Ocha レコード& CD

Review: Bay Area native Cody Ferreira has made some terrific music as CoFlo over the past few years, in the process developing a trademark sound that draws much influence from Latin music, tropical rhythms, humid instrumentation and the sonically detailed deep house productions of Ron Trent. 'A Warriors Dance' continues this trend, with jaunty pianos, warm electronics and woozy synth sounds riding above a Latin-tinged deep house groove laden with organic-sounding percussion. He provides a wonderful, jazz-funk influenced, Kaidi Tatham style 'Backside Remix' of his own, while Ron Trent delivers an ultra-percussive revision built around a raw analogue bassline and heady ambient chords. More heavily electronic, sun-kissed bonus cut 'Minha Mae Lemanja' completes a fine EP.

Review: There are plenty of rich influences in this EP from Coflo - from the Latin percussion to the jazzy melodies, the tribal drums sounds to the lush depths of the drums. That makes it the sort of EP that that is perfectly suited to the warmer months, to bar parties, sundown sessions and dancing outdoors under the hot sun. 'Transition Deep' (Coflo remix) kicks off with the gentle patter of percussion and flute melodies that life your soul. 'Menina' (Coflo's mix) has more of an Afro feel to it and 'Feels Like' (club Fusion mix) is a lively one with big chords plenty of cosmic guitar lines.

Review: The Vick Lavender 12" on Ocha was a real winner. The label follow it up with more heat here that is sure to become a future classic. It comes from Laroye & Lee Wilson with plenty of summer-ready vibes. The extended mix of 'Beautiful' is a classic soulful house jam. The drums are packed with passion, the percussion is sprinkled over the top with real vitality and a playful bassline often has room to shine. The Yoruba Soul mix is similarly rich and musical but a little more paired back for a steamier sunset vibe. Casamena ups the ante for when it is fully dark in the club then the Deep Dream mix is perfect for the afters or Sunday comedown session.

Review: Ocha takes us on a Latin tinged deep house trip with Chicago's Vick Lavender behind the beats. The producer's signature soulful sounds and jazz signatures light up each tune, starting with 'Third Planet From The Sun (Sophisticado main mix)' which is all freaky sound effects, fluttering flutes and spiritual beats. 'Live Wired (Vick Time Traveller mix)' s a steamy track with gorgeous keys and sunny synths while closing things out is 'A Space Odyssey (Slow N Low) (Vick Time Traveller mix)', a jazzy jam with lounge vibes, Rhodes chords and cosmic rays all making it a full flavour jam.

Review: This soulful, busy, heated and sultry 12" vinyl record features the work of two of Chicago's most eminent producers around today. On production duties comes Vick Lavender and Carlos Mena, and they're complemented by vocalist Amma Whatt (who appears on the cover), with respect to making a funky housey tribute to soul and jazz and bossa nova, producing a steamy whirlwind of a track that is hard to place, yet stellar. The various mixes are up-front and mega-roomy, but Whatt's vocals hit softly despite.

Review: Ocha welcome back Robert Matos for more of his steamy Afro-jazz cum house fusions. 'Midnight Jazz Journey' is a real spiritual trip with the mutterings of Ron Trent buried deep in the middle. The cosmic chords ring out with real soul as live drums tumble and delicate percussion dances up top to make for a life-affirming sound full of rich and lush musicality. Casamena then dials it back a little and layers in some warming house drums for his club mix while the Coflo Backside mix is a heady broken beat dancer.