New releases last eight weeks: House

Review: Relative newcomers Infradisco blend a Balearic sound of disco and house for the Italian label Archeo Recordings. Aqua Cheta is a blend of proper electronic examples of Balearic and chill out influences. 'Caduca' (Hear & Now remix) is ideal for the late-night scene with a blend a perfect blend of 80s and 90s but still sounding futuristic. Manu Archeo's remix of 'Dulcis' is a beautiful laid back downtempo jam that shimmers like a hazy day on the beach. We think you will like the organic and mystical 'Fluminea' as well. This EP couldn't finish any better than on the ambient tip with a soul warming float on the marina remix by Ocean Moon. Fans of Balearic, Cafe Del Mar and chill out music will treasure this EP no doubt. This 12" comes with a CD as well.

Review: Caravan Palace's Gangbusters Melody Club is a vibrant explosion of nu-jazz and broken beat energy. The French band showcases their trademark blend of vintage swing and modern electronic beats across all cuts as each one transports you to a lively and exhilarating musical realm. With infectious melodies, driving rhythms, and irresistible hooks, each track on the album is a rich aural feast that is sure to keep dance floors captivated from start to finish. Caravan Palace's sound is defined by its impeccable musicianship and inventive production, as well as it seamless ability to blend the old with the new to create music that is both timeless and cutting-edge.

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: Electribe 101's 1990 debut album, Electribal Memories, is undoubtedly one of the strongest sets of the loved-up Balearic house era - a long-player firmly rooted in the Ecstasy experience, from the piano-sporting, wide-eyed tactility of house music of the period, to the after-hours, comedown-friendly downtempo soulfulness that the band's creative force and lead singer, Billie Ray Martin, was always so adept at delivering. This 'Deluxe Edition' expands the album across four CDs via a deep archive dive from dance music historian Bill Brewster. The DJ and author offers-up a wealth of released (and unreleased) club mixes, early versions and alternate takes, while the accompanying booklet features reflections from Billie-Ray Martin and an extensive essay from Pete Paphides.

Review: Back in 1990, Electribe 101 were riding high on the success of 'Talkin' With Myself', a Balearic house classic that ranks among the most saucer-eyed and loved-up songs of the era. The album that followed, Electribal Memories, was a gem, too, though has been largely overlooked - though not by those who fell in love with it at the time - ever since. Happily, it has finally been reissued on vinyl, with half-speed remastering and a deep cut to guarantee aural pleasure. With singer and creative force Billie Ray Martin providing some of her most memorable vocal performances, highlights include the early morning E-soul hypnotism of 'Inside Out' (a genius-like cover of a funk-soul classic), warm-up classic 'Heading For The Night' and the tactile deep house delight of 'Diamond Dove'.

Review: Magic Number is Ross Hillard, a downtempo and orchestral composer whose engineering and bass playing can be heard on an array of releases, most notably for the likes of his own house favourites including Louie Vega, DJ Spen, Kerri Chandler, Lay-Far and Atjazz. Now debuting his first record on the latter artist's eponymous label, Badly Written Songs sounds like a slice of humble pie, but it's actually well-thought out title: in Hillard's own words, "(it's) a tongue-in-cheek reference to how transient electronic music can be." Thus, writing songs in this genre might not have been the most sensible and sustainable idea - but we all love house music, so we put everything into it, hoping that people don't discard it too soon. True to an engineer's tastes, the album is ultra-dynamic and bright throughout, serving up a consistent guest-vocal steeze reminiscent of Charles Webster or Herbert's gravitas.

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.