Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: Italian duo Lorenzo Fortino and Brody return with their third collaborative release, further refining a sound that drifts between deep house, electro and moody, politically conscious techno. Their work has always carried a sense of purpose, but here it feels more dialled-iniless ornamental, more direct. Opener 'Our Truth' stretches over seven minutes, layering synth washes and sparse drum work around processed vocals that feel halfway between meditation and manifesto. 'Homemade Mould' is tougher, rooted in chunky house drums and dubbed-out atmospheres, tapping into the rawer side of their shared palette. On 'Deep Freedom', they introduce vocalist Veronica Marini, whose debut here is remarkableiher voice rises with clarity and control through a lyrical call to action that's both elegant and forceful. That same control shapes 'Leave Those Memories', where she softens into something more introspective, folding jazz phrasing into a smoother, bittersweet house groove. Both tracks also appear in instrumental form digitally, but it's Marini's presence that elevates them into something quietly luminous. While rooted in the familiar structures of club music, this release reaches for something deeper and often gets there.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Record slightly warped***


A top value for money opportunity here, as Moiss Music deliver the latest in their sweet and sticky Jam series of various artist 12" line ups, bringing you no less than six bubbling, vivacious disco triumphs from six artists. Khemir's 'Disco Bandit' kicks off proceedings, a production that sounds like it was made by a band of around 45 musicians, a proper cavalcade of strings, brass, brazen disco thump and beautifully bold vocals. Wurzelholz's 'Prince' goes for a bit more economy but with a slinky funk bassline like that - not to mention the occasional exclamation from the purple overlord himself - it's equally devastating in dancefloor terms. Among the other highlights, 'Golden' by I Gemin has the feel of a lost Daft Punk flip tune and Cosmocomics' 'Glamorous Garcon', boasting 70s-style synth bubbles that are as cute as they are retro. Tasty as ever.