Review: Hard Times taps Alex Arnout's Black Logic for a release that feels like a natural extension of the label's deep house legacy. Having spent his formative years on Hard Times the club's dancefloor, Arnout channels that history into four tracks that blend jazz-flecked grooves with rich, soulful textures. The opener is a crisp, funk-laced roller, its bassline locked into a groove that nods to the genre's 90s heyday. 'Back 2 Where We Were' takes a more introspective turn, its warm melodies and fluid percussion creating a late-night haze. 'Blackman' sees Beckford deliver a stirring vocal, weaving conscious lyricism into intricate instrumentation, while 'Jazz Mess' closes the set with free-flowing drums and improvisational energy.
Review: French label D3 - which when pronounced in French sounds like their word for Detroit - is a decade old and celebrates the milestone with a special three-part EP series. As has always been the case over that 10 year period, the sounds it serves up are deep and housey. This various artists affair kicks off with AsTreJinkins' slow and propulsive 'Terror' before some nice airy and live sounding broken beats from New Digital Fidelity. Moroka picks up the pace with some hi-tek soul that sounds straight from the Motor City and Byron The Aquarius shows off his mastery of the keys again with a dreamy deep cut 'Tua Su Ra'. Nico Lahs shuts down with a heavyweight beatdown in the form of 'It's Spelled BARI.'
Review: Danish artists B From E lands on the increasingly impressive French label Happiness Therapy with a trio of new EPS that delve into spirituality and pay home to the transformative power of dancing. 'Siphonophore' gets underway with a trance-laced melodic edge and high-speed drums then hypnotic neo-trance layers wash over you on the speedy 'Storm' and 'Dreams Of Sasabone' taps in the hard house revival with bouncy but funky kicks and glowing neon pads. 'Love & Joy '97 has an old-school feel with euro dance beats and warped basslines and 'Planet Love' completes the trip with a blend of psychedelic synth colours, filtered vocals and optimism in the uplifting grooves.
Review: Fresh deep garage house stylings from B From E, who's able to demonstrate they know how to do it just right. The Danish producer/DJ is evidently a treasured fixture of their label Happiness Therapy, who specialise in this kind of stuff, but rarely find so much talent or passion for the styles condensed into a single six-tracker. Topping up the label's 'Just At Night' series, cuts like 'Nirvana' and Niles Cooper's remix of 'Just At Night' and are shuffly piano-housers on the emotive side, recalling the tearjerking and dub-dued feelings of early house artists like the Wamdue Kids, but with an arguably much defter 4x4-garage flair.
Review: B From E is a Danish artist who has a trio of new EPs all coming on the French label Happiness Therapy. The concept is to explore spirituality while paying homage to the transformative power of dancing. 'Sa?s?ra Cycles' soon showcases his exceptional artistic and technical skill as it weaves through an ethereal dream house, uplifting garage and piano house and hypnotic neo-trance while highlighting his remarkable versatility. 'Diamonds' is a catchy and rubbery tech opener with Balearic chords and 'Mushrooms' has a more dubby and driving low end with lovely synth arcs way up in the heavens. These are some of the freshest cuts we've heard in a minute.
Review: B.Love is next up on Leeds legend Ralph Lawson's 20/20 label having come to his attention on Record Store Day 2024 with his Music Dance Experience EP and then later that day when playing as a resident at the Bizarre Trax party Lawson was en route to play. Here he showcases his electro sound across four cuts starting with 'Rhythm Freq', a celestial and disco-tinged sound. 'Movement Feeling' is a party starting cut with old school style and plenty of percussive lushness, then 'Soda Junior' brings louche, low-slung disco funk before 'Bisous' shuts down with more cosmic playfulness and vibrant synth colours.
La Isla De Margarita (Johannes Albert remix) (6:21)
Review: Since first making his mark midway through the last decade via a series of quietly impressive EPs on Toy Tonics, Ricardo Baez has flitted between labels, in the process alternating between throbbing, 21st century electronic disco, deep house, techno and acid. On the Florence-based artist's latest EP, a Live at Robert Johnson label debut, he delivers four varied but uniformly floor-focused affairs. So 'Tears of Joy', a glossy, warm and rolling slab of tactile deep house colour, is followed on side A by the sparse, squelchy, mind-altering and EBM-influenced throb of 'My Thursday Night'. The Italian successfully puts a twist on his nation's 1990s house history on the picturesque 'Arroz Con Leche', while Johannes Albert's rework of 'La Isla Da Margarita' cannily combines sparkling synth sounds and fizzing TB-303 motifs with weighty dub disco bass and unfussy drum machine beats.
