Review: Naarm-based producer Sam Alfred shows no signs of slowing down as we continue to be impressed by the material coming out of Australia right now. After releasing the energetic 'Suzuka' EP, completing a sold-out headline tour and playing a packed set at MODE Festival, he's now back with more full flavour beats. This one disk off with a real house anthem inspired by 90s club music with punchy piano, airy synths, and a driving cowbell rhythm. 'Care 4 U' has carefree garage house vibes a la salute, 'Keep It' brings some euro dance and trance energy and 'Distance' is a peak-time acid-laced pumper. Brilliant stuff.
Review: Aniruddha Das (DSPSSSSD) and Gary 'Roy' Stewart (Dubmorphology) have been collaborating since the mid '80s as Dubnoiz Coalition. While Das went on to acclaim as part of Asian Dub Foundation, Stewart is an experimental artist producing sound design and immersive works for the likes of Tate Museum. Back in 1990, they created some of their first tracks as Ani-Roy, mixing the early influences of acid house with their interest in drone and sound effects, the results being the improvised jams 'Tilt' and 'Fari 116'. They were pressed as very limited white labels, remastered and reissued some 30 years later here on Platform 23.
Review: The second instalment of Stolen Goods' Back to Back series brings together two stalwarts of the scene: Italian veteran Lele Sacchi and Italo-Spanish beat master Bawrut. Known for their contributions to the electronic dancefloor landscape, both artists deliver peak-time bangers primed for club euphoria. Bawrut's track showcases his signature blend of retro-future rave, drawing on his extensive experience with labels like Life & Death and Correspondant. Meanwhile, Sacchi, with nearly three decades of DJ experience, infuses his production with funky deep grooves and killer stabs, epitomizing peak-time monster attitude. With nods to acid house and electro-techno, this release epitomises Stolen Goods' ethos of delivering messages From Clubbers to Clubbers, promising dancefloor ecstasy for discerning audiences.
Review: Ali Berger has long been known for crafting soulful, dynamic house music whether through his label Trackland or releases on Spectral Sound, Clave House, Firm Tracks, and FCR. He also performs solo or with Davis Galvin as Hits Only when his unique touch always remains evident. This new 12" features four tracks that blend uplifting and introspective house vibes and it oozes class. Opener 'Sun Rising On Harmony' boasts an infectious bass line and melody, while 'Inside,' offers a classic acid house feel. On the B-side, you have the lovely 'Thoughts Like Light Snow' which delivers an alluring electro twist, while 'Mint Leaf' closes with a rich bass line and intricate details.
Nicola Brusegan, Camilo Gil - "Take A Groove" (6:27)
Nicola Brusegan, Camilo Gil - "Take A Groove" (Jorge Caiado remix) (6:12)
Review: Renowned producer Bodeler makes his mark on the newly emerging Minimal Brooklin label with a masterful display of minimalism on his A1 cut, then respected Argentinian Franco Cinelli remixes and delivers something immersive. On the B-side, Nicola Brusegan and Camilo Gil unite to create a soulful deep house track complete with lush chords and pulsating basslines, and this one is paired with a remix from Jorge Caiado that is sure to electrify dance floors thanks to his knack for crafting statement-making sound and pulsating acid vibes.
Review: A welcome return to action from Studio Barnhus boss man Axel Boman, who has been surprisingly quiet since the release of his excellent Luz/Quest For Fire double album in 2022. On the Space Drag EP, Boman showcases the depth, variety and imaginative eccentricity of his deep house productions to the full. For proof, check side A, where the ghostly, stab-happy hedonism of 'Acid Left and Right' - all bubbly TB-303 motifs, synth-strings, digital woodblock lines and repetitive bleeps - is followed by the druggy, dubby and percussively dense Latin house quirkiness of 'Forever Latino'. He throws in a fine curveball in the shape of 'Space Drag', where looped-effects laden Swedish vocal samples and woozy chords ride a tight kick-snare pattern and deep, warm bass, before closing things out via the picturesque breakbeat house deepness of 'Ohh Baby'.
Review: Chicago house artists don't come much bigger or more accomplished than Boo Williams. The man has a famous signature sound that is full of party but never short on class. His chunky drums are always the foundational element and they come embellished with superb synth work. This new EP on Pariter finds him lean into tech with the loopy acid squelches of '303 Effect' keeping you in suspense, 'Acid Smoke' layering soft 303 lines into a punchy deep house cut and then comes the EP highlight, 'Extension Time'. It's a zoned-out roller with tender piano chords turning you inwards for deep reflection as the rubbery drums keep things moving.
