it perfect for those introspective moments on the dancefloor. As the founder of the Strange Idols label, Tiger Stripes has been a significant force in the underground music scene since the early 2000s. With collaborations alongside artists like Kerri Chandler and Jerome Sydenham, and releases on labels like Hot Creations and Get Physical, his latest EP on Rekids further shows his talents.
Review: Under the Tigerbalm alias, Rose Robinson has done a stellar job in crafting a trademark style that blends elements of boogie, nu-disco and proto-house with a variety of global musical influences - most notably African, Latin and South-East Asian sounds. On this welcome return to Razor N Tape, the London-based producer leans into the Latin inspirations, first via the colourful nu-disco breeze of 'Profunda Alma' (featuring regular vocalist Joy Tyson), and then on the 21st century synth-samba of 'Vem Ca' (featuring Jao Selva's honeyed vocals). Yuksek turns the latter into a club-ready Latin nu-disco gem, before rising stars Make a Dance deliver two rubs of 'Profunda Alma': a superb, warehouse-ready and TB-303-laden 'Acid Remix', and a percussive, spaced-out and decidedly delicious 'Tribal Dub'.
Review: Martyn Hodgson (Tijn) and Daines (real name not known) have been mutually favourite collaborators within the experimental minimal techno scene in London since at least 2019, when the pair first crossed streams for Moss Co's eleventh for the 'Archway' EP, dedicated to the unmistakable North London district. Then came 'Aesthetic', a black vinyl interloper with revolutionary undertones, and now finally in 2025 comes 'CVS 008' for Curtea Veche, the voltage controlled UK outfit named after a Wallachian-Romanian palace built in Dracula's time (yes, that Dracula). On 'So Mad At You' and 'Excuse Me', we hear dreamy and fog-filled orbs of sound float before our ears, emitting juts of twiglike percussion and sheet metal gong sounds, worked around studious oneiric beats and swirling, timestretched vowel sounds.
Review: Tilman returns to Off Track with a four-tracker for ostensible dancefloor pleasure, but our ears can confirm it goes further to sate the home-listeners' predilections too. Continuing the verve of his old skool 90s garage-intoned releases on his very own Pleasant Systems label, Tilman's newest spans dreamatics, whorling deep stabs and saturated toppers; with just the right ratio of sizzle, body and booty to make for a full collective somatic ecstasy.
Review: The good folks at Salon have got some more signature acid weirdness out of Tin Man here with the new single 'Shooting Stars'. It's a slow-motion and druggy downtempo pop lullaby with pensive spoken word mutterings. Elsewhere the Monkey Nenufar Vata remix of 'Electric Blue' is a rather mid-tempo roller with a playful rhythm, fleshy drums and meandering acid lines next to distant pads that are delightfully catchy. It becomes more dubbed out and minimal on the A2 then Tobias layers up crispy drum breaks and silvery hits on his remix of 'Love Sickness.' A varied and vital EP for sure.
Review: Four tracks from another new school Detroit name who's been around for decades, Tink Thomas, who returned to his first musical love - house - after forging a highly successful name for himself as a hip-hop and r&b producer, not least producing for Madonna's Maverick label. Although they would happily fit in alongside the latest Kyle Hall or Theo Parrish, thanks to some sexily syncopated work in the rhythmic department, there's a markedly different vibe to the likes of overtly disco-slanted rug cutter 'Gonna Make U Dance' and the prominently reggae flavoured overtones of 'Wat A Bam' and 'Mistic Flow', that means it'll stand out while knowing exactly how to keep the faithful on their feet. Irresistible.
Review: Disco Tape 4 is a compelling collection that navigates the full spectrum of disco's evolution, seamlessly blending house and late-night techno grooves. The Mechanical Man's 'eyes supreme' stands out with its melodic hook that gradually intensifies the energy. It's a slow-burning groover featuring soulful disco lyrics, creating an atmosphere that's both beautiful and entrancing. 'with you' by Just Guess and Tecam takes a funkier route, with a vibrant guitar riff and a soulful house vocal reminiscent of the best Naked Music releasesiideal for setting a warm, inviting vibe. Other great highlights include the other Mechanical man track 'Space Exploration,' a track that dives into deeper techno territory. Its wicked atmospheric groove adds a layer of sophistication, perfect for those late-night moments when the dancefloor craves something more introspective. Closing out the highlights, Ohn De La Noise's 'good afternoon' offers a smooth deep house sound that blends late-night disco into house, creating a seamless transition that's both elegant and satisfying. A very well-rounded record, expertly capturing the diverse influences of disco's enduring legacy.
