Review: Watergate, the cult Berlin club known for its riverside location and legendary LED ceiling above the dancefloor, is also a reputable tech house label that deals in fresh names only. Here it is 8Kays that makes a debut with Falling Down, a selection of superb collaborations including 'Matematica' with Glowal which is tense and electric tech with indie vocals and with Juan Hansen he cooks up the medically hopeful 'Falling Down' which then gets two remixes. Colyn & Beswerda make it into a moody and deep groove, Chris Avantgarde brings some peak time prog energy and solo cut 'Lyra' has a warm, paddy broken beat to cruise on through the stars.
Review: If you were a young production twosome growing up in Cologne, you'd aim high and send your demo recordings to the city's most storied techno label, Kompakt. That's exactly what Mourad Kehalia and Sebastian Fischer AKA 90ASE did, and it led directly to this quietly impressive debut EP. The headline attraction is 'Streetpoet', a dreamy and colourful slab of breakbeat-house gorgeousness smothered in elongated church organ chords, tactile pads and auto-tune enabled Arabic vocals. The mighty Axel Boman remixes, delivering a 'Trancehall' mix that ups the dreaminess levels further while employing squelchy synth bass and pumping, tribal house style beats. To complete a rock-solid package, Kehalia and Fischer offer-up the maximal deep house headiness of 'New Ballad', which is as gorgeous as it is dancefloor-ready.
Review: Superfriends is a new label project from German tech house duo Andhim. They take care of the first release and export outside the usual realms on opener 'Tosch (feat Piper Davis).' It has an air of DJ Koze's hazy nostalgia to it with gentle tumbling drums, broad bass notes and plenty of lo-fi texture. 'German Winter' is not as harsh and cold as the season it is named after, instead layering up subtly hopeful, sustained chords over a groove that's not too heavy, not too airy. 'Mond' brings smeared and smudged melodies, flutes and pianos together over a dubby, delightfully deep house low end. 'Horse Society' closes with the distant sound or bird tweets, a hooky percussive lead and plodding kicks for day-time open-air dancing.
Review: German progressive house duo Andhim specialize in bringing out the genre's sentimental side, and their latest single 'I Love You' is a masterful case in point. Describing their sound as "super house", the pair evidently only choose the most serene and gut-punching sounds and samples going in, and 'I Love You' exemplifies this, with its knife-edge, repetitive vocal and swellingly pink chords, which recall the French house climaxes of The Paradise or Daft Punk, and/or the more recent, well-rounded post-10s uplifts of Bicep. Of course, the B-side must provide the mirror image, on which the equally powerful emotion of hatred is explored. Hatred isn't exactly a house music go-to, but the psychologist in us feels compelled to remind the reader that love and hatred, aren't binary opposites, and are closer together than we often think!
Review: Henri Bergmann and Wennink's Guardian Angel marks an impressive debut on Crosstown Rebels, delivering a track that expertly fuses melody with depth. Bergmann's knack for sculpting rich, atmospheric landscapes is matched by Wennink's haunting vocals, creating a piece that feels both expansive and intimate. It's the kind of collaboration that hints at a shared vision without ever losing individual identity. The original track opens with textured percussion, slowly unfurling into an emotive soundscape as Wennink's vocals hover above like an ethereal guide. There's a melancholic undertone, but it's balanced by an uplifting drive, showcasing their ability to blend light and dark seamlessly. The remixes take Guardian Angel into uncharted territories. Stimming strips things back, opting for a more minimalist approach that sharpens the focus on rhythmic intensity, while his subtle use of effects amplifies the track's ethereal quality. It's a remix that feels lean but still full of intent. Hardt Antoine, on the other hand, plunges deeper into the shadows, pushing the bassline forward and letting synths stretch into eerie, sci-fi realms. His reworking is darker, stranger, and ultimately a satisfying close to the EP. With this release, Bergmann and Wennink add another strong entry to the Crosstown Rebels roster, proving that their partnership is one to keep watching.
Review: Ben Bohmer recorded this new single on Ninja Tune live at Brooklyn Mirage on October 6th 2023. It comes as a limited edition and hand-numbered 180-gram vinyl 12" with an extended and alternate mix. Both feature Felix Raphael and both have a subtly uplifting prog-house effect that unfolds slowly over the rich, silvery drums and deft synth drones that are all constantly on the rise. The vocals are spine-tinging, soft and tender whispers that help make this a most angelic of sounds.
Review: D:fferent Place started life back in 2019 and key a low profile and has done the same ever since. We still are not sure who or what is behind these releases but they keep coming at an unhurried rate but always with great style. This sixth offering is another club-ready mix of house, tech and minimal starting with the dry, stiff beats of 'Mr Science' before bringing more loose feels and broken beats to the deft 'Funkadelic.' 'U Got Me UP' is pure backroom house tackle with dubby undercurrents and last of all is the bumping, acid laced 'Analog Tales' for a nice mid tempo workout.