Review: Stefan Braatz's latest EP, Outlaw, on Nu Groove, showcases his timeless sound and genre-defying approach. With a career spanning three decades, Braatz is celebrated for his diverse expertise, blending old-school reverence with contemporary techniques. The title track, featuring vocals from Chicago house pioneer Harry Dennis, kicks off the EP with Braatz's signature synth energy complemented by Dennis's effortless flow. The following solo tracks further exemplify Braatz's defiance of genre constraints: 'Conversation' engages in a euphoric dialogue between synth strings and piano loops, while 'Dingy Thoughts' and 'One More Dream' delve into darker club territories with intense, pulsating rhythms.
Review: Steve Bug is going on 30+ years of writing electronic music and travelling the world as a top DJ with no signs of letting up. It Just Happened is his latest and finds its way to the legendary and iconic Nu Groove records. It must be daunting to release music on such an amazing label. 'It Just Happened' has all the makings of a classic worthy enough for the Nu Groove logo. Veteran Cle who has worked on many projects with Steve is featured here as well. For those that really know Steve Bug's background, they know he is equally involved in house music as he is with techno. Tracks like 'Crew Thing' show his ability to make a standout house track while 'House Music Transcends' closes things out with your hands in the air. We respect Steve Bug so much for his work over the years. When he is old skool mode like he is on this EP, you just have to say respect to the man. Respect!
Review: Lefferis Kalabakas may have been making and releasing music as Lee Burton for the best part of 14 years - largely for labels like Raum Musik and Up The Stuss - but this tidy EP still marks his first outing on German giant Rawax. He starts in confident mood via energy-packed peak-time workout 'Party Crusher', where acid licks, Yorkshire bleeps and piano riffs rise above an early LFO-inspired groove, before opting for a mid-90s-MK-goes-psychedelic flex on 'Nismo'. Over on the flip, 'VOT' is a rolling, acid-flecked, organ-sporting slab of rushing dancefloor positivity, while 'Zero G' is a raging, TB-303 heavy acid-breaks roller.
Review: Erol Alkan's faultless Phantasy Sound is one of the most high-quality but musically hard to predict labels out there. British Ugandan DJ Josh Caffe has dropped a few killers here before and has a full length coming later in the year but first is 'Meine Lederjeans'. It's a slow-motion electro-funk cut which vocals that drip with Prince-style sexuality and soul. The Paranoid London remix then does what Paranoid London remixes do - bring the grit, grime and sleaze. It's a raw and frazzled remix with early Chicago acid-house vibes. A superb EP with two very different but equally standout tunes.
Review: Not everyone 'gets' house. First, there are those who dismiss it as mindless 4x4 schlock; then, even amongst those who ostensibly enjoy the moods that the genre lays down, there are still individuals who fail to appreciate the subtleties that glue the spaces between the beats, or the musicality that holds the tunes together as opposed the lacks thereof that might make them flop. Whatever the case, Calisto's Definitive Classic (TM) 'Get House' is an ahead-of-its-time house pioneers' artifact, coming as an early example of what some might call tech house, albeit nowadays most would simply assume is acid or breakbeat. Indeed, to truly be able to appreciate the differences betweem genres, you have to just, you know, kinda, just 'get it'.
Review: Carlita comes hot off the heels of a recent remix of Diplo's 'Don't Be Afraid' with a fresh EP for Life And Death. Tinged with inflections from Italo house to ambient techno, 'Bon Trip' and 'Run Run Run' are dreamlike trips through chordy syncopation and whirly vocal. By far the best aspect of this EP is the techno remix by Krystal Klear, which has a sprinkling of autotune that's been amped up to French house levels. A glossy and ear-piquing new EP.
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.
Let It (Give Me Back My Love) (feat AbbieLee) (5:55)
Another Dawn (vocal mix) (5:07)
The Bassline (Kerri Dark mix) (7:09)
The Breeze (7:57)
Review: New Jersey house don Kerri Chandler is rightfully lauded as a hero of the scene. He continues to pour his heart and soul into every record and imbue his music with real-world emotions that elevate his tunes. He is of course a master of a deep but driving sound that borrows from soul, funk and jazz in ignitible ways. The third volume of his Lost & Found EP series on his own label Kaoz Theory is packed with more gold, from the slinky depths of 'Let It (Give Me Back My Love)' to the soul staring vocal work of 'Another Dawn' via more paired back sounds on 'The Bassline' (Kerri Dark mix) and the percussive energy of 'The Breeze.' Yet another essential Kerri 12" for your collection.