Tm Shuffle, Monoder & Tapani Rinne - "Velvet" (Tm Shuffe Housedub) (7:44)
Tm Shuffle, Monoder & Tapani Rinne - "Velvet" (6:29)
Aleksi Myllykoski - "Slowburn" (feat Tapani Rinne) (8:45)
Aleksi Myllykoski - "Slowburn" (feat Tapani Rinne - Tm Shuffle Distant dub) (6:50)
Review: The second Soulful Dubs outing is full of a load more of just that. It's a various artists affair with Tm Shuffle, Monoder & Tapani Rinne hooking up for the opener which comes dubbed out by Tm Shuffle. It is gorgeously evocative and subtle with organic, wooden hits and synths floating up top while steamy sax adds the romance. The original is a minimal and slow-motion dub cut that rides a nice broken beat. Aleksi Myllykoski steps up on flip for 'Slowburn' (feat Tapani Rinne) which is more paced but no less deep. Last of all comes the Tm Shuffle Distant dub for more heady and zoned-out vibes.
Tm Shuffle, Monoder & Tapani Rinne - "Velvet" (Tm Shuffe Housedub) (7:44)
Tm Shuffle, Monoder & Tapani Rinne - "Velvet" (6:29)
Aleksi Myllykoski - "Slowburn" (feat Tapani Rinne) (8:45)
Aleksi Myllykoski - "Slowburn" (feat Tapani Rinne - Tm Shuffle Distant dub) (6:50)
Review: The second instalment from this young but already cultured label delivers another round of superb dub tracks and they come on a cool eco-vinyl pressing. The release starts off with a collaboration between Tm Shuffle, Monoder and Tapani Rinne. Tm Shuffle's dub version sets a subtly evocative mood with wooden hits and a steamy sax adding a loved-up feel. The original version is a minimal, slow-motion dub with a broken beat then Aleksi Myllykoski contributes a deeper, more propulsive track and closing is Tm Shuffle's final dub to offer some more warmth to sink right into.
Review: Ron Moreli's famously sleazy LIEs welcomes back one of its regular artists in Lipelis, this time with his TMO project alongside extra goodness from keyboardist Eugene Piankov. The pair really go for it from the off, with anthemic house stomper 'Goes D Jam' offering up squealing 303 and 909s that ring out into the cosmos over crunchy drums. '112 Bright Jam' is slower, deeper, more heartfelt with its tender piano chords and 'Goes C Jam' is an acid laced piano celebration. Last of all is '107 Dark Jam' which is a heads down stomp with acid meditations for grotty warehouse spaces at 5am.
Review: If you like your deep house lovingly crafted and exquisitely musical, Quintessentials' Deep & Raw & Real rarely disappoints. This latest instalment features four more fabulous international cuts to contend with, each delivering a distinctly different take on deep house. Ricardo Miranda's "Rush Hour" is wonderfully sleepy, offering hissing cymbals and super-deep chords. Toby Tobias, meanwhile, works the filters and backwards effects on "Love Papers", a real string-drenched sweetie. NO Milk's "Bubble People" ups the atmosphere again thanks to some choice double bass loops and distant jazz piano, while Marcello Napoletano's "All My Things" brilliantly recalls early St Germain and Aqua Bassino.
Review: Deep Site Vinylised's seventh release comes from veteran German duo Tojami Sessions, a collaboration between Michel Niepenberg, Tom Bucher and Jacek Darnowski. 'Falling' is the same kind of proper late night mood music that you've heard the trio put out previously, on respected imprints like Dessous and Plastic City and comes with some equally impressive remixes. Manuel's sensual rework stays true to the original, while Kessidis' moody dub techno influenced perspective makes for something altogether different. Over on the flip, the sexy 'What Is Love' keeps it deep, just as you like it, plus remixes from Deep Spelle and Funtom.