A Soft Mist Production - "Upside Down Rainbows" (5:01)
Dr Sud - "Zaffiro" (Jazz cut) (3:59)
DatSIM - "Influx" (4:40)
The Rabbit Hole - "Tail Groove" (4:27)
Review: No matter your particular preference in the deep house world, this various artists' outing from Q1E2 Recordings is sure to have something for you. Mike Riveria & Marco Ohboy, for example, tap into an early sound on 'Euphoria' with its big, brash piano stabs and whistles, while A Soft Mist Production keeps it all cuddly and deep with languid chords draped over gentle drums on 'Upside Down Rainbows.' DatSIM brings in some space-tech vibes for a deft rhythm and neon infused sound on 'Influx' and The Rabbit Hole's 'Tail Groove' has a mad double bass sound jumping about beneath frantic jungle breaks.
Fountain Of Life Joy Choir Under The Direction Of Kevin Yancy - "I'm So Happy" (Marc Davis & Sadar Bahar edit) (6:17)
Rev Charles H Nicks Presents The Baptist Assembly Of Free Spirit Mass Choir - "Optical Illusion" (Marc Davis & Sadar Bahar edit) (7:20)
Review: If you go to the sort of quality dances where you might hear old sound disco then there is a good chance you will have lost your shit to this one at some point the past. It is a disco gospel 12" curated and edited by Chicago pair Sadar Bahar and Marc Davis. First, they up the energy levels on the joyous Fountain Of Life Joy Choir Under The Direction Of Kevin Yancy tune 'I'm So Happy' which is high speed, high spirit and life-affirming goodness. Then they tweak Rev Charles H Nicks Presents The Baptist Assembly Of Free Spirit Mass Choir's 'Optical Illusion' with swirling big band energy and magnificent organ chords.
Review: This glorious package of remixes of the BaianaSystem band draws together contemporary Brazilian sounds with plenty of modern dance floor flourishes. A?gua is the standout track from their 2018 LP and is a poem to the bands native Bahia people with the legendary Antonio Carlos & Jocafi. It is perfect material to rework for different settings and deep house don Jimpster does that with his fat bottomed, tropical remix then stripped back dub. Brazilian producer Diogo Strausz joins forces with RNT boss JKriv on the flip for a more drawn out and cosmic exploration that pumps up and down on weight bass and that lovely loose jumble of percussion.
Review: Radiating in the love she received for her debut EP, Baka G returns to Happiness Therapy with a fresh EP full to bursting with breezy, colourful dancefloor delights. For proof, check title track 'In Circles', where joyous and jazzy synth riffs, kaleidoscopic pads and eyes-closed vocal samples dance atop a 90s garage-house influenced groove. There's plenty to set the pulse racing across the other original cuts on show, from the tactile take-me-to-the-sunset vocals and warming deep house grooves of 'Delta Leonids', to the piano-powered early 90s Def Mix flex of 'The Answer Is Dance'. Also included are two fine reworks: COEO's squelchy, dreamy and sunset-ready rework of 'Delta Leonids' and a wonderfully sparkling, acid-flecked and undeniably life-affirming Marc Brauner rub of 'In Circles'.
Review: Balam's new single 'Caravana Planetaria' has already been widely tested on dance floors across the world and has reportedly never failed to make a mark. First up on the 12" is 'Caravana Planetaria' (club mix) which rides on raw drums with slapping hits and has darkened vocal loops adding the character next to spangled pads. 'Caravana Planetaria' (Guitar mix) brings more freaky energy and tense textures for the dark, later nights in the club and 'Caravana Planetaria' (Guitar instrumental) then closes out with an extra edgy sense of uneasy melody.
Review: DJ Rocca has collaborated with plenty of people before, most notably Dimitri From Paris, fellow Italian producer Leo Almunia and UK chill-out don Chris Coco, but this 12" marks his first EP-length hook-up with Afro-cosmic and cosmic disco pioneer Daniele Baldelli. Unsurprisingly, they've delivered the goods and then some. With its early Warp Records style bleeps, infectious hand percussion, squelchy bass and jammed-out Clavinet licks, 'Rolling Wave' is a future cosmic disco classic. 'Focused Image' is a more chugging and low-slung Afro-cosmic-funk workout with nods to classic house, while 'Marchin' On' adds layers of funk to a throbbing Italo-disco groove. 'Funk Infusion', meanwhile, sees the pair dial up the cosmic disco funkiness to the max. Excellent stuff, as expected!
