Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: A&A aka Anton Kubikov and Artem Rudakov, share a groovy, Detroit-influenced casualiser of an EP, bouncing between slipstreams of rubbery bass and slick, soulful chord voicings. Whatever said "blue transfer box" is, we're unsure whether it's wise to ask what exactly said box is transferring, or simply leave the mystery be. After all, it sounds great. And besides, we've also a 'Slow Disco Smoke Machine' to marvel at, one which wafts effortlessly between dreamboats of blue pad smoke and acidic stabs, facilitating the necessary headspace for 'Deep Thought'.

Review: Phonogramme is in the middle of a fine series of releases that highlight the great work of legendary US deep house don Abacus. Analog Stories Vol 3 opens with the lush depths of 'It's Bubbling (Short Stories)' then gets more busy with 'Beautiful African Girl' which features humid pads and jazzy keys with dense percussive layers. 'After The Disco' (Submariner edit) sinks back into smooth grooves with light sprinklings of percussion and nimble drums and last of all 'Take A Trip' (feat Keitajuma) closes out with ambient laced and late night sounds.

Review: Chicago label Future Rootz is a collective of mix media DJs who all play and rework global roots, tropical bass, world electronic and Latin house. Who better to do that than Detroit's Dez Andres, a deep-diving DJ, house head and producer with Cuban roots. He goes first here with 'El Trombone', which has a signature low-end thump with sunny Latin vocals, joyous horns and florid melodies. He then slows things down with one of his trademark remixes of AfroQbano's 'El Bucanero', which has noodling bass and poolside charm.

Review: The Alone Together Remixes EP breathes new life into Viken Arman's acclaimed 2023 album and has standout reinterpretations from Acid Pauli, Session Victim and Mano Le Tough. Session Victim first infuse 'You With Me' with their signature soul and craft a rhythmic, percussive journey. Acid Pauli blends 'You With Me' and 'Lonely Raver' into a surreal, experimental trip of modular rhythms and dreamlike textures and deep house master Mano Le Tough offers a wonderful take on 'Vibrations'. It is a pulsing club workout designed for peak-time with plenty of lush synth textures. Importantly, each remix is sympathetic to Viken's original analogue warmth.

Review: The third release from this emerging Frankfurt label is a compact showcase of their boundary-pushing ethos, fusing a variety of styles into each track without ever feeling disjointed. Side-A kstarts off with Aurelien's 'Les Yeux', a hypnotic slice of 90s techno nostalgia. Trancey flourishes shimmer across a sturdy techno framework, giving it a futuristic yet warmly vintage feel i an addictive opener that immediately pulls you in. MostWanted's 'Juanas Addiction' follows with a raw, electro-clash inspired workout. Rough edges and a cleverly placed samples create a gritty, 80s-flavoured rush that feels spontaneous and alive. Side-B opens with Philipp Boss' 'Lockdown Light', a tight tech house roller that threads a wiry acid line through breezy house rhythms, maintaining a lightness despite its driving momentum. Closing things out, Car Crushers' 'Fine' (featuring Tabi) bursts with cheeky energy i a bouncy 90s club spirit laced with hints of Euro house fun. Tabi's vocals add just the right dash of playful charisma to seal the deal. This compilation is a strong statement of intent, proof that the label isn't afraid to stir genres together in creative, dancefloor-ready ways. Every track brings its own flavor, yet the cohesion across the release feels effortless and full of personality. An EP that is full of fun.

Review: Five acts that each exists in their own sonic world but are bound by an unseen thread of musical energy. Ildec's 'Calling the Police' pulses with deep, cerebral synths, while Adrien Calvet's 'Spray Time' crafts rhythmic structures that echo the heartbeat of urban life. Ragwa's 'Kings of the Road' weaves dreamy melodies that feel like fleeting moments suspended in time, imbued with a dreamy, escapist quality. Charleze's 'Do it Right' effortlessly blends vinyl's past with the present, creating a sound that feels both nostalgic and new. Karaba's 'Bye 2002' manipulates rhythm with kinetic energy, turning beats into pure motion. Though these artists operate in different corners of the globe, their shared sense of musical intensity has brought them together on the same record, proving that distance is no barrier when the sound is this powerful.

Review: Windy City collective Future Rootz are all about mixing up worldly electronic sounds, Latin, tropical bass and global jazz. This second volume in their new series does just that with two expressive remixes of iconic Afro-Colombian tracks. On Side A, Sound Culture delivers a modern take on Son Palenque's legendary 'A Pila el Arroz,' which was originally composed by Justo Valdez for Palenque Records. He infuses it with fresh and bubbly bass and hypnotic vocal chants. On side-B, Afroqbano reimagines 'Tropical Scenes' by adding a vibrant, rhythm-heavy twist to the original that sympathetically blends traditional Afro-Colombian sounds with electronic influences into a wiggling bit of irresistible and sunny global fusion.

Review: This tasteful Spanish label always does a fine line in traditionally inclined deep house. Their latest drop brings together the talents of Andrew Lozano and Trevor Vichas. 'Don't U Feel It' kicks off with a playful skip in the drums and one of those spoken word vocals that add plenty of atmosphere. It's Demuir who remixes this one with even more light-hearted groove and jazzy Rhodes chords. Lozano and Vichas then offer 'With You' which keeps the dubby, smoky, frayed-edge house sounds rolling and 'Feel The Heat then brings a more upright groove with driving hits and swirling pads that speak to the soul.