Fina レコード& CD

Review: First surfacing on blog come digi label Discobelle, last year saw "Brighton based producer of techno" Guy Andrews (as his Discogs succinctly states) reach a much wider audience with a succession of releases on Hemlock and Hotflush that saw him dabble in various techy and bass flavoured shades of the genre. This four track Annum 12" for the FINA label sees Andrews drop the tempo slightly to show off his skills at applying his style to contemporary deep house. Draped in airy reverb, the synths and bass of "Divide" cajole and caress each other into a forlorn and momentous climax, while the appropriately titled and progressive "7AM" introduces tubular and new-age percussion for something equally euphoric. The B-side sees Andrews continue with the inspiring synths that define the EP, while grounding the record with grittiness across "Fixture" and "Tapes".

Review: Growing up in Metro-Detroit, and having recently played on the 'Made in Detroit' stage at this year's Movement Festival, you'd have a fair idea of what to expect from Appian. Indeed, the influence of the Motor City's signature sound on much of the burgeoning talent's output is unmistakable. Yet Appian's forthcoming release 'Chatter EP' on FINA Records is a testament to his varied and experimental production style; a distinctive sound borne out of inspirations as varied as funk, experimental electronica, disco, "80s stuff", early house, and Aphex Twin.

First up, Appian takes funk staples into the deep house realm with dexterity and class with the EP's title track. The strong and rhythmic electric bass and Hammond organ-esque chords simply ooze a feel good funk and lock you in from the get go. The foregrounded filtered cymbals give the snappy 4/4 beat a jazzy twist and help drive this unquestionably contagious, warm and upbeat groove forward. All in all, an organic and energised house jam, fit for all kinds of shoulder shrugging, finger clicking, side stepping goodness.

The suitably titled 'Astronomer' meanwhile is light years away from the lead track in terms of its vibe. Feel good, perhaps, however the long drawn out, and warped synths hypnotise from the offset whilst the sporadic and gently melodic chords soften the mood, evoking feelings of weightlessness and calm. The gradual layering of experimental blends of beats and analogue bleeps transport to infinite plains, slowly building in momentum to a kind of warped, futuristic crescendo. An equally well crafted composition but definitely suited to star gazing than shoulder shrugging.

On the flip side, Appian mixes it up again. 'Operator' shares many of the same abstract characteristics as 'Astronomer' but the introduction of industrial stabs and more robotic analogues over a back drop of an extended synth, makes it an experimental take on a more classic, raw Detroit sound.

Last up and unsurprisingly, Planet E's legendary Monty Luke showcases his freethinking and flamboyant production prowess with a bad ass reworking of 'Operator'. He cleverly complements the original's synths by added another leading loop which, along with the staccatoed beats and crisp high-hats on the off, step up Appian's offering a gear or two. By bringing the backdrop more to the fore and piling on percussion and atmospheric blasts he achieves a frenzied fusion of sounds that is sure to bring a palpable energy to the dance floor.

A classy EP from some of Detroit's finest emerging and established talent. Worth chatting about.

Review: It's a brave producer who picks up a sample already canonised by Madvillain, who were already bold enough to pick it up from Steve Reich, but Simon Baker seems to barely break a sweat in twisting the iconic hook from "Come Out" as the central theme to "Riker". The phrasing of the woody melodies also harks back to Reich's formative works, while set in the context of a full-bodied deep house track with techno tendencies. "Geo" cools things off ever so slightly with a funkier disposition and more amorphous pads, while Eliphino works a slick shuffle and soulful vocal licks into his remix of "Riker".

Review: FINA Records marks its fifteenth release this March/April with Borrowed Indentity's 'Bang Bang Boogie', a four-track single of rugged house and disco grooves. Romanian born now Germany based Borrowed Identity has been releasing gradually creeping out his electronic compositions since late 2011, releasing through reputable imprints such as Supplement Facts, Pets Recordings and Quintessentials to name a few. Picking up support along the way from leading names such as Mike Huckaby, Move D, Brawther and Delano Smith. Here we see Borrowed Identity join the FINA Records roster, a fitting placement for his soul-laden electronic sound. Title cut 'Bang Bang Boogie ft. Mechanical Soul Brother' opens the record, a stab fuelled Chicago house number, employing an amalgamation of organic piano chords, fluttering pads, cutting bass tones and soulful vocal snippets to create a classic house piece, skilfully crafted. Following we have 'Mental State', which again tips its focus to the foundations of house with a gritty acidic bass hook, retro cowbells, shuffling snares and Juno strings, while a seemingly improvised sax melody in the latter stages adds a further charm to the arrangement.
On the latter half of the release we see Borrowed Identity display his diversity as a producer, with 'Roboto Moves' veering into dub territories, animated by dubbed out synth stabs, ethereal bass and a sharp bass hook. We then see the release rounded off with an infectious disco track entitled 'You're Mine', which blends organic rhythms and gospel-style vocals with slap bass licks and funk infused guitar lines to truly close the package in style.

Review: Rememory label owner Esa Williams breaks away from his release home and pieces together the Verloore EP on relatively new Leeds label Fina (20:20 Vision's sub-label) under his production name Mervin Granger. The title track is an elegant piece with gloriously sharp claps that smack against glowing chords and a deep bassline. Erefaan Pierce strikes on the flip with his Cape Flats Numbers Mix; equally as intriguing, its chopped vocals and upped tempo make it a floor filler. "Galaxy" garners a similar appeal with lovingly crafted clicks and an undercurrent of laid back grooves that push the synth heavy riff along.