Review: The ever-impossible to pin down Shall Not Fade label welcomes back Baltra for a first EP since his last full outing in 2019. The NYC artist's Dreaming Of A Disco EP manages to be both fuzzy, lo-fi and nostalgic but also forward looking and fresh. He opens with hazy disco loops and shimmering 80s chords underpinned by a funky bassline that cannot fail to hook you in. There's a more pumping and sweaty house groove on 'Imaginary Laughter', blissed out Balearic vibes on 'Private Paradise' and gorgeously airy and organic jazz-funk stylings layered over a nice raw four-four beat on closer 'Sunset Jam.'
Young Pulse & Fleur De Mur - "Smooth Sweet Talker" (6:53)
Review: Get yourself geared up for festival season with some fierce party starters certified with the Glitterbox stamp. Melvo Baptiste leads the charge with 'Sweat', a sizzling disco house stomper with Dames Brown giving the biggest diva energy on her show-stopping vocal. Lovebirds bring unbridled joy on the Philly string swoon and slinky b-line funk of 'Burn It Down', while Art Of Tones & Inaya Day keep it peak time on the sassy strutter 'Give My Love'. Young Pulse & Fleur De Mur complete the set with 'Smooth Sweet Talker', another bright and bold vocal cut par excellence.
Review: Nu Groove's ongoing edits series turns its attention to one of the legendary NYC's most iconic early release, Bas Noir's 1988 garage-house classic 'My Love Is Magic' - a piano-powered vocal number fronted by two female singers from New Jersey and produced by the Burrell Brothers. Their original club mix is featured (A2), alongside a trio of fresh re-edits. Bushwacka kicks things off with a deeper, more sonically detailed and marginally punchier rework that makes much of the Burrell brothers' percussion and piano stabs, before Mark Broom takes over on side two. His 'dub retouch' fittingly sounds like a piano solo-sporting NYC house dub of the late 1980s - no bad thing in our book - while his more revolutionary 'A12 mix' re-casts the track as a harder, heavier peak-time loop jam.
Review: Eclectic technoizer Basic Bastard locks arms with Detroiter Orlando Voorn, their dual sonic output being the new 'Drama' EP. The three-tracker is nothing short of a sonic adventure, spanning acid, to dub, to uncategorisable entrainments. Bastard's original 'Drama' nails the art of the acid loop, a tricky tactic that is much less masterable than one might think. Voorn remixes the track my miring its elements in a cruddy ambience, while also greedily occupying the entire B-side with the urban-hellish jazz-noise-house cut 'Survival'.
Don't Make Me Fall In Love (Timmy Regisford vocal mix) (9:16)
Don't Make Me Fall In Love (Timmy Regisford instrumental mix) (5:46)
Don't Make Me Fall In Love (Timmy Regisford Gerd Janson Bass Beat edit) (4:16)
Review: Timmy Regisford's remix of Basic Black's 'Don't Make Me Fall In Love' squarely pegs the former's vision in dance music: a fusion of uptempo soul with clear lyrical locutions and sharp grooves. As vice president and A&R at Motown, Regisford played a crucial role in the success of Basic Black's 1990 debut album, a hallmark of the new jack swing era. In his rework, the iconic DJ and co-founder of Club Shelter reimagines the track through an unmistakable New York dance lens, preserving it in the oral traditions of soul and bassy, ballroom house. Formerly a rare white label, this remix was originally exclusive to New York's DJing elite, and never officially released as a single until now. Restored from a DAT tape in Tony Humphries' archive, this rewrap includes a never-before-heard instrumental version and a bass-and-beats-only edit, cryopreserving Regisford's jackin', frosty touch.
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.
Smells Like EPA Dunk(limited hand-stamped heavyweight coloured vinyl 12" (comes on different coloured vinyl, we cannot guarantee which colour you will recieve))
Review: Swedish talent Beatconductor is back with more of his masterful mash-ups, this time looking to pop icons like Taylor Swift and more commercial house artists like Peggy Gou for inspiration across the four cuts. 'Fallin' is a nice laidback and loved-up summer vibe about the feelings of falling in love, 'Sugar & Spajs' brings old school US soul sounds to another mid-tempo groove embellished with big horns and 'Tell Me U Luv Me' is a nicely heated and cosmic disco stepper with some big vocal stabs. 'Peggy Swift' closes with effortlessly breezy and catchy disco-pop.
