Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: Damian Lazarus's Crosstown Rebels kicks on with more useful house fuel here, this time from the fast-rising Airrica whose playful sounds have begun to make a mark in the same way as have her DJ sets across some of the UK's most notable events. There is a garage vibe to 'Hi Speed Lover' with its dusty drums and old school melodies, while Nick Morgan remixes it into a deep-cut house groove for late nights. With 'Cherries', Airrica layers up floating beats and pads with sensual vocals to make for something that will encourage dance floors to zone out. A Kinahau reworks it into even more dreamy territory.

Review: UK house mainstays Audiojack are well entrenched in the house scene and have been forever. They have landed on plenty of key labels, established their own fine outlet, and now land on the respected Crosstown with a fresh deep house offering. 'Play With My Mind' is a nice bubbly cut with 90s chords and deft little vocal sounds. 'Casual Verve' brings some US garage style snares and a gritty, grinding bassline and 'Connect' is oozes cool from the neon synth patterns that bounce over the stripped-back beats. 'Delirium' shuts down with a libidinus vocal hook over turbo charged tech grooves.

Review: Henri Bergmann and Wennink's Guardian Angel marks an impressive debut on Crosstown Rebels, delivering a track that expertly fuses melody with depth. Bergmann's knack for sculpting rich, atmospheric landscapes is matched by Wennink's haunting vocals, creating a piece that feels both expansive and intimate. It's the kind of collaboration that hints at a shared vision without ever losing individual identity. The original track opens with textured percussion, slowly unfurling into an emotive soundscape as Wennink's vocals hover above like an ethereal guide. There's a melancholic undertone, but it's balanced by an uplifting drive, showcasing their ability to blend light and dark seamlessly. The remixes take Guardian Angel into uncharted territories. Stimming strips things back, opting for a more minimalist approach that sharpens the focus on rhythmic intensity, while his subtle use of effects amplifies the track's ethereal quality. It's a remix that feels lean but still full of intent. Hardt Antoine, on the other hand, plunges deeper into the shadows, pushing the bassline forward and letting synths stretch into eerie, sci-fi realms. His reworking is darker, stranger, and ultimately a satisfying close to the EP. With this release, Bergmann and Wennink add another strong entry to the Crosstown Rebels roster, proving that their partnership is one to keep watching.

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: Bari's Deepshakerz return to key UK label Crosstown Rebels with a tight, percussive three-tracker rooted in the crossover between Afro-tinged house and punchy, early Chicago rhythms. Opener 'Give It 2 U' throws down a sinewy blend of filtered vocal chops and tumbling drums, straddling jacking minimalism and maximal groove with characteristic flair. On the B-side, 'The Beginning Groove' slows the rush slightly, working a heady, looping motif into a more restrained late-night hypnotiser. Closer 'Green Light' features a crisp vocal from Dennis Wonder, building up a more melodic high with bright chords and bouncy swingiless brooding, more pure release. It's the Italian duo's second release for Damian Lazarus' label, and a strong showcase of their versatility within a signature sound.

Review: Crosstown Rebels shows something of a different side to usual here - where it normally deals in steely late-night tech, this new one from Dino Lenny - an Italian veteran who has done it all in his time - is a more lush and deep vocal house offering. 'I've Learned That' rolls with a carefree vibe and soulful male and female vocals next to lush strings. A Dino and Fred Conti remix pairs it back to a more funky minimal house vibe and then Shadow Child brings some catchy and juicy garage moves to his remix while Jonathan Kaspar swings low and dubby with his artful rework.

Review: Cameron Jack returns to Crosstown Rebels with his first EP on the label, delivering a standout offering that showcases two collaborations with vocalist Liz Cass and two solo productions. London-born, Ibiza-based DJ/producer Cameron quickly rises in the house scene, supported by key figures like Damian Lazarus, Blond:ish and Lee Burridge. 2024 sees him sharing stages with Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones, and DJ Tennis, further solidifying his presence. On 'The Late Shift,' he explores his late-night sound with 'Dusk Till Dawn,' a track that blends deep grooves with Liz's seductive vocals, and 'Move Your Body,' which invites listeners into an infectious dancefloor moment. The solo tracks 'Get High And Dance' and 'Won't You?' round off the release, keeping the energy rolling with captivating rhythms.