Review: (Emotional) Especial looks to the emergent producer that is Chez De Milo for a new EP that collides the energy of Glastonbury, historic echoes of the free party scene and the psychedelic electronics of Bristol and the West Country into four fresh new cuts here. 'Et Al' is a mystic late-night house cut with crisp hits and spooky synths keeping you on edge, while 'Gieser' is dark and paranoid as the churning beats and snaking leads tempt you into the shadows. 'Kremer' keeps you locked in a synth-heavy and transcendental suspense at the heart of the dancefloor with Egyptian folk samples and ethnic grooves and 'Thus One' is a razor-sharp electro closer.
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.
Peter Seiler - "Timebend" (feat Sheryl Hackett) (4:32)
Eoism - "Ultraverse" (5:00)
Voertuig - "Cego" (5:19)
Voertuig - "808 Ambient Jazz" (3:45)
Eoism - "Even Flow" (5:45)
Review: Colkin from Raw Soul and Mauke Club sets the tone on this new FUTUR compilation, which has been curated by Benedikt Meger with a spherical acid house meditation. Peter Seiler's track, a standout from the reissue of his debut album Flying Frames, features Sheryl Hackett's soulful vocals and merges song structure with jazz improvisation. Eoism from Pulse Drift, Undersound, and Inch By Inch delivers low-swung electro flavours perfect for sunset vibes while the B-side opens with Voertuig of Tonal Oceans and Cobra Club who presents a seriously raw acid jam followed by an experimental, jazzy piece, reminiscent of the 90s downtempo era. 'Eoism' closes things with a floating, futuristic banger, going to make a well rounded (in more ways than one) and ultimately very useful piece of vinyl.
Review: Couple Looking is a brand new project that brings together the Funnuvojere label head Massimiliano Pagliara with his Berlin-based mate and fellow DJ Chris Cruse, who is known as the force behind the LA queer party Spotlight as well as being involved with the legendary Club Toilet in Detroit. They have plenty of studio skills between them as this EP shows with its mix of raw lines and silky synth-scapes. 'For The Remote' is caustic and acidic house music from the old school, 'For A Snack' then builds the pressure with a taught bassline and twinking keys over more jacked-up drums. 'For K' is an uplifting house sound and 'For You' is balmy and dreamy chug-house.
Review: Swiss scene stalwart Dan Piu is celebrating 30 years as an active producer. Fittingly, his latest EP - the first in a series of six - dives into his archive of unreleased recordings and delivers a quartet of tracks laid to (digital) tape in the early years of his career. The influence of early Warp Records releases and the wider bleep & bass movement is evident from the start, where 'Aromatic Love Potion 23' offers a perfect fusion of deep sub-bass, bleeping lead lines, Rob Gordon style percussion programming and ghostly chords. 'Hypnophobia' is weighty, warming and acid-smothered shuffle through deep bleep pastures, while 'Space Bleepin In A Street Moment' pays tribute to Leeds label Bassic Records (and specifically releases by Juno and Ability II). Finally, 'Transmania' combines the warmth and beauty of deep house with authentic bleep techno sonics.
Review: Shall Not Fade has proven over the last five plus years that whatever sounds it turns its hand to it does with style. Mostly that is deep house and garage but here we have some warehouse-ready techno from Dasco. 'Powerful Woman' has mid-tempo drums that are run through with a supple and subtle acid line and repeated vocal phrasings that lock you into the trip. 'Acid Queen' jacks a bit more, with raw analogue drums and vintage cow bell sounds before the 303 takes over, then Johannes Volk really bangs the box with his hardcore house remix, full of splintered kicks and dusty hi hats. Chicago Skyway brings plenty of Windy City texture to his version.
Review: Chicago based producer Tai Davis first came to light earlier this year with the Made In Chicago 12" on Dizzy Tunes, and now he follows that up with an EP on the ever productive Vibraphone. As the title No Computers Necessary would suggest, this is classically-rooted house music with all the charm the hardware process provides. Davis' productions are bright, melodic creations with rock solid grooves and strong hooks for all kinds of good times, with B2 track "Floating" standing out with its strafing acid line punching out into a decidedly ethereal soundscape.