Review: Deep-headed, deeper-bodied dub house, hurtling our way from New Yorkers Dopeus and Satoshi Tomiie. Building on Tomiie's already relatively storied career, this chronological time-clock keeps track of the big smoke's early hours for us: '2AM' and '3AM' build to knifing edges, the latter track especially working from blueprints of overdriven satu-rave and chambered echoic dub techno, basking in hollowness. As we cross into the temporal impossibility of '4:60AM', 909 puff snares and naively high strings are accrued, and by the turn of 'Sunrise', an entire breakbeat has worked its way around our eyelid bags.
Review: Hailing from Tokyo, Satoshi Tomiie emerged in the New York scene after Frankie Knuckles discovered him and his debut record, 'Tears' in 1989, was co-produced with Knuckles and featured Robert Owens. It is a dance music classic and as part of Def Mix Productions with David Morales, Satoshi crafted iconic 1990s remixes for artists like Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Inner City. Here collaborating with Ibiza's Tuccillo, Satoshi created 'Delta Dubs', a live, one-take dub house project recorded on a Soundcraft Delta desk. This tribute to dub's pioneers reimagines the essence of dub with a futuristic twist that lands courtesy of 20/20 Vision.
Review: Tommaso is an exciting young talent who has brought plenty of freshness to the underground scenes of both Florence and Chicago. Now he debuts on Rocksteady Disco with more of his signature organic and soulful sounds. This one kicks off with 'G Class' which is a peak-time house pumper with lovely liquid bass and sunny strings. 'Fierro Viejo' is more twisted with rumbling bass and a peppering of percussion that will twist dancers inside out. 'Giente Que' is an arp-fuelled Italo-inflected banger and last of all is the more slow, seductive and absorbing sound of Snake Pit' for late-night lovers. Another fine EP from Tommaso.
Review: Sheffield-based producer Tommy Vicari Jnr. continues to be a wildly prolific producer, bouncing swiftly from a standout EP on the mighty SlapFunk to a link up with another European luminary, Body Parts. There's an instantly identifiable touch to Vicari's approach, where crunchy, crooked swing and squelchy funk loosen up the structures of minimal tech house to become warmer and more soulful than the average functional fodder. 'No You Needn't Explain' is absolutely built to work the floor, but it's also led by a downright nasty synth line taking its cues from electro funk, while 'Issacgroove' reaches for dizzying heights with its own snappy, Moog-esque licks. 'Anytime' feels like a slippery house inversion of Prince's approach to funk and 'Chapter And Verse' offers up something a little smokier for the later end of the dance.
Review: The Disco Gioconda crew spin narratives as they do grooves, dream-weaving throwback Italo-style records through editable wattles. Trend-chasers begone: Gino Tonico and Tino Arancino together tap into a sound whose immanent quality foregoes any need for PR preservatives, letting each section breathe, twist, and evolve organically as energy builds. 'Vorrei Rubaria' leans into drama without excess, moving through bold shifts in tone and rhythm that hold attention from first bar to last - its dub mix, meanwhile, swirls our medulla, leaving us cochlear blear. It's a record designed for full playthrough, rewarding those who stay with it.
Review: The unstoppable and irrepressible Louie Vega has commissioned a bunch of remixes of Tony Touch's 'Sacude' for his own Vega label. The man himself opens things up with a Brooklyn mix that is heavy on raw beats, percussion and Latin rhythm. Manoos goes for something a little more smooth and shuffling, while Oscar G's 305 remix is a deep, elastic groove with eerie synth work. He also serves up a dub, Tony Touch reworks his own original into something full of fire and a dark Louie Vega Bronx mix closes out the package.
Review: Latvia's Tooflie crew is back six or so months after launching their new self-titled label with as second hand-stamped blue vinyl. There is a euro-disc feel to the vocals of 'LKA' which ride of rickety beats and tin-pot percussive clatter. 'KFE' is a spaced-out and proto-house sound with more libidinous female vocals and soft acid lines. 'MAXIM vs TDJ' is another Euro-dance sound with bright 90s chords and slapping high-energy house drums. Last but not least, 'LIND' drops into slinky deep disco house territory with a real sense of funky and purpose. A beguiling EP, no doubt.