Review: Japanese producer Takuya Matsumoto first surfaced back in 2001 on a split release with compatriot Kouji Nagahashi (seek out "The Rubicon") but its more recently he's been getting the attention his classy house productions deserve. Matsumoto lands on Fina with the Places Of Colour EP after superb 2014 drops for R&S subsidiary Meda Fury and Clone Royal Oak and if you were a fan of those you will want to check these four cuts! Subtle and warm, opener "Souvenir" sets the tone thanks to Matsumoto's perfectly balanced blend of silky vocals, delicate chords and dusty cymbals. Evocative piano melodies play their role in "Coco" too, easing up alongside poignant strings as the producer shows his flair for rugged, interesting rhythms. Flipside jams "Flio" and "Seasons" veer off into jazzier territory and make it easy to see why Flo Po rates Matsumoto so highly! As do we - Juno recommends this 12"!

Review: A sub-label of Ralph Lawson's 20:20 Vision empire, Fina has already dispensed four EPs since they set up shop at the beginning of this year. For their fifth, they invite Dutch duo Morning Factory to the label. Titled "Sultans Of Swing", the EP (thankfully) bears little resemblance to Dire Straits and includes a remix from the UK's very own Cottam. The title track earmarks an instantly soothing edge; its succulent horn-like synths swelling against the percussion and making way for lengthy beds and brass melodies. Cottam's remix however drags "Sultans Of Swing" deeper still as pitches drop and synths slow to a crawl like pace to create a trippy, dream-like remix. "Lady" follows in its predecessor's simmering footsteps, before a looped vocal reminiscent of late nineties R&B lifts the entire track into a melodic heart wrencher.

Review: FINA Records presents Terrence Pearce's 'Last Night Lover EP' featuring the return of Francis Inferno Orchestra on the rework.

Having previously released on a number of prominent labels including Futureboogie, Wolf Music, Petfood, Kolor, Dark Energy and Freshmeat, Cape Town based DJ/Producer Terrence Pearce has emerged as a talented and sought after artist and is the latest quality edition to FINA Records' roster. Here 'Last Night Lover EP' offers up a healthy dose of the forward thinking house productions for which Terrence has become renowned; a 3 tracker that demonstrates his impeccable sonic style and production prowess.

The title track sets the tone from the off. The long and drawn out spacey synths transfix whilst the fading in and out of the subdued strings, offset against the low end warble and the foregrounded off beat percussion, give this classy understated cut a deliciously smooth and timeless quality.

'Come On Yah' meanwhile is a warm and effortless disco edged groove, characterized by its infectious low-end throb and clever concoction of playful rhythms, punchy hats, staccato strings and off kilter chords.

Then, out of nowhere 'Taxi' arrives; a wonderfully leftfield amalgamation of horn beeping, door slamming, taxi hollering madness, aggressive techno stabs and a relentless belter of a bass line which drives the contagious rhythm to an unexpected frenetic funk filled break.

Last up and hot off the back of his widely acclaimed debut album 'A New Way of Living', Melbourne's Francis Inferno Orchestra returns to FINA, this time on 'Taxi' remixing duties. After a masterful dose of his signature drum machine rhythms, early rave like samples and rainforest atmospherics FIO softens the original into near obscurity.

Review: FINA Records presents 'Tyranny of Fun', the debut EP from Slow Learner. The coining of the new alias 'Slow Learner', marks a new chapter and musical direction for an already established artist who is by no means new to the game. Preferring to start afresh and steer clear from associations, the somewhat reclusive figure from the South Coast is now focused instead on allowing his new output to speak solely for itself. And his debut release under his new pseudonym achieves just that. 'Tyranny of Fun' is an accomplished sonic offering that reveals a versatile sound characterized by original combinations of samples, depth and range. The EPs opener, 'The Skin Horse' is surely one for the after afters - a dark and off kilter growler of a track whose prevailing bassline and waltz time beat provide a brooding backdrop and relentless rolling nod to its intricate fusion of dissident chords, dusty synths and jazz stabs. On the flip side, an unpredictable 'Cupboard Love' starts muted and deep but soon surprises, opening out into a warm and progressive feel-good groove. Mixing things up again, Slow Learner impulsively cuts up the flow 4 minutes in with a funk-filled refrain, leaving the track dancing in and around dirtier disco territories. Last up, a made for vinyl 'Honey' goes deeper still; a delectably crafted down tempo offering whose syrupy vocals stir and evocative cross-rhythm synths, coupled with the vintage analogue percussion, ooze an unmistakable old 90's deep house sound.

Review: FINA Records returns with its sixteenth release this June, this time coming from German duo Tarron Trekka who offer up a four-track self-titled EP. Both Daniel Muller-Sachs and Andreas Kriester have been releasing material via the likes of Freude Am Tamzen, Brut! and Milnor Modern as Tarron Trekka since the late 2000's, and here find themselves snapped up for a single on the illustrious FINA imprint. "Alelle Fu" is some of the most joyfully strange house music we've heard in a while, it's copious filtering making the whole thing sound like a tightly coiled spring. The remaining three tracks are much more traditional, but offer the kind of late night deepness that will keep any basement dancefloor grooving into the small hours.

Review: The original deep house don Rick Wade is back in action with yet more of those soul-rooted tones to tickle your emotions and speak to your inner funk. This time he's been snapped up by 20:20 offshoot Fina who know a thing or two about the genre, and Mr. Wade has responded by pushing his sound further into sumptuous sample-laden territory that wakes up his somnambulant sound into something almost feisty. "Sweet Life" rolls on a heartfelt beatdown with romantic string swells and guitar licks, while "The Chateau" gets into a nasty groove with plenty of live drums and dramatic horn blasts before a more typical Wade style emerges on the steady grooving "Jazz Militia". To cap it all off Mr Beatnick delivers a remix of "Sweet Life' that works some fulsome bass into a sparser construction with dazzling results.