Review: For the uninitiated, DELINSTR is an alternative alias of Shewey Trax regulars Delicate Instruments, a Californian duo known for the decidedly intergalactic, cosmic and West Coast-friendly nature of the deep house sound. They stretch out a little stylistically on this four-tracker, confidently striding between sleazy and mind-mangling acid jackers (the raw and breathless 'Here We Go'), dubby and bleeping deep house headiness ('Earth Game (DELINSTR Winning Mix)', thumping aural intensity (the alternative 'Loud & Clear' version of 'Here We Go') and intergalactic house/techno fusion (the excellent 'Deeper Into Space'). All four tracks sound immediate and loose round the edges, as if they started life as live studio jams.
Review: Demujna keeps it class as always on this latest offering on the long running and reliable Permanent Vacation label. His Bring Back Love EP kicks off with some twitchy acid modulations and smeared strong samples, thumping kicks on 'Will You Hate Me' then picks up the pace with some cruising house beats and metallic synth sounds that twist and turn in evocative fashion. 'Back For More' is a winky one with sugar chords and blurts of melodic colour and 'What To Do With That' shuts down with some slapping hits and mangled vocals for an emotive finish.
Review: Berlin's Cocktail d'Amore and Tokyo's Ene Records have come together once again to present the music of Solidair. The duo of Cocktail alumni Luigi Di Venere and Jules Etienne present three tracks aimed to induce a dance floor hypnosis. Orgonite (Riding the Waves) does just that, a slow build awash in the ebb and flow of acid tinges, just enough to wet your whistle on a Saturday night. The original mix keeps the skeletal support but throws in a life preserver of 8 bit gaming synthesis. Frisky arps call and respond to each other before making way for sinewy pads to lift off. Tiger's Eye sets itself onto cruising speed incorporating elements of late 90's acid techno with the sleek and smooth clubbing aesthetics of modern day Berlin.
Review: Cyclo Records starts the New Year right with a label debut from Dis Oui, a collective from South-West France. In its original form (track one), 'Take a Pill' is an intriguing fusion of styles, in which hands-aloft piano stabs, subtle acid tweaks, rushing chords and heavily accented English vocals rise above rock-solid electro-house beats and a joyously squelchy bassline. There's an accompanying instrumental mix for those who are less keen on the vocals and a fiendishly heavy, mind-altering 'Acid Mix'. This is naturally built around a wild, intense and psychedelic TB-303 line and offers a breathlessly rugged, ragged and intense take for those searching for something that's as raw and gnarled as it is trippy and strobelight ready.
Review: The fourth release on the promising London's Shadow Pressings label is creating quite the buzz already. This five-track collection feels like an unearthed Detroit classic, expertly blending Chicago and Detroit influences into timeless dancefloor gems. Side-1 opens with 'Last Night Baby', a tracky, beat-machine-driven house cut reminiscent of Derrick May's groove-laden style. Beautiful piano keys float atop the rhythm, adding a touch of elegance to the infectious beats. 'XNXX' follows with a deep house and techno edge late 80s vibe that channels Detroit sounds with a rich, authentic warmth. Flipping over to Side-2, the title track 'Can I Tell You?' delivers tribal goodness with euphoric, melodic moments, while 'Step For' keeps things lively with fun chords, a snappy beat and a dubby, acid house twist that evolves into a serious groover. Closing out the EP is 'One In A Life Time', a futuristic end-of-the-night anthem with claps and a slightly jackin' feel. More proof this is a label to watch.
Review: Nu Groove is one of those labels that everyone who knows recognises as having played a key part in the early house movement. Based out of the New York scene on the East Coast it had a distinctive 90s deep house sound which DJ Steaw now taps into but with his own twist. His grooves are jacked up and analogue, densely packed but high on warmth and soul. 'Take It There' is a prickly opener and 'Seascape' then brings some acid. 'Close To U' has a more low-slung groove that is peppered with raw claps and last of all, 'Exotica' brings some cosmic synth work to crisp, funked-up and electro-tinged rhythms.
Review: For the latest missive on his 90s house inspired Theory of Swing label, producer-turned-imprint founder Davide Disanto (best known as St David) has donned the alternative DJ Stenn alias and joined forces with No Hype DJ's partner DJ Stanic (AKA Saverio Ricci). What they've delivered is rooted in their joint love of Dance Mania releases of the 90s and the driving, bumping and frequently heavy sound of DJ Sneak. So, the redlined beats, fizzing electronics and jacking drum fills of 'Houz Party' is followed by the chopped-up vocal snippets and pounding grooves of 'Crazy Wild', the acid-fired peak-time sleaze of 'Work That Pussy' and the jacking body music of 'Loose My Headz'. Proper sweat-soaked club jams - more please!