Review: Toothpick aka Swirl People step out with their newly entitled label Lost In The Swirls, which they have distilled to the more simple name L.I.T.S. Records. The Belgium-based project is an alias of Dimitri & Raoul and they bring fresh house sounds here even though this is a reissue of some classic 90s material. The title track has lush and bright summer pads over driving, tight kick drums. The opener 'May The Funk Be With You' has a classic UK flavour to it with woodpecker-like hits and dusty drum loops under some smart chord work. Last but not least is 'Naked Speedway' which has a warm bassline meandering below expansive chords that bring an early morning vibe. Good stuff.
Work Dat Shit (feat The Illustrious Blacks) (6:19)
Cimarron Palace (6:43)
Anti Narcoleptic (6:55)
Review: When a label calls itself Bring Dat Ass you can bet your bottom dollar that it's going to release proper sleazy electro. Enter Toribio with a superb four track EP of just that to get this new imprint underway. 'No Pare' is a firing cut the kick off with - synths dart about with their own mind, the tested bassline never lets up and the analogue drums jack for days. 'Work Dat Shit' is a little slower and bumpier with some bright acid prickles and 'Cimarron Palace' then unfolds with the same swing of a UK funky track. 'Anti Narcoleptic' is the best of the bunch - a weird and wonderful wonky out with clattering percussion and jumbled drum madness.
Review: We can hear a hint of early New York house heads like Todd Terry in the way the drums are constructed on this new one from Toribio, who has linked up with Sharin for an authentic vocal flourish. Her silky tones lend real quality to the choppy analogue drums and lodge top lines deep in your brain. After the original comes an alternate mix with some extra jazzy chords moving about the mix, and then closing things out is a Crackazat remix. In this one, the drums take on a bit of a garage swing with extra weight making you move while the soulful vocal flair remains in place up top.
Review: Berlin-based Aussie Tornado Wallace has a long track record of tiptoeing the fine line between perfectly judged dancefloor pleasure and the more musically immersive sounds of Balearica and sun-soaked, sofa-ready deep house. He touches all those bases on 'Bitter Suite', his debut for Apiento's excellent Test Pressing Recordings imprint. In its' full length, near ten minute original mix form (side A), the track joins the dots between psychedelic, lightly acid-clad 1993 progressive house and - via waves of instrumentation and positive melodic motfs - the colourful musical rush of the System 7's most gorgeous early-to-mid-90s productions The latter element comes to the fore on the kaleidoscopic, string-laden and slow building 'Symphony Mix', while the 'Bitter Beats' version is a pounding, sweat-soaked drum track.
When You Look At Me (feat Javonntte - An Abacus Story) (7:05)
When You Look At Me (feat Javonntte - Late Night dub) (6:16)
Run The Numbers (6:17)
Review: Ascension on Wax tap Toronto Hustle & Sean Roman for their third release, a slick four-tracker pulling heavy influence from *that*argent 90s US-East Coast deep house sound. 'The Unity' lands with some pedigree, where recent drops on Wolf, Local Talk and Freerange have mounted this pairing firmly in the frame. Javonntte lends his unmistakable Detroit flow to the A1, which also gets a shimmering rerub from longtime Prescription associate Abacus. Flip for a late-night dub version that leans into tougher territory, before closing out with a heads-down deep house cut built for sloppily recalled nights.
Review: Toronto Hustle & Sean Roman deliver the goods with 'The Symington Avenue' EP, marking WOLF Music's 77th release. The Canadian duo, known for past releases on Freerange, impress with two standout originals. House legend Kai Alce steps in to remix 'Not Now, Not Ever,' and the result is a massive track, full of his trademark finesse. Abacus, a key player from the 90s Prescription and Guidance era, brings a classy, refined edit to 'Could This Be.' A treat for genuine house lovers, this one's not to be missed.
Review: Pretty much does what it says on the tin this one - a lovely slab of vinyl packed with high-octane, main room club bangers. Torpedo is a master of that form and has proven it repeatedly over the last 30 years. He kicks off here with the steamy, sizzling and low-slung house of 'Red Killer', 'Fascinating' then has a chunky Kerri Chandler style bounce to it and 'Bonkaz' brings warm and silky deep house depths to a classic Dizzie sample. 'Renegade' is the raved-up closer that will get hands thrown skywards.
