17 Steps レコード& CD

Review: The unstoppable groove machine that is Dusky continues to fire on all cylinders. "Yoohoo" is a call out to all corners with its nagging riff and mature, timeless positivity. "Akebono", meanwhile, looks back to formative techno foundations thanks to its drawn out, super-insistent bass hook. Robust, jacking and destined for the darkest of nights, both cuts demand attention.

Review: UK duo Dusky have been churning out the house goods good and proper since their debut in 2012, an impressive run of form which has seen them release on labels like Aus Music, School Records, and 17 Steps, of course. They return to the latter, but only under a cameo role because their "Parakeet Feet" tune is remixed and rewired by a couple of special names, indeed. Livity Sound resident Hodge comes through with a stomping reinterpretation, all guns blazing, percussion swinging, and dark vocal sample wailing back and forth in the style of Boddika and Joy O. On the flip, house/techno legend Jerome Hill - recently seen on Power Vacuum - drops a stinking load of 303 over the original's brooding vocal samples, and adds a driving kick structure for good measure. Heavy.

Review: Given the recent explosion in new records that pay tribute to the exotic and intoxicating world of '90s ambient and intelligent techno, it was probably only a matter of time before Global Communication came out of retirement. Surprisingly, it's Dusky who's lured them back, offering the Cornish duo a chance to rework his "Skin Deep" single. Predictably, they've done a superb job, combining elements of his original with their own pitched-down jungle breaks and swelling, ambient electronics. The latter come to the fore more on the flipside Dub Mix, which sounds like a long lost ambient house classic from 1994; all intergalactic intent, swirling electronics and Irresistible Force grooves.

Review: Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick Harriman's Dusky project has come a long way over the last few years, with the duo having released on Will Saul's Aus Music, among many others. Their "Yohoo" tune on 17 Steps was a big breakthrough in their sound, blending hard-hitting tech-house together with more soulful influences, and that tune is herein remixed by a rather special pair. On the A-side you got drum & bass legend LTJ Bukem spinning the original into a deep and mesmerising break driven anthem in trademark Good Lookin' style, while on the flipside B.Wright aka Benton flips the tune into a a veritable d&b-dubstep hybrid, where jungle breaks ride among half-step beats and grizzly low-ends. Gnarly.

Review: Having built an impressive reputation via releases on Aus Music and Naked Naked, British house duo Dusky have decided to launch their own label, 17 Steps. This first release - from the duo themselves, naturally - suggests the label could be a force to be reckoned with in coming years. There's a thrillingly saucer-eyed feel about "Love Taking Over", which peppers a robust, sub-heavy groove with drifting alien synths, wonky pads and choice vocal samples. "Inta" is more obviously accessible, with classic house pianos and spoken vocal stabs providing the track with bags of energy. "Expectations" sees the duo return to familiar influences, with acid bass and attractive hooks riding a bustling, US garage-influenced groove.

Review: Sleek and slinky tech house for discerning peak time dancefloors by UK duo Dusky for their own 17 Steps label. "Lydia" is a sick acid stormer whose 303 shenanigans glide over the mix with fluidity, backed by a booming bassline and a sturdy beat: it's killer! "Bitter Lake" is peak time rave techno that fans of Shed or Special Request will appreciate. Infectious techno chords attack you head on alongside a booming 808 kick, but just wait until those epic strings and racecar sounds come fading in! On the flip is "Infinte Libido" a tough deep house cut with the most driving bassline that will absolutely detonate the dancefloor, balanced out by dreamy house keys and sultry vocal samples.

Review: Fresh from laying down a killer remix of KiNK on Running Back, 17 Steps bosses Dusky offer up their first EP of 2018. The EP's title and opening track, "Amongst The Gods" - a wonderfully sweaty, retro-futurist peak-time anthem full of poignant chords, beautiful synthesizer melodies, bustling breakbeats and ethereal vocal samples - were named in honour of their late friend Jan Francis, promoter of London's infamous ATG Warehouse parties. Much of the rest of the EP sounds like it was tailor made for Francis' old events, too, from the restless piano stabs and fluid chords of "Angles", and the trance-inducing, arpeggio-driven chug of "The Captain", to the sweat-soaked, acid-powered techno intensity of mind-altering smasher "The Ace". There's no doubt their old friend would approve.

Review: Since the launch of their 17 Steps label in 2015, the Dusky releases have come thick and fast. Able to put out whatever they want, whenever they want, the experienced duo has delivered a series of well-received EPs packed with original productions and/or headline grabbing remixes. In truth, as good as these were, few were quite as big as this sizeable three-tracker. A-side cut "Square Miso" - a peak-time anthem in the making full of thunderous drums, thrusting analogue bass, cut-up female vocal samples and life-affirming piano riffs - is particularly notable, while the "Reprise" of the same cut strips back some of the drums and emphasizes the wide-eyed piano riffs for extra dancefloor pleasure.

