New releases last eight weeks: Deep House

Review: Keeping firm to the now well-trodden "Scientist meets" formula, this release through Convent once again hears Joseph Alpern aka. J Gabriel absorb the dubbing wiles of Hopeton Brown into his own minimal techno laboratory. 'Fly Again' follows up the first Scientist collab 'Too Far Gone' from 2023 with yet another red snapper, and comes backed by heated reworks from Steve O'Sullivan and Bluetrain, each of whose generosities know few bounds (they offer two and three remixes each!).

Review: CRYME launches his new label SEVEN with a head-turning and ear-pleasing debut single 'Hold On', accompanied by four standout remixes. SEVEN is a queer and FLINTA*-leaning imprint dedicated to uplifting, genre-blending house and techno and it kicks off with CRYME's hypnotic original which is driven by pulsing bass and echoing vocals. Berlin house Queen Cinthie brings a soulful house spin with airy strings and bouncy grooves, while Obscure Shape delivers a darker, techno-driven rework. Lydia Eisenblatter adds a rave-tinged breakbeat flair, and VOLPE closes with a dreamy dub-techno version. 'Hold On' perfectly embodies SEVEN's mission to showcase unexpected sounds, fierce energy and dancefloor joy.

Review: Veteran UK producer and onetime member of techno/electro legends The Advent returns with a versatile three-track offering on his own Phoenix G label. The release explores the intersections of dub, house and techno, showing MR G's knack for creating deep, emotive grooves. Over the 25 years he's been releasing music he's kept a signature style and this is no excepyion. Side-1 features 'Dust In The System: Tokyo Dub Plate', a jazzy, dub-infused tech-house track with a rich, atmospheric vibe. Its deep basslines and subtle swing make it both hypnotic and dancefloor-ready. Side-2 opens with 'Let's Do It', where acid-laced techno and house collide. With bold rave chords and a driving rhythm, this track packs an infectious energy that feels destined for peak-time moments. Closing the EP is 'Find Love (Ambient Space Tek)', a chord-heavy, dreamlike piece that leans into chill-out territory. Its ambient tones and ethereal textures provide a soothing contrast, ending the record on a reflective note. Another excellent album, functional yet soulful, in his impressive catalogue.

Review: Peverelist stands as a defining figure in UK electronic music, shaping the intersection of bass-driven sound system culture and forward-thinking techno. Emerging from Bristol's fertile underground scene, his work as a producer, DJ and label head has been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of UK dance music. Closing out his long-running series, he distills his signature sound into four meticulously sculpted tracks. 'Pulse XVII' bookends a skeletal, stepping groove with shimmering synth strings and crisp chord stabs, injecting a dose of Motor City euphoria into his typically weighty framework. 'Pulse XVIII' strips things back to bare essentials, constructing a taut, jacking house cut from pulsing low-end and precisely placed percussionia masterclass in restraint and impact. The energy escalates with 'Pulse XIX', where dub techno textures are reworked into something sharper and more urgent, its rolling momentum underpinned by a driving rhythmic core. 'Pulse XX' then flips expectations, shifting into leftfield steppers territory with elastic bass motifs and alien hooks, recalling the producer's earlier experiments while pushing his sound into fresh terrain. It's a fitting conclusion to a project that has consistently balanced dancefloor functionality with a forward-thinking approach.

Review: Shut Off Notice welcomes Teakup - a local Columbus, Ohio DJ and producer born Lauri Reponen and known for his stylish techno - for a second outing on the label. 'Forest Bed Moss' kicks off with dusty mid-tempo breaks and deep basslines full of soul, while 'Mhm' is a mechanical groove with dubby undertones and nice chopped vocals. 'Rain Groove Revisit' is a deep, percolating and stumbling rhythm with a smattering of percussion and bubbly feel infused with cooing female vocals. Finally, Teakup remixes Rew's 'Fragile Abundance' into a deft and lithe minimal dub for the small hours. Sophisticated stuff once more from Teakup.

Review: Hailing from Tokyo, Satoshi Tomiie emerged in the New York scene after Frankie Knuckles discovered him and his debut record, 'Tears' in 1989, was co-produced with Knuckles and featured Robert Owens. It is a dance music classic and as part of Def Mix Productions with David Morales, Satoshi crafted iconic 1990s remixes for artists like Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Inner City. Here collaborating with Ibiza's Tuccillo, Satoshi created 'Delta Dubs', a live, one-take dub house project recorded on a Soundcraft Delta desk. This tribute to dub's pioneers reimagines the essence of dub with a futuristic twist that lands courtesy of 20/20 Vision.

Review: Ukrainian producer Vakula makes a swift return to the always reliable Phonogramme label from Paris with a superb follow-up to his recent Dinsync collaboration. Deep, nocturnally charged and gorgeously atmospheric, the EP opens with the brooding acid of 'Quantum Voyage', where foggy pads drift over bubbling 303 and jagged machine hits. 'Skys Whisper' blends emotive synth waves with growling bass and crisp drums, with its bittersweet topline gliding over sumptuous harmonics, while 'Sunny Konotop' maintains a similar trajectory, with misty-eyed synth work dancing over low-slung bass and swung beats. Magnificent work.