Review: Eris Drew, "high priestess of the motherbeat", drops her second release of 2024, reflecting her genre-mashing DJ style with a cheeky slice of stab-infused club magic. Tribal house marching, tightly marshalled breaks, glitchy bleepiness, bubbling arps and a celestial melodic ether - this one's got it all. Label founder Baby Rollen reinvents it via a slightly more rave-orientated remix, while retaining a solid base of beats and bass perfect for modern floors, before Gallegos closes things with a more epic, slow burning version that echoes some of Carl Craig's raw but irresistibly danceable work under the 69 banner. Triple, tasty trouble!
Review: DVDE is an alias that reminds us of the TV wind-up merchant Phonejacker, and there sure is plenty of jack to the beast cooked up by this emerging artist. Their Ultralucid Paris EP is an old school house workout that starts with the acid-laced title track with its early Chicago drums and dark vocals. 'Good Morning England' then winds up the energy levels with more wonky synths and brain-frying acid lines and then the EP closes with flip-side jam 'Dramacid' featuring the one and only San Proper. It's an uneven and sleazy house cut with crunchy drums and San's vocals and funky guitar riffs bringing to life the prickly 303s.
Review: Drop Music marks a quarter of a century of reliable and ever-on-point sounds with a special series of EPs that embodies what it's always been about, offering up both classics and never-before-released tunes. This one kicks off with 'Make A Move' which is chunky low-slung tech. It unfolds at a relatively slow tempo but that gives the fat acid gurgles time to really hit. Inland Knights then serves up the next three cuts, starting with the bass bin bothering sounds of 'Push It', the more silky tech loops of 'Long Time' and the vocal-laced acid-tech swagger of 'Same Talk.' Here's to the next 25 years.
Review: One of Detroit's finest, Lauren Flax aligns with the Chiwax label for a debut offering of ultra-rough, juking, retrofuturistic daydreams in four tracks. Like a rose blossoming from a thorny stem, this EP starts out raw and slowly fans out into the subtler tricks of multilayering and accoutrement. 'Jack The Haus' is the tweezy, 16-bit hardware jam; then there's 'The Cheeky Whistle Song', which, compared to the first track, betrays a contrasting taste for cascading arps and subtle melodies in the surround mix. 'D-Troit' returns somewhat to the initial Detroit bounce mood, while Lis Sarroca's remix rounds things off with a softer, out-your-face breaks-house beeper.
Review: Amongst Larry Heard's many, many celebrated achievements in the field of pioneering house music, the Gherkin Jerks tracks have a certain magnetism thanks to their downright nasty rawness. The original late 80s 12"s have been revisited in the past, but now the bonus tracks originally released on a comprehensive 2013 compilation get their own outing, cut to wax for the first time to serve all those who love their foundational house as rough as it comes. 'Psychotic Fantasy' is a dissonant masterpiece of gnarly acid, while 'Rezynator' has a slightly more melodic demeanour alongside its own grubby brilliance. The 'Original Full Take' of 'Ecstasy' is a slow-burning monster of needlepoint 303 tweaking and bludgeoned beats which jacks out for a full eight minutes.
Review: (Emotional) Especial and Giraffi Dog join forces once more to offer up the second installment of their concept EP series. It is focussed on live and studio collaborations and this one comes in two halves: the first half kicks off with '6th Chakra' (feat DJ Deflektorschild) - a fully live deep house and hi-tek soul exploration with mind-expanding synths and Detroit drum sounds. 'King OTN' is a jack dup acid cut ripped with cosmic synth details and 'DX Metero' has sheet metal synths lashing about next to ethereal synths and busted drum breaks. 'Starfather' is a star-facing closer with elegant piano notes dancing over serene grooves. A vital showcase of this essential live artist.
Review: 'Loose Fit' isn't always the first song name that springs to mind when thinking about the Happy Mondays, but the immediately identifiable opiate guitar riff is up there with the band's most memorable and infectious. A highlight of the group's third album, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, the track was already dancefloor ready before this pack of re-dos arrived on the scene. We're glad it did, though. Greg Wilson and Che Wilson open the scoring, keeping things thoroughly Manchester and acid-tinged, it's a trip through the blue lights and sweat of a warehouse at 2AM. The Grid's EOE Edit and subsequent Remix take the tempo down and the atmosphere deeper, almost druggier if that could humanly be possible given the wider context here. Topped off with a post-club overture in the form of the epic downbeat Perfecto version, and you might want to stick it in the shopping cart now.
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