Back catalogue: House

Review: Roy Davis Jr, a staple of Chicago's house scene, partners with Jay Juniel for a reissue that encapsulates the raw energy of late '90s underground house. Originally released in 1997, this remastered edition brings new life to the gritty, soulful rhythms that first defined the era. Davis, known for his iconic track 'Gabriel', layers deep bass and atmospheric textures, while Juniel's experimental edge infuses the tracks with an unpredictable twist. Opening with 'Transition', a steady groove builds to 'Musical Sense', where spoken word and complex beats converge. On the flip, 'Funktion' and 'Digital Rhythm' hit with infectious basslines and high-octane energy. The remaster gives the original its due clarity while preserving the essence of Chicago house's emotional depth. This reissue isn't just a nod to the past, but also a reminder of why this sound still dominates dancefloors today.

Review: Scottish producer Milton Jackson returns to Freerange with four club-rooted collaborations that bridge Glasgow's punch with Detroit's finesse. It's a new release that brings Brian Kage on co-production and mastering, HazMat Live on synth duties, and Jon Dixon supplying characteristically sharp keys i and the results are as warm and robust as you'd expect. 'Fire Emoji' opens with a stripped-down, pressure-cooked club tool: all booming low-end, echoing vocal wisps and crisp arrangement. 'The Sunsetters' is the emotional peak, built around a fluid synth solo from HazMat Live and buoyed by plush pads and 909 accents. On the flip, 'Wanna C U' nods to both sides of the Atlantic, fusing US house depth with the swing and snap of UKG. 'The Shine', featuring Jon Dixon, is the most musically rich of the lot i gliding chords, broken grooves and cosmic jazz touches make it a standout closer. Rooted in deep house but flexible in feel, these tracks feel fully lived-in: tactile, soulful and beautifully engineered. Four cuts that do damage without shouting i a smooth burner from a seasoned crew.

Review: On 'Heavennnnnn', Detroit vocalist and producer Deon Jamar evinces soul salacity like no other, following up his last Altars LP with a three-tracker of shimmering thymic neo soul, tempered by electronic smoothening and fine motor skills from recording to fine-tuning. Again released on the experimental and newly inaugural Black Music label - conceived as an "art exhibit, concert, and party series founded by Deon and Brian Oscar" - these are soul stopovers to contrast the earlier three-parter's drastic Detroit breakdowns. The title track has a Rhodes line to die for, its trembling amplitude constructively interfering with any sense of forestalled time we might've brought to the listening experience beforehand; 'Salvation Steps' and 'Little James Birthday' provide further versatility over understated percussions and G-funk slapping radio leakage. A promising continuation in sound by a label you'd best keep your eye on.

Review: The enduring electronic musical gene sequence that was Virginia-born pianist and keys player Lonnie Liston Smith's spiritual funk-jazz opus, 'Expansions' from 1974, now hears another re-disco-scription by keyboardist Gail Johnson and her unstoppable band, Jazz In Pink. Renowned for her keytar uplifts and relentless live schedule, this is a rare 12" for the modern genius LA live musician. Her rendition of Smith's 'Expansions' both mellows and sharpens the mood in equal measure, providing a renewed euphony come euphoria. 'Glow' backs up the B-side with a sheeny original, with dramatic phrase stops and trademark peak-out pianos from Gail.

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


A powerful visual statement is presented on the front cover of the latest I:Cube and Jim Ka Ray release, on which McDonalds' french fries are likened to mollifying injections. Though the political conclusions we might glean from this are obvious and many, there is also an irony to the conceit; 'Jim Ka Ray' presents music that is almost equally as mollifying. Perhaps, however, the new alias of Jay Ka (aka. Kogui, who has formerly released with of Saft, As It Is and Phonogramme) would like to suggest that there are different forms of mollification; some that simply placate the soul so as to distract it from the world's injustices, and others that are more genuine, in that they serve to relax us by helping us articulate solutions. Music, luckily, is always part of the solution, as it resists the course of the world by form alone: 'Forever Sunshine', 'Fibber' and 'Moon's Man' ostensibly sound as mollifyingly Balearic as can be, but further listens reveal an attention to detail, a polish, that is not only rare in contemporary downtempo but evokes a subtler sense of emancipation, in that only the freer spirits among us could possibly have the talent or wherewithal to polish such gems. Enough blather; the remixes by the likes of Soup Less and Aardvarck (a name we haven't heard from in a while) are equally as subtle and tasty; dare we say far more nourishing than a L1.99 fry-fest.

Review: Since being snapped up by Defected a few years ago, the reinvigorated Nu Groove label - originally home to some of the earliest NYC deep house recordings ever released - has done a good job in balancing essential reissues with new EPs from artists whose music neatly fits their ethos. Jimpster, a man who has been serving up impeccable deep house for decades, is their latest recruit. Fittingly, he's delivered an EP of nostalgic, colourful deep house of the kind that could have been produced by Nu Groove stalwarts The Burrell Brothers in 1990 or 91. For proof, check the tactile, analogue-rich retro-futurism of 'The Phoenix', the warming deep NY garage-house bump of 'Lightening In Me' (featuring vocalist Oliver Right) and the synth-rich sonic sunshine of 'Beat Of An Era'.

