Back catalogue: House

Review: Another week, another clutch of must-have reworks from Chicagoan master Rahaan, this time on his personal, Hot Biscuit Recordings-funded Typewriter Record Pool imprint. He predictably hits the ground running on 'Ghetto Music', a slowly building and impeccably realised tweak of one of Phildelphia International's greatest moments, 'The Ghetto' by Donny Hathaway. After replicating and extending the original's atmospheric build-up, Rahaan focuses on keeping things rolling percussively, while subtly ratcheting up the energy throughout. Tampering with an all-time classic is dangerous, but predictably Rahaan has done a stellar job. 'Dark Places' is a more intense and psychedelic affair, with Rahaan working a bunch of heavy loops while inserting subtle builds and changes in tone and intensity. It's very good, but naturally lacks the 'wow' factor of his A-side edit.

Review: An understated but thoroughly enjoyable dance release touching on Middle Eastern musical shimmies come neon new wave, the EP channels a distinctly Egyptomaniacal mood of egress. 'Cairo Nights' pits playfully hazily laid-down vocals - as laid back as a vagrant in the sun - against 8-bit melodies and phase-swirled drums, while 'Shtaye Dub' stops at a comparatively electrolytic oasis glimpsed opposite the pylons. The B-side brings vocalist Mimo to the titular 'Leek Fel Masry?' ('Egyptian For You?'), questioning the many crass orientalist tendencies of dance music, while the wordless closer 'Conferencia De Jungle' closes on a chugging psychedelic summit with vocal samples musing on human rights.

Review: Label regulars Roberta and Trilaterals are back on Worldship Music to take part in the latest Herald Tarccs instalment. Reelsoul is a new name to join the fun and pens up with 'La Costa' which is a throwback disco house sound with wild melodies and big horn leads vying for attention and getting hands skyward. Trilaterals bring plenty of percussive funk and jumbled drum brilliance to 'Flo Jo' and Teflon Dons taps into a Philly sound with the string loops of 'DONTWANTU2GO.' Roberta's "Hang Back' is a classy little jazz-house number.

Review: Timmy and South African songstress Toshi Tikolo, who hails from Kwalanga Township in Cape Town, collaborate on this powerful Afro House track that showcases a deep, spiritual side of the genre. Known for its impact on Shelter Heads and beyond, the instrumental mix alone packs a punch. Joaquin Joe Claussell elevates things with his signature and sacred style that transforms the original Afro roots into something entirely unique. His remixes, including the wonderful Cosmic Arts Afro and Drum Gathering versions, add plenty of depth to an already captivating original. This is as authentic as Afro house gets.

Review: Pedro's House swings open its doors again for another joyous party soundtracked by the label founder himself, Pedro Ricardo. He has a well-crafted brown beat style that draws great energy from the sun and gives it back in the form of loose-limbed and well-worked grooves. 'Solway System' is a busy, kinetic opener and '28 Or 5 To 4' then luxuriates in smeared pads. 'In The Attic' brings some Detroit soul to cuddly but heavy kicks and 'Knockup Stream' adds a little swing into the mix. 'Maracuya Matanzas' is the big finish with wonky chord work.

Review: Cosmocities returns with a sizzling six-track remix package of 'How It Feels To Be Loved' by American artists Erik Rico & C. Boogie. These jams are all ready for deployment in the club but come with a soulful signature that fans of Rico will quickly recognise. Tracks 'How It Feels...' and 'Love Everlasting' both get reworked by the one and only Josh Milan while Marc Mac, and Rico himself also step up with their own fresh twists. Milan's 'Honeycomb' mix infuses slap bass and acid-leaning grooves, his 'Floor Radio Vocal Mix' adds late-night soulful funk, Rico's 'Trench Coat Tribute Remix' delivers seductive P-funk vibes and Marc Mac's take on 'Love Everlasting' brings Balearic house magic.

Review: Atlanta house mainstay Stefan Ringer finds a perfectly complementary bedfellow in Marquinn Mason on this new EP for the venerated UK label Eglo. His mastery of deep house and broken beats is a great foundation for the jazz chops of Mason. 'Bounce Lesson' is the first to win you over with its loose, leggy bassline and funky, jazz, cosmic chord work. It's a seamless fusion of different worlds and after the brief jazzed-up piano dance of 'Alltogethernow' comes the standout cut 'Lead Walk'. Another wandering bassline locks you in while heavy, knocking broken beat patterns and gloriously life-affirming chords all warp and weft around one another.