Crackazat - "Can't Blame A Soul" (Mana dub) (5:51)
Beatsbyhand - "SARS" (6:24)
Review: Kid Fonque presents the sixth instalment of his label Stay True Sounds' compilation series. Showcasing the best of South Africa's dynamic musical talents, this 15-track volume of intense deep house and Afro house cuts is not to be passed over. Highlights on this 12" sampler edition of the wider comp include 'We R 1', a technologically driven, syncopated, trippy Kalahari jam by China Charmeleon and Hypaphonik; and 'SARS' by Beatsbyhand, a hollering ambient amapiano mystery.
Review: Bedouin return to their Human By Default imprint with a two-track EP that showcases their signature blend of organic house and melodic techno. 'Better Than This', featuring the soulful vocals of IVETA, is based around hypnotic rhythms and emotive melodies. The track's bouncy beats and intricate synth work create an irresistible groove, while IVETA's tender vocals add a layer of soulful depth. On the flip, 'Khazna' takes a more introspective turn, its deep house soundscapes and hypnotic rhythms evoking the ancient city of Petra. The track's haunting lead melody and lush, swinging woodblocks create a mesmerising atmosphere, culminating in a euphoric climax that's sure to ignite dancefloors. With its blend of soulful vocals, hypnotic grooves and intricate sound design, 'Into The Wind' is another impressive offering from Bedouin, further solidifying their position as leaders in the world of melodic electronic music.
Review: An elusive producer, shrouded in mystery, emerges with a fresh batch of irresistible edits. With a knack for crafting infectious grooves and a growing reputation amongst discerning DJs, this anonymous artist is set to ignite dancefloors with their latest offering. Having garnered support from tastemakers like Hunne, CC: Disco and Shanti Celeste, this release is guaranteed to ignite dancefloors and satisfy discerning DJs. 'Forgive Me 1' sets the tone with its irresistible energy, while 'Forgive Me 2' offers a slightly different flavour, maintaining the infectious groove while exploring new sonic territory. Expect a collection of expertly crafted cuts, brimming with energy and primed for peak-time moments. With its limited availability, this a must-have for those seeking to add some heat to their record bags.
Review: Italian disco don and funk flexer Belabouche has landed on the likes of DiscoDat, Spare Change Disco and Gimme! Gimme. His edits and remixes are always in hot demand but here he offers up four original jams that show off his studio skills on the JDP Disco label. Flautist George alla Dispari features on 'Brooklyn', the full flavour funk fuelled opener that bustles with joy and good time vibes. 'I Gonna Miss You' is a more spaced out disco cut from the deep and 'Ikeja' then pumps the floor with squelchy bass and astral chords. 'Country Headquarters' lows to a seductive crawl to close things out.
Review: Bell Towers is ready to party and you will be too once you've be chaired by this new EP on Public Possession. The titular cut 'Party Boy' opens up with some colourful disco energy and a vocoder vocal that has a charming retro-future fee. After the instrumental comes the thrilling and high-speed loops of 'DJ, Music, Money' which are pure carnage and then things take a more downtempo direction with the deep, spaced-out sounds and lush twinkling synth patterns of closer 'Party Void'. Lots of ground is covered in this EP, all of it superb.
Review: Much loved Michigan techno and ambient virtuoso John Beltran wraps up the so far so excellent Back to Bahia 7 series with the a final volume that proves to be the most dancefloor focussed offering yet. Leading with 'O Patio,' Beltran shows his class with a blend of jazz-funk and MPB that comes with a rather sunny Ibiza-inspired twist while echoing the vibes of Latin greats like Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. On the flip side, 'Belle Isle' is a perfect party anthem for those outdoor sessions - think beach gatherings or cookouts and you won't go wrong. This has been a brilliant series and while it's a shame it's over, this is a fitting way to end it.
Review: Detroit's John Beltran can do no wrong if you ask us, and what he does do is always famously varied, from sound design for TV to melodic techno excellence via ambient beauty. Here for MotorCity Wine he revisits his Back To Bahia series with a third volume that finds him flexing his Afro-Brazilian deep house chops. The 7" opens up with the jazzy boogie of Lsaura' which is steeped in Minneapolis funk and will get cultured dancefloors in a spin. 'As The Sunsets' that appears on the flip and is a superbly emotive sound with wispy late night melodies and glowing harmonies and shuffling Latin grooves. Essential.
Review: Celebrated composer, producer, techno talent and ambient craftsman John Beltran is a real Detroit don and now he is back on one of the city's own labels, Motor City Wine, with Volume 4 of Back To Bahia on 7". This one finds him going even deeper than before, starting with 'Laguna', which will soon uplift you with its Afro-Brazilian drums and live bass from James Simonson next to lush keys. 'Just Beyond The Sun' then gets fully Balearic with its mix of sultry trumpet, shuffling and Latin-tinged rhythms and wispy cosmic chords. A real delight.