Review: Sometimes it's wise not to over-attach oneself to a set of four walls and a roof and call it "home". Joeski and Troy Dillard prove to know it as much on 'Music Is My Home', a brilliantly soulful Afro-house roller of tearjerking proportions, and which comes backed by an wildout dub mix on the B. We'd not be surprised if this one did well in the charts; Dillard's vocals unfold over and above Joeski's static shuffles like elysian sobs, singing of safe places to go and defiant personalities to adopt, in stark contrast to what or who anyone else thinks Dillard should be. Brooklyn-Queens emigre Joeski says of the song, "This is a continuation of my collaboration with Troy Dillard from over 20 years ago when we worked on 'Hold on to Your Love', which went on to become my biggest record. Reuniting with Troy and working on this project has been special" - we don't doubt it - could it become his second biggest, even?

Review: Having set out his stall via an EP for Crosstown Rebels' Rebellion sub-label, Puerto Rican producer Cali Lanauze graduates to Damian Lazarus's main imprint. His love of South American and Caribbean percussion sounds comes to the fore on opener (and title track) 'Borderline', where Cari Golden's atmospheric lead vocals rise above a booming bassline, raw analogue electronics and punchy house beats. Lanauze once again doffs a cap to Latin rhythms and drum sounds on the deeper, creepier and even weightier 'Temple of My Confessions', before adding sinewy strings, deep space chords and trippy spoken word snippets to a sub-heavy tech-house groove on the gargantuan 'Talk To My People'.

Review: Crosstown Rebels compere Damian Lazarus teams up with fellow musician and singer-songwriter Jem Cooke, with new track 'Searchin'': a primeval precognition of the big bad boss man's upcoming fifth album on the label, Magickal. Though it's been released digitally with a focus on Bullet Tooth's remix on the B-side, this blue-innered vinyl edition compiles all three of the track's versions, also clocking a sure-to-be much-spun Radio Slave remix on the B. The original is an FM-led brooder with posterities of bleep techno and darkside fidget house. Cooke's vocals belt searchingly against burbling synthwork, while Bullet Tooth's remix takes a tempting dark garage turn, risking briar-shod paths of bass as Cooke's refrain is made gothic. Slave's version is, as ever, hardly slavish, preferring a more tensile daytime vibe of subtle piano and muted vox.

Review: Damian Lazarus returns to Crosstown Rebels with 'Sunrise Generation', featuring the celebrated vocals of singer-songwriter Fink. Set for release on November 8, 2024, this highly anticipated track marks Lazarus' first solo material on the label in over a year, following his Grammy-nominated collaboration with Diplo and Jungle. 'Sunrise Generation' captures the euphoric energy of sunrise, blending emotive soundscapes with Lazarus' signature atmospheric style. Norwegian talent Meera, a rising star within the Crosstown Rebels family, contributes a deep, textured remix, adding fresh layers to Fink's haunting vocals. This release reaffirms Lazarus' position as a visionary force within the electronic music scene.

Review: Damian Lazarus and JOJO ABOT's work here is a powerful collaboration that pushes the boundaries of what we expect from the Crosstown Rebels label. On the surface, it's a pulsating dancefloor track, but there's so much more lurking beneath the surface. Built on a foundation of driving rhythms and intricate textures, the track weaves JOJO ABOT's bewitching vocals with hypnotic grooves and subtle amapiano influences, creating something that's both immersive and unpredictable. The Major League Djz remix elevates the energy, turning up the intensity with a deep, groovy progression that feels like it could keep the party going for hours. Meanwhile, Raxon's rework introduces a darker, more atmospheric edge with his signature off-kilter bassline and sharp, rolling percussioniadding depth while still maintaining the track's core essence. Warrior Dance shows Lazarus' unerring ear for talent and his ability to curate soundscapes that speak to both the mind and the feet.

Review: Mita Gami and EREZ unite for 'Where's My Voice?', connecting thrilling Tel Aviv, nighttime NYC and lit LA. Their debut on Damian Lazarus' Crosstown Rebels follows earlier releases on Borders of Light, and also introduces EREZ to the fold. Mainstay Gami, a fixture on the Tel Aviv scene, also here returns a lauded remix of Parallelle & Nicolas Masseyeff's recent single 'Renegade'. EREZ too reiterates his productive intricacies, rejoining after standout releases on Get Physical Music and Discotexas. 'Where's My Voice?' blends EREZ's entrances with rhythmic infections, scaffolding organic percs about a vocal formwork. Samer Soltan's remix deepens the mood, lengthening the three-word motif across a brooding extension.