Review: London duo duo Nick Harriman and Alfie Granger-Howell aka Dusky are back on their 17 Steps imprint with yet more deep and slinky tech house killers aimed squarely at late night dancefloors. The sexy and emotive opener "Cold Heart" relies on soothing elements: warm pad textures, pitched up vocal sound bites and house organ progressions bound to get some hands in the air. "Psychic Life Coach" gets more of a bump on with its swing fuelled shuffle and layer upon layer of hypnotic synth work, which is perfect to use as sturdy transition track. On the flip, "Bowed" is undoubtedly the most adrenalised track on here and perfect to lead into the peak time with its evocative strings backed by tight rhythms patterns and a neon-lit arpeggio straight out of a Moroder or Orlando record: hot! Finally "Balfour Betty" closes out the EP in fine style with this uplifting number; once again utilising some rich and vibrant arpeggios from classic synths, building up to pure dancefloor euphoria: sounds like Sunday night up at Panorama Bar!

Review: After the best part of waiting for a year, Dusky finally bring vinyl Joy into our lives with last year's remarkable LP. One of their most explorative albums to date, over 13 tracks the Anjunadeep alumni get busy over a vast euphoric terrain. Flexing from their now signature bouncing breakbeat excursions such as 'Soundcheck' and 'Invisible' to more floor-focused cuts like 'Eros' and 'Lift', the London duo maintain a vitality and energy throughout the instrumental excursion, taking scenic routes at every surprise turn. From the surging piano uplift of 'Local Newspaper' to the beautiful and arresting ambience of the closer 'Silver', this is Dusky's most accomplished LP so far. Third time's the charm.

Review: Dusky is by now an internationally renowned name on the (nevertheless) distinctly UK deep house scene, and is a master of his craft. Even for those who might smugly turn their nose up at the sort of Subsoul jackin' house, that Dusky takes after, it's difficult to not at least shuffle your feet at the minutest of listens to his new album 'Pressure'. Armed with the tropes of bassline, 2-step, and funky house to name a few, it's almost as if Dusky had cast a fishing net in the deep wells of emotion potentiated in the collective British underground soul. Every track here is a streamy, stereophonic, and texturally rich vocal house dazzler. Far less precious than his bygone competitors Disclosure, the buzzing feel of each track is testament to Dusky's attention to feel over technicality.

Review: Dusky's 17 Steps are back with a heavy hitter courtesy of Sheffield's Liam O'Shea - he of Hope Works, 100 Years and Seaghdha fame. Unlike the funky tech house jams heard on his last effort for REKIDS, "Iterations" is the sort of heads down, strobe-lit and tunneling affair for clandestine warehouse raves. Swedish noise terror Peder Mannerfelt steps up to the challenge next and provides a typically frantic rave deconstruction. On the flip, you begin to remember that Lo Shea has quite a diverse repertoire within his arsenal, considering that "Ornithurae" - the kind of rolling minimal tech house with druggy elements popular on m-nus or Mindshake several years ago, while the euphotic hi-NRG/trance aesthetic of "Higher" (feat Nk) shows he's just as good at making old-school inspired grooves - the Sheffield veteran has been DJing for the better part of 20 years after all.

Review: Dusky's label 17 Steps follow-up the excellent "New Atlantis EP" from Chrissy with a fresh drop from mysterious outfit One One One. It's a slippery offering that exists in that grey area between techno and soundsystem music, veering from the bassweight 4/4 mood of "Pipeline" to the blunted electro machinations of "Squeak". "Jolt" takes things in a rowdy direction with the kind of buzzing mid-range synth nastiness you'd expect from a Vitalic or Alter Ego record circa 2005. Things get more discernibly acidic with EP closer "Bewusst", which also features some modulating synth lines you could almost expect to hear on a Marc Houle record. Great, versatile club stuff for all kinds of DJs to have fun with.

Review: Veteran DnB producer dBridge recently raised eyebrows and ears with a string of dark, deep and sexy house cuts under the newly assumed alias, Velvit. This new direction has led to a new EP for 17 Steps dubbed the Be So Cruel EP. As good as the other stuff was, this new EP is next level stuff - the title track being nearly seven minutes of whack-thump drums, hoover bass and catchy soulful vocals. "No Excuses" sprinkles some vinyl crackles on some deeply warped tropical house and "South Of Your Soul" is an intoxicatingly sleazy after hours grind.

Review: Dusky's 17 Steps imprint has literally been on fire since its first release back in 2014, and not only have the production duo put out a whole heap of their own material, they've A&R'd tings to perfection in terms of spotting new and old talent to fit in line with his tone of voice. This is the first instalment of the new Floor To Floor Sampler series, and in order of appearance we have: Velvit's "Looking Glass", a phenomenal house banger with a techno mindset; "Mount Belzoni" by Dusky, an elastic tech-house cut with a penetrating percussion; the sweaty, muddy chugger "Tooth Decay" by Christian Piers; UK techno luminary Trevino ends things all helter-skelter with the cut-throat groove of "Ojak". Solid.