Kai Alce - "Benefit" (NDATL instrumental mix) (5:58)
Byron The Aquarius - "Sun Gods" (5:37)
Review: People Of Earth strides into the New Year with a new project called The Elements Series. Part one welcomes some serious names, not least Detroit's ambient and techno master John Beltran who kicks off with 'Nuyorico' a joyous, chord-laced house groove laden with organic percussion. Javonntte's 'Tropical Feelings' is another of his textbook deep house cuts with whispered vocals bringing a spiritual vibe. Atlanta's main man Kai Alce does his do with the jazzy synth energy of shuffling house cut 'Benefit' (NDATL instrumental mix) then Byron The Aquarius pairs things back to dusty drums and humid chords on 'Sun Gods'. This one is only for the real heads.
Beltran - "Tira A Roupa" (feat Mc Jajau - Putaria mix) (5:37)
Harvy Valencia - "Brut" (5:54)
Review: Hot Creations has now put out well over 225 records, which is no mean feat, but even more impressive is that it still very much sets the conversation for a certain section of the house world. This new EP pairs off Beltran with Harry Valencia and offers some interesting fusions of tribal, Latin, house and tech. There is a wonky feel to opener 'Origins' (3AM Tusi mix) with its characterful vocal chants and percussive grooves, while Beltran's solo cut 'Tira A Roupa' (feat Mc Jajau - Putaria mix) has a Spanish feel and a fat bass guitar riff that brings rubbery funk to the crisp tech drums. Last of all, Harvy Valencia goes it alone on closer 'Brut' which is more steamy and sweaty and ready for some sun-kissed open-air deployment.
Review: Bendrik's latest EP is inspired by Brussels' vibrant club scene and his travels to various countries. It's a work of fusion that smudges together various electronic niches with finesse and the A-side features powerful tracks like 'Dr. Martens' and 'Trust' which deliver energetic melodies perfect for peak moments. On the B-side, the cover track 'Aqualung' transitions from this intensity to a more relaxed vibe that allows more room for thought with its steady bassline and hypnotic textures. Finally, 'Shirahama' reflects the artist's explorations and soundtracks a journey through distant lands.
Review: The original only dropped last year but it soon sold out so here comes a reissue of this gem from Simoncino, known for his nostalgic house vibes, in collaboration with Benedek, a Los Angeles-based producer whose music blends atmospheric synths with elements of Balearic, proto-house, and deep boogie. The EP is a strong offering with standout tracks like 'Puffed Tribe' which combines Paul Simpson and Charles Webster influences, 'After Midnyte,' with its glistening guitars and glossy synths, and 'Badlands Oasis,' offering a more spacey and psychedelic vibe. Benedek's style bridges the gap between retro and futuristic, delivering a collection of tracks that evoke both nostalgia and anticipation.
Review: There is a great combination of the classic and the contemporary on this new Disco Disco 12". 'Paradise' is both deep yet moving, a warm tune with cuddly drums but retro chords that bring the energy. 'Latino' has shimmering hand claps and sensuous vocals with hulking great kicks that are full of promise. 'It Was Just A Dream' pairs vocoder vocals with glistening synth details and another enthralling and heavyweight house groove and 'RUFF Menace' then taps into 80s synth sounds with its stomping beats and deadpan vocals brought to life with celebratory synth chords.
Review: B2 Recordings keeps it classy with another new deep house offering from label head Bengoa. It comes hot on the heels of his last outing here in December but this time all three tracks are straight-up solo cuts with no featured guests. 'Hustler's Convention' is an emotionally intense humid, steamy cut even though the grooves are warm and hypnotic. 'Apollo' has more raw percussion and scratchy drum textures overlaid with trippy vocals and last of all is 'Fanatic,' which pairs leggy bass and drums with more swirling vocal samples and interesting broken beat patterns. Another fine outing from Bengoa then.
Review: B2 Recordings rolls out more of its quality-assured deep house here with Label head Bengoa stepping up next for a new three-tracker that comes with featured guests Kristina Berger and Brothers' Vibe. 'Idyot' kicks off with deep and pulsing synths and clacking hits that bring an early Chicago vibe next to the libidinous and erotic vocals which really tease. 'Meet Me Halfway' sinks into a super silky groove that is deep as you like and driven by stylish drum hits under a muttered vocal. 'Come On Now' then sinks into a more acid-laced atmosphere with sustained chords keeping you on edge next to loose and jumbled percussion. It's a stylistically diverse EP, this one.
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