Review: There is no questioning Jovonn's deep house credentials. Smooth groves have long since oozed out of the American master and now comes another flow of goodness on the Next Moon label's first foray into vinyl. 'Back In The Dark' has it all - the spoken word consciousness, the glowing jazz chords and the cuddly beats. 'Moov' Sphere' gets more dark with bleeping synth sequences and what sound like wind sounds all darting about the mix and then 'Keep On Dancin'' lands nice and heavy of dusty drums with swinging hits and Roy Ayres-style melodic goodness. Last of all is the most raw and evocative of the lot with a spoken word sermon making 'Jessie's Speech' really cut through.

Review: JR Disc has already become a firm part of the Detroit new school with his two previous outings on this label. Once again here he shows off his raw but emotionally poignant style and knack for a catchy groove. 'Bust' has rusty hi-hat sounds and deep, cavernous bass with rough edge drums a la Omar S. 'Wonder Traxx 1' then picks up the pace with heavy but inviting kicks that are again all frayed and dusty while some jazzy melodies bring a cheeky and playful twist. Pure Motor City gold if you ask us.

Review: Amsterdam's Berg Audio label returns with their seventh limited compilation with their a brilliant snapshot of the label's spirited minimal and tech house sensibility. Side-A opens with M-High's 'Soulseeker', a classy, classic-sounding cut that dips into Euro house influences but feels much deeper and smoother, full of rich, timeless vibes. Janeret's 'Scape' follows with an upbeat, slickly produced tech house tune, its crisp drums and shimmering textures making it instantly infectious and ready for peak-time movement. On Side-B, Luna Ludmila's 'Vibe Thang' brings a heavy, rolling bassline paired with a bouncy, irresistibly fun beat. It strikes a sweet balance between groove and drive, offering something both DJs and dancers will love. Rounding out the record, Lola Palmer's 'Stranger' leans into a more nocturnal, late-night atmosphere, seamlessly blending elements of house and techno into a deep, hypnotic flow. Throughout the release, Berg Audio proves their ability to keep things lively and high-quality, while subtly shifting styles within their distinct framework. Each track feels perfect for home listeners and the floor.

Review: LowMoney unites fresh global talent for another big serving of their signature club sounds. Ukrainian producer Rustam kicks things off with 'Happy Comby,' a gritty acid-tinged groove built on deep, dreamy basslines. On A2, Jordan Lakofski delivers 'The Heat,' which is a nostalgia-soaked roller with a punchy 8-bit synth and infectious bassline. Glasidum nails the warm-up vibe with his trippy, groovy and perfectly deep opener on the flipside. Closing it out, Dutch duo MASI serve up a lush, introspective house cut that floats into the sunset. From acid edge to dreamy depth, this four-tracker has got something for everyone, which makes it a hugely useful 12" from the LowMoney camp.

Review: The eighth instalment in Running Back's playful Hits! series arrives with a globetrotting batch of quirky dancefloor charmers, spanning interstellar disco, Italo throwbacks and Berlin School eccentricity. Kicking things off, Skatman leans into sleazy synth funk and smoky melodrama with 'What I Am Feelin'', a crooning synth-pop number pitched somewhere between space cabaret and Metro Area. Baron Von Traxian Australian prince of peaktime pompibrings glitzy melancholy with 'If I Only Knew', layering ascending Italo arps and soft pads over a chugging disco pulse. Janis Zielinski and Sowhy3 (both Berlin-based) turn in 'In Your Eyes' twiceifirst as a vocal daydream of euro-pop yearning, then as a sleek instrumental. Morphena's 'Venus Underworld' dials up the noir with icy stabs and new wave propulsion, while Zoe Zoe's 'Palikau Dzemperi' signs off with a Tangerine Dream-style glide repurposed for the club. There's no unifying concept, but as with earlier volumes, that's the point: a polychrome snapshot of Running Back's curious, cosmopolitan world.

Review: Razor-N-Tape's white label series serves up its first-ever various artists collection here, and it opens with Windy City master Glenn Underground. His 'Happy House' is a joyous disco stomper with florid strings and lung-busting vocals. Rahaan adds his own edit to 'Be Cool', which is a jazzy dancer with magnificent guitar work and brassy horns. 'Hot Damn' (JKriv edit) keeps the love flowing with funky disco house energy and an air of hands in the air celebration and The Patchouli Brothers flip 'Love Explosion' into a strident, front foot wafered and pumping disco funker with gorgeous vocals. There I so much sunshine and joy in these tunes that they melt even the stoniest of hearts.

Review: Vick Lavander is a name that has always been a byword for deep house quality. His sound is couched in a classic template but comes with subtle tweaks and plenty of its own musical character. BEYOND is a bumper collection of beats which proves just that. There are silky and cosmically minded sounds like 'Time & Time Again' next to subtly jazzy dancers like 'Sunset BLVD' and dubby, elegant grooves like the life-affirming 'Grace'. The pace picks up with joints like 'Knights' but never at the expense of atmosphere and slows right down with swab-tinged downbeat delights like 'Good Timing'. A magnificently rich work.