New releases last eight weeks: House

Review: As the artist alias kind of suggests, Abyssy takes a deep dive into the unknown depths of the human spirit. It finds the artist returning to Simona Faraone's label after several years and finds him exploring electronic sounds of the 70s and 80s, blending Berlin school minimalism with Detroit techno's soul and funk. It is a record that ranges in mood and tempo as it heads into oceanic depths where wispy pads and chattery percussive patterns collide in unusual ways. It's a largely abstract album of unusual sound designs and genuine electronic discovery that often has you wondering just how certain abounds have been made.

Review: Domenic Cappello is a long time legend of the scene who has been in the form of his life of late. As such he finally drops a much anticipated and long awaited debut album 'Basement Philosophy on Alien Communications that comes 20 years after he started making beats. Cappello's sound permeates the whole record as it traverses diverse sonic landscapes with captivating potency. Opening with 'Mushroom Waltz', dreamy pads and lively chords set the tone, leading into the soulful depths of 'Midnight with T'. 'Early Flight' builds cerebral atmospheres with characteristic snapping drums. 'Acid Rain' evokes nostalgia, while '3am Jamaica Street' pulsates with peak-time energy. 'Moon Jump' offers languid melodies reminiscent of classic Underground Resistance and electro-inspired 'Burning Past' and 'Not for Instagram DJs' conclude ta high class record in style.

Review: French outfit Chateau Flight have spent two years in the studio making music, playing around and experimenting and now the fruits of that work are presented on this new album La Folie Studio. It is full of the sound of analogue machines conversing and the artists themselves speaking through their darkened basslines or eerie pads. Occult worlds are crafted, ambient soundscapes are cooked up and leftfield cosmic explorations occur throughout a journeying album full of a wide range of emotions. This lovely record features guests on the odd track such as Johnny Nash on guitar, Cosmic Neman mumbling on 'Mange', John Cravache playing 'his special organ" and Bony Bikaye singing on 'Esika Molimo Ezali'. It's an occult world of left of centre sound that will keep you coming back for more.

Review: Hell Yeah Records sets a super tone for 2024 with a captivating new album from Australian producer Dawn Again. Every Dog's Hotel presents a dreamy, breaks-infused journey into what Dawn Again calls "pubwave." Drawing from his decade-long experience and releases on labels like Houseworx and Enjoyment Division, Melbourne-based Nick Verwey crafts a sunlit, sunset-ready sound perfect for grown-up crowds. Inspired during lockdown by nostalgic downtempo vibes from the 90s and 00s, Verwey aimed to recreate the communal drinking atmosphere of his favorite pubs. The result is a lush, Balearic "pubwave" album, complemented by a charming cover painting by artist Holly Hunt, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in lavish, escapist downtempo sounds.

Review: Desire shares Escape, their new album written and recorded in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California. Inspired by the ultra-vivid world of 1970s giallo films, they wrote the soundtrack of their dreams using their favourite musical instruments: Minikorg, Jupiter 8, 909, Mellotron, Simmons Rhythm Modules, String Machine, a D-50 & Fender Rhodes. Though the set of inspirations are half a century old, the actual sound of this 13 track EBM, Italo and synthpop monster is decidedly contemporary, preferring wompy, sidechainer kick-carriers and basses abuzz, while huge gated impacts collide with steamier intakes of breath and glassy Italo elements. The ineffably laid-back quality of synthwave and pop blends well with the noirer, gothic components and are nicely joined together via the giallo theme.

Review: E. Live returns to Star Creature HQ with his third full-length release, 'Soft Approach,' and it's a jazz-funk-infused and boogie-powered blast-off. Following the success of 2020's Boogie For Life and Cloud Vibes from 2022, this new long player marks a triumphant evolution in his solo journey. With a nu-school disco flair and jazzier undertones, E. Live expertly balances accessibility and sophistication to make for a well-crafted trip overall. Drawing inspiration from musical luminaries like Roy Ayers and Patrice Rushen, these tunes promise to captivate fans of danceable rhythms and refined musicality alike. This release solidifies E. Live's reputation as a trailblazer in the contemporary Boogie scene and confirms he is destined for seismic waves in 2024.

Review: Three is the long-awaited twelfth studio album by electronica titan Four Tet, following a long extended 'wildcard era' characterised by legal battles (well, one) and unlikely, curveball stints with fellow juggernauts Skrillex and Fred Again. But despite this judgment, Three hears Kieran Hebden return to his earliest forms, with the semi-eponymous 'Three Drums' recalling his earliest outcroppings emergent from his Fridge days, via slow, crisp breaks and serene string pads. 'Loved', similarly, evokes a 90s hip-hop, dare say Britcore fascination, melded with warmingly serene analogue pulsations, underlaid.