Review: Moodena and Sartorial's Tropical Disco is now into its 24th release and they haven't let up on the quality grooves. On the first side you've got Toscana who takes you poolside on the lo-slung deep disco of 'The Girl With The Red Hair', followed by the dusty and hypnotic late night loops of Toby O'Connor's 'Cave Of Gold' featuring a seriously sexy sax solo. Over on the flip, it's all about Neapolitan favourite Frank Virgilio, who serves up some lovely sunset mood music on 'What We Love'.
TNT Inc - "U Just Have To Deal" (feat Chappell - TNT Inc original ReEdit) (6:56)
The Deepshakerz - "Yamamba" (3balitz main mix ReEdit) (6:42)
Fabio Tosti - "Shosholooza" (Fabio Tosti Under club 2023 rework) (6:45)
Review: Welcome to the world Music Plan Records, whose first release - a fine multi-artist affair - offers up a quartet of nostalgic workouts variously influenced by deep, soulful and Mediterranean house flavours. Experienced producer Fabio Tosti opens proceedings with his own 'classic mix' of Logical Groove collaboration 'Take Me Down', a sunny and celebratory vocal house groove rich in dream house chords, funky disco bass, snaking sax sounds and stretched out piano solos, before Tosti dons the TNT Inc guise for a deeper, chunkier and more late-night friendly workout ('U Just Have To Deal', featuring the Robert Owens-esque vocals of Chappell). Elsewhere, The Deepshakerz 'Yamamba (3baltitz main mix edit)' is a heavily electronic Afro-house shuffler, while Tosti's '2023' version of his 'Shosholoza' is an Afro-tinged slab of locked-in house hypnotism with added jazzy piano riffs.
Review: Track Deluxe Records is based between Barcelona and Paris and this is its first vinyl release. It comes from the eponymous producer and brings plenty of feel good and funky vibes to summery house drums. 'Jackpotes' kicks off with happy piano chords and nicely undercooked drums topped with some subtle vocal swirls passed through a warm retro filter. 'Sing It Back' is an edit of the Molokai classic with plenty of colourful melodies, a new and funky skip in the beats and a hint of garage swing to finish it with a modern touch.
Review: This EP of jacked up Windy City house comes direct from the source courtesy of Factory Music Chicago and label boss man TRAXMAN. As such you know what you are going to get, and that's exactly what you do get: prickly, analogue house tunes that bang the box and come on as raw as they are strong. 'Da Jack' is a chattery one with taught and pinging kick drums, 'Punk Funk' is a bleepy one with wonky melodies over an elastic bassline and Corkys Punk Out rework of that same tune is an off balance head wrecker for dark warehouses. There is still time for the silky drum loops of 'Dat Hot Number' and deeper vibes of 'Johnny Funk'.
Slick Rick Da Master - "Everybody Dance" (dub) (4:17)
Slick Rick Da Master - "Acid Jack" (4:13)
Review: Steve Poindexter and Traxman's Factory Music Chicago imprint has been around for a while, though releases have historically been occasional rather than regular. This split EP, featuring three acid-fired jackers apiece from Traxman and Slick Rick Da Master, is only the label's fifth vinyl outing - and fifth in total. Traxman handles side A, confidently striding between the mind-mangling jacking stomp of 'Pulaski Road', the lo-fi acid crankiness of 'Get Some Act Right Acid' and the sleazy and breathless TB-303 insanity of 'Warp Acidz Warp'. Turn to side B for Slick Rick Da Master's three heavyweight contributions: the mind-bending hypnotism of EP highlight 'Acidbo 1', the sample-rich nostalgia and red-lined beats of 'Everybody Dance (dub)' and the effects-laden trip that is 'Acid Jack'.
