Back catalogue: House

Review: New York's Joe Claussell offers three blistering takes on 'So In Love' by Black Rascals, the early 90s project from Blaze. This red-label 7" is a pricey one, but the contents justify it: deep house from the source, reworked by one of its most spiritual selectors. 'Rough Mix 1' leans into swirling vocal loops and expansive FX, full of Claussell's signature dynamics, while 'Rough Mix 2' dials back the drama slightly for something more floor-focused. Flip it for 'Drums', a stripped-down tool that reimagines the track as raw percussive hypnosis. Essential NY house lineage, revived in style and pressed loud-just don't expect it to hang around.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Some 20 years ago, Japanese producer donned the K.F alias (the initials of his given name, Kiyotaka Fukagawa) and delivered the astonishingly good 'Shining of Life', a sun-soaked Balearic house treat shot through with Japanese nu-jazz musicality, gospel-influenced vocals and expansive, life-affirming piano solos. This EP offers up previously unheard 'Shining of Light Flutemental' takes. Calm's own 'unreleased mix' retains some of the key elements of the 2004 original while adding morning-fresh flute solos and starry sounds seemingly inspired by Detroit techno. The 'Lambros Jahmans Sunset Mix' is a dreamy and immersive interpretation underpinned by an Afro-house style beat, while the 'Space Ritual Dub' is an almost entirely beat-free soundscape. On 'Undub (Space Ritual Dub)', the same producer wraps echoing flute and piano motifs around a tactile, hand percussion-driven rhythm track.

Review: Widescreen bass portamenti and steady-state textures predominate on this new Cleyra release through Timedance. Reflecting the Bristol artist's preference for heavyset bass and hydrop(h)onic textures, we were first turned on to their sound like heliotropic plants to red supergiants, whence in 2022 the 'Soft Bloom' EP offered our ears an ironic floral hardness. Since then, the artist has been hard at work on another five tracker of irreplicable sound, with 'Tumble Turn' and 'There's Nothing Happening Between Us' offering the best of the EP's tresillos and stereo-ecstatic percussions, which seem to paradoxically texturally vary themselves both much and not so much. How did they do it, we wonder?

Review: Chilean-born, Bristol-based Shanti Celeste has always brought a unique colour and emotion to her often bass-heavy sounds. She's a party-starting DJ, too, but delves into whole new realms with her wonderful sophomore full-length. Romance sees her exploring themes of love and friendship through shimmering pop textures and emotionally resonant songwriting. Her vocals take centre stage for the first time and lead single 'Thinking About You' is a heartfelt tribute to a late friend with a glowing groove and airy falsetto. Crafted between Bristol and London, the album features collaborations with Batu and harpist Miriam Adefris, whose delicate touch enhances its celestial tone and following last summer's acclaimed 'Ice Cream Dream Boy,' Romance is a luminous return and smart evolution.

Review: Fraternal duo Chaos In The CBD open the latest chapter on a roundly impressive musical career, calling on an ensemble cast of creative collaborators to contribute to their debut long-player, 'A Deeper Life'. Louis and Ben 'Beans' Helliker-Hales have been on a non-stop roll since they began releasing music under the Chaos In The CBD moniker just over a decade ago. Recently adding a Fabric Presents compilation to their hefty singles catalogue, the siblings step up with arguably their most outstanding work to date. The likes of Blaze's Josh Milan, saxophonist Nathan Haines, longtime collaborator Isaac Aesili, and UK grime MC Novelist are just some of those drafted to embellish productions that range from head-nodding Balearic to the duo's more familiar dusty house thrust. Vast in scope, the collection drifts through all manner of sounds and styles, held together by a coherent production aesthetic and a gorgeously limber live musicality on display throughout. Highlights include the street soul swagger of 'Tears' (featuring Beantown disco queen, Saucy Lady), the searing soul of 'Wanna Tell Somebody', and the bittersweet deep house magnetism of 'Otaki'. All told, this is nothing short of brilliant work, arguably representing a coming of age as Chaos In The CBD simultaneously pay homage to their eclectic roots and transcend the floor-focused nature of the bulk of their previous output. Highly recommended.

Review: Given that even their most dancefloor-focused tunes are remarkably deep, immersive and sonically detailed, you'd think that Chaos In The CBD's music would suit the album format - it's just that until now, they've not recorded a full-length. A Deeper Life, then, marks a big step forward in the Helliker-Hales brothers' career. Predictably, it's borderline brilliant. Made with the assistance of a cast of collaborators and guest performers (flautist Nathan Haines, boogie revivalist Saucy Lady and original NJ garage-house hero Josh Milan included), it sees the Kiwi duo sashay their way through enveloping, musically expansive cuts - many downtempo and home-listening focused - that variously mix and match elements of deep house, nu-jazz, dub, 80s soul, hip-hop, trip-hop, Latin soul and much more besides. A genuine triumph, even by their high standards.

Review: After a decade of swirling deep house and understated jazz flourishes, London duo Chaos In The CBD finally drop their debut full-length, A Deeper Life, via their own In Dust We Trust imprint. The 14-tracker stretches their signature dee,p cocktail party effected house palette into new terrain: live instrumentation, vocal guests, and a mellow, tactile depth, now owing as much to 90s Balearic as it does to smoky London basements. Lead single 'Love Language', with Nathan Haines on sax, strikes an effortless tone: wistful, warm, and unhurried. Guests include Josh Milan, Lee Pearson Jr., Novelist and Stephanie Cooke, but the LP is less about marquee names than a slow, wide glow: sun-kissed nostalgia cut with club heft. It no less channels their New Zealand roots (idyllic beaches, waterfalls, quiet mornings) into a drifting house sound, playful and dour in equal parts.