Review: The impeccable Lithuanian label Greyscale is a real leader when it comes to dub techno and already they are racing into 2024 in fine style with a first full-length of the year from label head Grad_U! The sublime and immersive Sustain has eight larges ambient soundscapes that are detailed with field recordings from another planet. Each one is alluringly empty and beautiful, intriguing and unsettling to make for an escapist trip to another dimension. The way the producer manages to conjure up what feel like familiar emotions in such a faraway world is second to none and will leave you wanting to do it all over again the second it ends.

Review: Detroit house hero Kyle Hall returns with his biggest project in some time in the form of Transmissions, a new double album on his own well-regarded Forget The Clock. All six tracks have enigmatic, functional titles and the music is as idiosyncratic as ever. Each one veers more towards techno than is Hall's usual style, with pulsating synth lines and tight, dusty drum tracks making for stripped-to-the-bones grooves. Later on, things grow ever more abstract with twisted acid lines screwing their way through the increasingly ragged and roughshod drums. These are perfectly imperfect jams from a master of the form.

Review: Jim (James Baron) is a UK producer making his brand of Balearic, folk and rock music. Generally, pushing the boundaries of Balearic, this double pack compilation houses remixes of tracks from his most debut album 'Love Makes Magic'. The lineup of producers lending their talents to this double pack is quite impressive. Uk house music legends X-press and Chris Coco just to mention two. This release encompasses a wide array of styles including downtempo, dub as well as house music all keeping the folk and Balearic soul of the originals. A true remix packet that brings these originals to different heights.

Review: Swiss producer and DJ Lea Lisa gathers together some of her favorite tracks to play out with in a double pack compilation for Favorite Recordings. As you might be able to tell from some of the artists and tracks on here, Lea likes her house music deep, tracky, sometimes soulful and verging on proper techno. Featured here are key tracks like 'Ekeyz' from Pure Science, the club mix of 'Be There' by Kerri Chandler and 'Blax Thanxs' by Abacus. One very desirable addition is the early 90s gem 'Emotional' by Think. This very strong gathering of deep house tracks may be one of the best this year. Act quick and grab a copy.

Review: Deep house producer Shuya Okino shows his class once more on another tasteful outing, this time via the Extra Freedom/Village Again labels out of Japan. For this one he revisits his 2011 album Destiny which was made with help from the Japanese funk, boogie and jazz-funk outfit Root Soul and replays and remakes the tunes. The originals become more disco-leaning and horn lead jams here with Okino's warm, rubbery basslines, P-funk synths, loose live beats and cute keys. The result is an album that sounds like Earth, Wind & Fire making modern soul and it will improve your life no end.

Review: Broken beat hero Kaidi Tatham steps forth with the first in a series of all-star remix albums of the Reel People Music back catalogue. Over an impressive ten tracks, Tatham sashays between syrupy soul slo-jams, virtuosic broken beat trips, almost UK funky-esque live jams, and acoustic boom bap beats. Percies include the sweeter-than-molasses opening flip of Sebb Junior's 'All My Life', his sassy, stripped-back version of Daz-I-Kue and Hadiya George's 'Pedigree' and a dazzlingly technical re-run of the Monkey Brothers' 'Losin my Head.' With this anthology, Tatham proves that London's broken beat scene continues to flourish, and his boundary-hopping style is as relevant as ever.

Review: French label Wagram is a go-to when it comes to quality compilations that take a broad look at certain sounds and scenes, and this one is an on-going series that focuses on house sounds with an Afro undertone. The grooves are lively and often come with plenty of percussion. The drums hit hard but with funk, the vocals are Afro-centric and plenty of irresistible hits come thick and fast from the jazzy tribal swagger of 'Imbalaye' to the big steel drum party sounds of 'Viet Dao' (Klement Bonelli & Yann DL remix). Another great collection of colourful Afro house sounds.

Review: When it comes to 90s Dutch dance music we tend to think of formative techno and the monolithic rise of gabber, but there was also some golden house music being produced around that time. Now German label Anacalypto is taking a trip into these less explored realms to offer a finely curated compilation with eight deep cuts for the discerning dancefloor. Max 404's sublime 'Infinite Legs' is an ambient house fantasy of the highest calibre, while Galaxy's 'Axis' is similarly trippy and soft around the edges, setting the tone for the deeper, techno informed shades of house we're in for across the collection. This is elegant, heads down gear which has been coveted by diggers for decades, now available freshly remastered and pressed up in one place.

Review: The Milano Undiscovered series has been expertly overseen by Fred Ventura and now clocks up a third installment. It again delves into Milan's dynamic techno and house scene between the years of 1988 and 1992. Unveiling a trove of unreleased demos, it highlights the city's burgeoning underground culture during this period. Influenced by the pioneering sounds of Chicago, Detroit, London, and Sheffield, Milanese producers embarked on a creative journey, crafting their own distinct interpretations of electronic dance music. These demos offer a glimpse into the innovative spirit and diverse sonic landscape that defined Milan's contribution to the global dance music scene during this transformative era.