Better Listen US レコード& CD

Review: Earlier in the year, Ashley "Arthur Jr" Stevenson debuted a new alias, The Last Trip To Gandahar, by contributing a track to the In House EP on City Fly (a label he co-founded many years back). This four-track outing is the project's first full outing, and also marks the debut of Washington DC-based label Better Listen. It's a confident and fun-packed affair, with Stevenson delivering tracks that sit somewhere between house-friendly re-edits, and sample-heavy original productions. As you'd probably expect, all four cuts are warm and groovy, making excellent use of elements of soul-soaked disco and jazz-funk tracks. It's all impeccably playable, with the flute-laden "Over Paradise" and righteous "Profound Experience" being our picks.

Review: Manchester DJ and producer Sameed spins his way into your affections here with a glorious EP that melts gospel, soul, disco and house into some lovely floor filers. 'Ode To G' has big Philly strings and classic-era diva vocals over copy and lopsided rhythms. 'Want You' is another loopy one but this time it's a bit tougher and more of a tease with a French house touch. 'Feel It' (dub mix) is all about the lung-busting vocal cries and rickety drums then the silkiest of the lot os the stuffing deep house cum US garage cut 'Baby (Listen To Me).'