Review: The Robinson and Takahiro Fuchigami take a side each on this compelling exploration of house music infused with diverse jazz influences. This release effortlessly blends genres, creating a rich and textured soundscape that bridges lounge, disco and blues. Side-1 opens with 'Passion Is The Key', a track that leans into lounge jazz vibes, pairing smooth melodies with a laid-back house groove. Following this, 'A Satisfying Day' injects disco elements into the mix, creating an uplifting fusion of rhythm and melody. Side-2 deepens the jazz-house connection. 'Jazzing Bird' delivers an intricate, jazz-forward interpretation of house, balancing vibrant improvisation with danceable beats. 'How's That Sound?' captures the essence of a smoky jazz club, blending sultry brass lines with a steady house pulse. Closing the release, 'In Motion' incorporates bluesy undertones into a chilled-out vibe, offering a soulful, reflective end to the journey.

Review: Roddyrod is a key player in contemporary hip-hop who gained recognition alongside East Coast pioneers like Kev Brown and Oddisee as part of The Low Budget Crew. His new release on Dirty Tech is a fine testament to his genre-blending skills as he combines hip-hop, broken beat, deep house and soul with real studio finesse. The standout track for us is 'Servant Royal' with unquantized drums and a jazz-inspired piano riff that will capture the attention of house heads everywhere. 'Fendi Foot' expands on his earlier work, while 'Skin Pride Deep' features Grammy-nominated Wayna and offers a powerful exploration of self-love and empowerment to add depth to the EP's overall sound.

Review: With Yoyaku's record shop staff handling A&R, the YYK No Label imprint has become impressively unpredictable. Recently, they've served up 21st century progressive house from Varhat, a killer collaboration between Chez Damier and Ben Vedren and an experimental synth-pop album from People People. Here they turn to Swizz jazz drummer Samuel Rohrer, an artist with extensive experience of delivering hybrid acoustic-electronic tech-house and minimal techno excursions. That's what's on offer here, with Rohrer blending vintage electronics and his own drums and percussion with synthesiser sequences, machine beats and intoxicating aural textures. This approach is best exemplified by the Tangerine Dream-goes-tech-house flex of 'Rewired Paradise' and the sludgy, pitched-down 'Memory Reset', though ambient jazz number 'Into The Void Where Things Go (Part II)' is also brilliant.

Review: These legendary remixes of Arthur Russell's 'In The Light Of The Miracle' receive their first commercial release having long been deemed transcendent masterpieces and worthy of the title "holy grails." Clocking in at almost 30 minutes, these mixes fulfil long-held desires for their eternal presence in the music world, now accessible to every Arthur fan worldwide. Originally discovered by Phillip Glass for Another Thought in 1993, these remixes, overseen by Steve D'Aquisto, never saw a proper release until now. Both extending and enhancing the original, they elevate the music to new heights, defying genre labels and delivering pure sonic beauty.

Review: Surely even he has lost count of how many tunes he has sung on now, yet still Robert Owens remains the most in-demand vocalist in the game. His smoky tones feature on Nat Wendall's 'Easy' and they come with a brighter tone than usual next to the nice piano chords which are draped over upright beats. As well as an instrumental, Kaidi Tatham remixes with his brilliant broken beat style and sunny synth disposition, and he also adds his own spin to the instrumental. A timeless package.

Review: Raz & Afla bring together the talents of producer Raz Olsher and Ghanaian percussionist Afla Sackey here in order to blend electronic beats with traditional African rhythms and create a bold new and innovative sound. Olsher's boundary-pushing electronic compositions and Sackey's rich African melodies and soulful vocals result in a unique fusion that started with their acclaimed debut The Cycle. Their follow-up album, Echoes of Resistance, continues to explore new sonic realms from politically charged tracks like 'What's Going On?' to dancefloor anthems like 'Mon Ni Fere' this is a record packed with big tunes but also some real meaning and emotion.

Review: Jimetta Rose and The Voices of Creation's new album, Things Are Getting Better, via Day Dreamer Recordings, is a soul-stirring devotional that blends house, funk, soul, r&b and hip-hop influences. The album opens with the lead single 'Portals,' an invitation to a new way of thinking. With a shuffling groove and soaring vocals, it breaks traditional gospel molds, introducing soulful r&b runs and syncopated verses. Things Are Getting Better is fantastically crafted studio sound, evolving from their raw debut, How Good It Is. The album is composed of non-professional singers and embodies Jimetta's mission to demystify the ministry and spread faith in music's power for positive change. Featuring instrumentalists Isaiah Collier, Ryan Porter, and V.C.R., and recorded at Sunset Sound studios, it encapsulates Jimetta's vision of "Black spiritual classical music". A prolific collaborator with artists like Anderson .Paak and Angel Bat Dawid, Jimetta leads the choir, delivering new mantras for our times. Things Are Getting Better is an example of the power of music, faith, and community.