Downbeat Spain レコード& CD

Review: Nothing gets the hypemaschine talking like a one-sided 12", though this one may fly under the radar. It comes as part of Spanish imprint Downbeat's Special Edition catalogue. A quick "Indigenous Travellers" Google and Discogs search proved fruitless, suggesting it could be a one-off collaboration or secret alias, maybe? But the hint was in the tracks title "Paradise Ritmito Carnival" (Tribute To Jose Roberto Bertrami)". Jose Roberto Bertrami was a Brazilian keyboardist who died in Rio De Janeiro at age 66, on July 8th this year. There is little doubt that the colourful keys, short jamming chords and clucking Latin acknowledgement pay homage to the life's work of a leading light in Brazilian music.

Review: Spanish label Downbeat, who gained our eternal gratitude in 2010 for coaxing a production out of Detroit legend Mike Huckaby, set up their stall for 2011 with this EP from DaRand Land. Just like Huckaby, who once noted the key to real deep house was all about "warm colourful sounds, emotional chords and melodies that strike a feeling of peace within the listener", the Buffalo born producer offers up five unnamed tracks positively dripping with these principles. Although everything here is worthy of mention, it's "Track 2" and "Track 4" that linger in the memory longest - the former for its cosy chords and bassline and the latter for it's Larry Heard-esque atmospherics and decadent synth washes.

Review: Spanish deep house stalwarts Downbeat have pulled off a bit of a coup here, snapping up three typically raw cuts from Detroit legend Marcellus Pittman. At his best, Pittman is capable of making the sort of deep, warm and fuzzy house grooves that seem to float from the speakers, whilst retaining just the right amount of shuffling dancefloor grunt. That's certainly the case with the tumbling "Our Time Is Now" - all hazy chords, hypnotic rhythms and cascading melodies - and "Happy To Be Here", which layers bubbling electronics on top of a typically swinging analogue groove. There's also a trip into distorted instrumental hip-hop territory in the shape of the fearlessly stripped back "Extra Credits".

Review: Having shared duties with everyone's fantasy music tutor Mike Huckaby on a previous Downbeat release, Jose Rico returns to the label with a three track solo endeavour backed with an Urtzi remix. Reputedly the end result of self imposed exile with all manner of analogue equipment and MPCs, Yagoba Itzoiten impresses from the off. "September Rain" references the gentle key dynamics of Larry Heard, yet Rico's own warm chord arrangements and subtle drum placement lift the track beyond the realm of Mr Fingers pastiche. Urtzi's remix switches up the feel of the groove for a more dusty bottom heavy sensation, yet still retains the original's sense of melodic warmth. Check the flip for the restrained Hammond heavy vibes of "Stage" and the shimmering melodic brilliance that is "Cicilo".

Review: Jose Rico is part of the Madrid based Downbeat, Freebeat and Shubaka Records. In addition, he has also released on Semantica, Ambiwa and Off Minor Recordings in recent times. Deja Vu is the 11th Downbeat installment and continues to explore a similarly retro route like his recent works: calling to mind the zeitgeist of early '90s deep techno on labels like Peacefrog. Here we have four emotional and spacey tracks, made by old synths and samplers. Starting off with the soothing ambient tones of "Crei'a" and the deeply hypnotic groove of "Consciously", the B side also offers more slow motion delights in the form of the evocative "The Cave" until the EPs finest moment arrives in the form of groovy deep house closer "Analog".

Review: Madrid label Downbeat has always had a quiet artistry about the deep house it releases. It is a musical take on the genre that is richly detailed with proper chords, glistening pads and grand arrangements that makes it as suited to close home listening as it does early evening warms up in the club. Next up on the imprint is one of the label's main men, Jose Rico, who layers up those cosmic ambient pads and supple, rolling drums to great affect across five fantastic tunes here. For us the standout is the broken beat bliss of 'Our Own Organization' (feat Anthonius Future Jazz).

Review: ***B-STOCK: Record has surface marks/scratches, but otherwise in good working order***


Deep Transportation don Mike Huckaby teams up with Downbeat label gaffer Jose Rico for this EP made with a Waldorf WAVE Synthesizer. Rico's two efforts that adorn the A-Side have clearly been produced with intricate poise, making it all the more surprising that this is his debut release. Both "Restructure Again" and "About It" are lathered in subtle jazzy deep house chords and subtle yet immediate percussion. Flip over for "Mathematics From The Jazz Rebulic" from Mr Huckaby, who really gives the Waldorf what for. Killer release for the deep house purists.

Review: Deep Transportation don Mike Huckaby teams up with Downbeat label gaffer Jose Rico for this EP made with a Waldorf WAVE Synthesizer. Rico's two efforts that adorn the A-Side have clearly been produced with intricate poise, making it all the more surprising that this is his debut release. Both "Restructure Again" and "About It" are lathered in subtle jazzy deep house chords and subtle yet immediate percussion. Flip over for "Mathematics From The Jazz Rebulic" from Mr Huckaby, who really gives the Waldorf what for. Killer release for the deep house purists.

Review: After that blinding Marcellus Pittman record for Downbeat Black earlier in the year, the Madrid label come through their final transmission of the year and it features some heavily cerebral deep house founders Urtzi and Jose Rico. Urtzi impresses with his two contributions, the undulating, pad-heavy bliss of "Memories From Another Life", and "No Back Memory" - a pensive slither of rich, piano-laden beatdown. Jose Rico opts for a slightly more energetic approach on his two cuts, though both "Small Island" (built around some superb percussion and tumbling chords) and the sun-kissed "Aint" are still lovingly melodious.