Review: The long-running and always quietly assured Crosstown Rebels kicks off yet another new year with some deep offerings from Oceanvs Orientalis featuring Idil Mese. 'Heart Pieces' is a delightful coming together of organic trumpets and loose percussion with a languid house groove, funky little riffs and heavenly vocal coos. The Mustafa Ismaeel remix brings some grit to proceedings for more of a club-ready sound and then Ibiza-based Leeds man Nightmares On Wax offers his typically laidback and sun-kissed take on things with a deep one to start and a dubby once to finish.

Review: Harry Romero returns to Crosstown Rebels as he links with vocalist Shyam P for 'Mind Games'. With a catalogue as rich as any and continuing at the top of his game two decades after his emergence within New York's fabled nightlife scene, Romero continues to serve up his own take of Latin-inspired and percussive-driven house music via a long list of the industry's leading imprints. Crafting a slick and heady groove before launching into a hypnotic haze accenting by a bubbling bassline, 'Mind Games' is an infectious and vibrant house cut as Shyam P's alluring vocals take hold amongst emotive builds and breaks. 'Mira', after, is a classic Romero offering as the focus shifts to crisp organic percussion arrangements, carnival-esque whistles and hooky Latin vocals for a bustling terrace number, before 'Analog Bugz' takes cues from its title as crisp drum shots and sharp stabs unite to create a no-nonsense builder made for the main room.

Review: Secret Echoes, the Mexican trio of Estefani Brolo, Diego Cevallos and Marco Balcazar, are back with 'Particles', a release that builds on their promising 'Bring My Beat Back' debut with Crosstown Rebels. The first track is a deep, groovy journey, led by Brolo's ethereal vocals which blend seamlessly with wonky synths and a rolling rhythm. It's a track that effortlessly flows from introspective moments to dancefloor-ready energy. On the B-side, Greek DJ and producer Angelos gives the track a fresh spin. Known for his Grammy-winning work with Black Coffee, his remix brings a new level of drive and emotion, layering pulsating beats with rich melodies, making it perfect for the late-night crowd. Particles is a great follow-up, offering a glimpse into the trio's upcoming LP. With their unique sound and growing presence, Secret Echoes are showing they're ones to watch in the electronic scene.

Review: Mexican supergroup Secret Echoes make a strong debut on Crosstown Rebels with their single 'Bring My Beat Back'. Comprising the talents of Estefani Brolo, Diego Cevallos and Marco Balcazar, this trio blend their diverse musical backgrounds into a unique fusion of sound that promises to resonate with electronic music fans globally. The main track is a compelling mix of house music foundations, elevated by Brolo's mesmerising vocals, shimmering synths and polished percussion grooves. The result is a silky production that balances classic house elements with modern, dancefloor ready touches. The origins of Secret Echoes trace back to the pandemic, where Cevallos and Balcazar began working on a long-envisioned album. After Brolo joined, the project flourished, leading to the creation of 11 tracks, with 'Bring My Beat Back' catching the eye of Crosstown Rebels founder Damian Lazarus. Adding to the release, Zombies In Miami deliver a remix that infuses the track with neon-lit synths and hazy tones, perfect for late-night sets. An exciting preview of what's to come from Secret Echoes for sure.

Review: Boston pair Soul Clap land on UK staple Crosstown rebels and bring their signature E-funk sound across a quarter of tunes that also draw on garage and deep house. 'Gone Stumblin' is effortlessly breezy with swirling, aloof vocals up top, a knotted bassline and dusty drums and percussion making a nice late-night vibe. The dub version is bigger, with twisted stabs and frazzled leads rewiring the energy and 'Unifying Force' is a swirling, gooey sound with an old school FM bassline and classic vocal sample bringing the heat. 'Gone Stumblin (bonus version)' is a second take on the original with some fun drum patterns and big raw snares to amp up the vibes.

Review: Damian Lazarus's Crosstown Rebels continues to serve up top tech tools for jobbing DJs with a new one from Ben Sterling. It's very nearly the label's 300th release and one that does damage from the off: 'Don't Truss' (feat Caitlyn Scarlett) may or may not be referring to one of the shortest-ever prime ministerial chapters in this country's rich history, but what it does do is lock you into the steamy and sweaty drum funk and melt your heart with its superbly angelic vocal. On the flip is 'Bring Me To The Surface' which is a more wonky workout with whirring machines, beeps and squeaks over a punchy tech beat.