Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: Though now almost at 20 releases deep, the EEE label and production outfit remain a mystery to us. What we do know is that since debuting in 2017 they have served up a steady stream of playful, charming, accessible edits and mash-ups across the house and minimal spectrum. 'Dubs 4 Clubs' takes a classic vocal that keeps pushing on with thudding kicks, a rolling bassline and enough synth detail to make it a standout in plenty of Ibiza sets this summer.

Review: Tom Ellis has always worked away in his own little world, crafting immersive electronic music with lush synths, plenty of his own pensive piano playing and a blend of influences from deep house to minimal. His next outing is on the Onysia label and showcases his deft touch across four jams, starting with the jazzy minimal dancer that is 'Moving Target'. 'Grounded' has more propulsive drums but still a lightness of touch that makes it arty and heady then 'Next Year' and 'Process Trust' shut down with cosmic twists.

Review: Diagonal Records gives itself over to Australian rising star Jonus Eric, who is sure to have a big year if this is anything to go by. His new EP follows on from a fine recent outing on Gerd Janson's Running Back and once again it finds him serving up six tracks of sample-rich, psychedelic house music with a loveably rase aesthetic. it; shard not to hear the sounds of Theo Parrish echoing through the mechanical house sounds of opener 'Darkwhirl' then the funk-driven 'Crimewave' cuts more loose, the gnarly 'Shapeshift' contorts body and mind and 'Polarity' is a 90s IDM-infused finale. What a trip!

Review: Depending on your age, you may not know that a pager was a little communications device that briefly became popular before mobile phones. This incarnation of Pager we much prefer - deep house with real meaning. Phil Evans opens this latest transmission with 'Chocolate Funk' which is a low key viber with nice melodies and some cool swagger. Aline Umber & Maxime DB then combine for a dazzling blend of smeared 80s chords and rasping bass. Markus Sommer ups the ante with more slinky and speedy beats and Rocky's 'Aquaticmaneuvers' brings nice rawness to close.

Review: The ever shadowy Explorations label - background info about whose releases are notoriously difficult to find - follow up their recent unknown artist remix of George Duke's 'Brazilian Love Affair' with a second remix from Chicago house music legend Jordan Fields. As far as we can tell, Fields is the first named artist to appear on the label, lending the whole outing an extra-musty shroud of cool. We're not sure what song exactly 'As Always' is a remix of - it's not a take on Stevie Wonder, nor is it a version of 'I'll Be Loving You' by 1993 one-hit-wonder freestyle act Collage - so we're sad to say we're stumped on the chain of ideas behind this one, unlike the Benson rerub. We will say, however, that this is a wicked dub disco lick, with Fields' generous use of phrase-stop dub delays lending the track a real cool enjambment. Oh, and it comes to an ultra-limited randomly splatter coloured 100-record run; just like the intermittence of Explorations' releases, you can't be sure which colour you'll receive.

Review: The third volume in Colpo Grosso's edits series amounts to yet another slinky slice of sensual post-Italo disco sundries. With each original artist and track title on the record respectively lent a three-letter and N-letter abbreviation, we'll leave it to you to piece together the puzzle as regards to whose source material is being reworked here. On this occasion, the hired hands are Massimo Voci, M.B. Funk, Wandevogel and Legowelt, each of whose takes on the various steam-downs and sweat lodgings of the genius genre that is Italo amount to four farther, slammingly sexual condensations of the sound. Our fave has to be Vandevogel's version of 'PRNDLCS', which starts out dramatically downcast before launching into a well-placed implantation of baritone sax and *bonne brisse* vocals.

Review: 'Fix The Pitches On Your Old Turntables To Improve Quality Of Life' on Mud Trax Russia delivers a dynamic and immersive experience in the world of minimal and tech house. The first side opens with Kirill Matveev and Wiklauri's 'Ioli (Kirill Version)', a track that offers a strong, late-night tech house vibe, filled with a driving techno sound. Ataneus' 'Napolitaner' follows, a deeper, chord-based piece with an atmospheric quality and fast-paced tech house elements, designed to energize the dancefloor. On the flip side, Genning's 'Red Lights' brings a fusion of dub techno with flighty, melodic techno sounds, building energy through airy, atmospheric layers. Etzu Mahkayah's 'Cs-13' closes the compilation with a melodic tech house track that introduces trance-like elements, offering a spacey, progressive soundscape. Each track expertly balances depth with dancefloor energy, creating an album that is both atmospheric and immersive, perfect for fans of techy minimal beats and progressive grooves.

Review: This special 12" sampler, part of the forthcoming compilation, taps into the timeless spirit of the Paradise Garage with two unreleased collaborations that showcase the late Frankie Knuckles' legacy. On the A-side, the final production from Knuckles, alongside Kenny Summit and Eric Kupper, delivers a soulful, uplifting remix of Lou Rawls' "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine." It's pure house brilliance that captures the essence of the Garage sound. On the flip, the trio reunites for "Loving You," a Motown-inspired anthem featuring Yasmeen's powerful vocals. These tracks, which have been staple spins for DJs like Cajmere and Sonny Fodera, form part of a larger collection that celebrates house music's rich history, with remixes of iconic tracks. The cover art, designed by Alexander Juhasz, adds an extra layer of cultural significance to this must-have release.

Review: Marking the sixth release on Big Saldo's Chunkers label (BSC), Sally C and Eliza Rose team up for a delightfully heavy garage house-ish EP, topped off by a fresh remix from resident Blitz Munich DJ, Bashkka. Riffing on the raw tech house flavours emergent from cities like New York in the early 2000s, it brims with the kind of street-level grit and sass one might expect from such metropoli. Through vocal one-shots such as "I got the goodies" and "I love the way you move on the dance-flow", the inflection is one of verve and style, yet this is a finesse that comes caked in mud and bitumen, harnessing the chunky cacophony of traffic outside.

Review: A powerful deep house journey with standout tracks blending tech house, soulful garage and house vibes. Side-1 kicks off with 'Do You Think' by Ben Silver and Boogs, a piano-led house stomper with a deep groove that sets the tone for the collection. The second track, 'Valentino (feat. Emerson Alexander)' by Jason Hodges and Joey Coco, brings soulful vocals and crisp production, perfect for fans of vocal-driven house music. Side-2 dives into a more tracky vibe with 'Skippy Disco Track' by Elijah Something, offering a 90s-inspired house sound, ideal for late-night dancefloors. The compilation closes with 'Historia (La Decima Remix)' by Ritmiq, a tech house banger that's addictive and deep, creating a sweaty, floor-ready atmosphere. Overall, this compilation effortlessly blends soulful and techy house elements, providing a dynamic experience for deep house lovers.

Review: Sonidy and Erratic are clearly onto something special with their 'Space Drift' EP released by Yuzu Music US. This collaboration features standout tracks like 'Space Drift', 'Event Horizon', 'Polygon', and 'Constellations' that really showcase their production prowess. With tight percussion and lush synths weaving in and out, this EP grabs you from the first beat and doesn't let go. It's the kind of music that keeps you moving all night - and if you haven't checked these two rising stars yet, it's definitely time you did.