Review: Cultured Swiss techno label Acquit has put together this cheeky little 7" from Trecci with one great tune on each side. 'Invisible Self' is the opener and it is a delightfully curious, inviting blend of soft focus synth loops and smeared pads that sounds like waking up on a distant planet. On the flip, 'Sit And Wonder' starts with pensive piano chords which are eventually carried away on a supple deep house grove with loopy bongos and a feel-good sense of late-night cruising. Tasteful stuff for sure.
Review: Marina Trench's 'Impermeable En Ete' EP is a remarkable release that showcases the producer's exceptional production skills and versatility. Comprised of three original tracks and three remixes, this second release on Sweet State imprint firmly cements Trench as an artist on the rise. It offers a diverse range of sounds, from the nu-disco vibes of 'Ose' to the classic house feel of 'L'Orage' and the pop-influenced 'Hirondelle'. The remixes on the B-side are equally impressive, with Gerd Janson, Earl Jeffers and Tatyana Jane each putting their own unique spin on her compositions. Overall, this is an outstanding release that showcases Marina Trench's exceptional talent as a producer and artist.
Review: The arrival of fresh material from Prescription co-founder Ron Trent is always cause for celebration. Happily, this new two track missive from the Chicago deep house legend more than delivers on its promise. A-side "Kinky City" is as melodious and musically rich as you'd expect, with Trent layering evocative vocals, spacey chords, tumbling synth-strings and bubbly electronic motifs on top of a snappy, analogue drum machine groove. He shows off his impeccable piano playing skills on the warm, rich and soulful flipside cut "Omi Tutu", which boasts slightly more organic sounding drum hits and a bassline that evokes memories of "Sueno Latino" and other similarly minded Italian dream house gems.
Black Magic Woman (Joaquin edit & Overdubs version) (14:45)
Black Magic Woman (8:02)
Black Magic Woman (Coflo remix) (9:26)
Review: While many have imitated, no one has ever really come close to crafting the sort of spiritually affective deep house that Ron Trent kicks out with apparent ease. 'Black Magic Woman' is a prime example - an ode to the power of the feminine form with vocals from Harry Dennis, most known for his previous work with Larry Heard. The original is a deep house epic with jazzy chords and organic drums, lashing of bass and spoken word musings from Dennis. The Joaquin edit & Overdubs version is more intense and bright and the Coflo remix is more soft, mellifluous and warm. Epic stuff with great artwork, too.
Please Don’t Stop The Rain (Ron Trent remix) (4:14)
Please Don’t Stop The Rain (Ron Trent dub) (4:09)
Please Don’t Stop The Rain (ASHRR Soundsystem instrumental) (5:06)
Please Don’t Stop The Rain (ASHRR Soundsystem remix) (6:23)
Review: LA-based band ASHRR picked up plenty of new fans with their recent Sunshine Low album and now they're back with the sixth single from it and it comes with some seriously heavyweight names on the remix. Chicago house pioneer Ron Trent does his thing to 'Please Don't Stop The Rain' by going super deep, spine tingling and heady with some lush arps and distant guitar twangs adding a Balearic feel. Dub treatments come from the Prescription boss himself, while ASHRR's alter ego, ASHRR Soundsystem, offer up an instrumental and a remix that lay down dubby house drums and lush chord work. This one keeps the summer vibes going well into winter.
Review: Two legendary producers joined production forces in 1999 to create one timeless track that sees the light of day again here. Ron Trent and old friend Chez Damier were co-owners of one of the most important house labels of all time - Prescription Records - and they re-teamed up for this deep house classic for Ron's first full length album Primitive Arts. For the remix package, Atjazz deliveres an extended remix that amplifies the groove while maintaining the soulful depth of the original. Atjazz's signature melodic refinement and rhythmic precision shine through, making this version more uplifting yet hypnoticia lush reinterpretation that still respects its deep-rooted heritage. On Side-B, two more Ron Trent gems receive modern reworks. First up, 'Berlin Night in Paris' (Fred H Remix) transforms the 2017 track from 'Spaces and Places' EP into a chord-driven, tech-house-infused journey. Lastly, 'Cry' (Sourires Remix) delivers an atmospheric deep house experience, rich in space and emotion. Subtle yet powerful, this remix explores introspective tones, balancing melody and groove with a meditative feel. Together, these remixes further reinforce the already vast legacy of Trent and Damier in deep house history.
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