David Hasert/Nicone - "Wasting My Time With You" (6:11)
Review: Kompakt have billed their latest collaborative spiritual house release - three groove sandwiches shared between Deer Jade, David Hasert and Nicone - as an antidote to the all-to-prevalent late-winter blues and lack of sun, an affliction that seems to blight ravers in particular. Aside from canvassing for more outdoor and/or glass-roofed venues, all we can do in the meantime is weight the tonearm and jog-start the disc; 'Jukurpa' and 'Wasting My Time With You' are just the course of sonic vitamins us daywalkers need. The former is a deep, righteous blur of just piano tritones and circumscribed handholds around fires, as weighted knee-slaps and impacts evoke the feeling of a collective ritual come out-of-body experience. 'Cosmic Dream' returns to the very same rave spot at nighttime; at this point, it's all gone a bit lunar-psy, but the desert winds and temperate nighttime heat allow ample energy for continued soul flight.
Review: Robert Dietz continues to impress with his latest EP, Rejuve-Nation, demonstrating his versatility and skill as a producer and DJ. The standout track, 'Crane Song,' explores proggy house territory with a sophisticated touch, offering two distinct mixes that captivate the listener with their intelligent arrangements. 'Deranged Self Therapy' takes a different turn, blending IDM with new wave drums and poignant synths, resulting in an excellent composition perfect for lovesick robots. 'Centro Di Gravita' builds upon the qualities of 'Crane Song' while infusing it with an acid lines to push boundaries and experiment with different sounds. Closing the EP, 'Any Plan(t)s This Weekend' provides a soothing ambient experience, like a confident sketch for the end of a beautiful summer. Rejuve-Nation offers a bouquet of bangers catering to various musical preferences.
Review: Innervisions continue their exploration of house music's myriad sub-genres with this EP from Berlin-based Ede. The title of the record is instructive, as this breakthrough artist from the label's Secret Weapons series seeks to fuse the unmistakable sound of Detroit with an unabashed pop streak. The vocals are front and centre on these tracks, and they sound absolutely huge when strapped to a stadium-sized remix of 'Do My Thing' from the mighty Dixon on the A1. 'Your Love', 'When You Need It' and 'On My Mind' are equally powerful though, charged with those star-scraping synth lines which make Detroit techno such an eternally cherished sound.
Review: The Edge of Me series operates in the shadows, offering a mixture of sample-heavy cuts from a producer (or producers) who wish to remain nameless, and unauthorised (but often rather good) remixes of familiar and lesser-known cuts. Volume four in the series is, like its predecessors, another mysterious beast containing four untitled tracks. Opener 'Track 1' wraps a well-known hip-hop/r&b acapella around a deep, drowsy, bongo-rich tech-house-tinged groove, before 'Track 2' opts for a more druggy dancefloor take on an analogue-rich, synth-heavy cut of unknown origin. Over on the reverse, 'Track 3' is hypnotic, deep a d trippy with added r&b vocals, while 'Track 4' is dreamy, shuffling and pleasingly sunrise ready.
Review: German techno DJ and producer Tim Engelhardt takes a bold steps toward ascendant progressive techno with 'My Joy', his latest for Habitat. Nodding to the many sun-drenched euphorias personally experienced in Ibiza, this is a true live-it-up house record. Panned organs and subtle vocals take centre stage on the A1, while the B 'Love Triangle' complicates things with a beachside love involution. Midway moment 'Take Control', meanwhile, marks the record's pivotal shift from organ-led emotion to a percussive lock-in.
Review: Toolroom sits at the top of the tree when it comes to big room house music. Mark Knight's label has mastered the art of maximal sounds and this eighth volume of the Tooroom Sampler series is another one that will do plenty of damage. Essel's 'Sweat' is a rigid tech cut with stiff synths and libidinous vocals, then Shiba San and Ayarez get direct with shuffling tech house cut 'Twist It' complete with big skewed synths. Friend Within's 'Pilka' keeps the energy levels high with fizzing synth loops over textured drums and a fat bassline. Maur x Westend and Cami Bear close out with some brighter melodies to get hands in the air on 'Over.'
Review: Ame's Innervisions label has joined forces with Philomena here for a 15th release in its series. This one kicks off with an Ivory remix of Fever Ray's 'Shiver.' The leftfield electronic artist who is also part of The Knife has a distinctive voice, to say the least, and that shines out here as shimmering chords radiant around it and over a proggy groove. The flip side offers up and unknown artist with 'Track 2' which has a familiarr vocal left to hang in the air above a cold, snappy tech rhythm. It's the sort of quietly anthemic cut Ame are known for dropping at special moments.
Fisher Vs Kita Alexander - "Atmosphere" (extended mix) (7:24)
Fisher Vs Kita Alexander - "Atmosphere" (acappella) (1:42)
Fisher Vs Kita Alexander - "Atmosphere" (extended instrumental) (5:56)
Fisher Vs Kita Alexander - "Atmosphere" (3:24)
Review: 'Atmosphere' is an all new and highly effective earworm pulled from the depths of a tequila bottle. It is sure to be another mega-hit for EDM royalty and pro surfer-turned-producer FISHER who is best know for his last anthem, 'Losing It.' Featuring ethereal vocals from Brisbane's Kita Alexander, the track blends ecstatic synths with massive, pogoing bass and has already got tens of millions of streams and a gold certification. Various mixes all tweak the drums and synth but the original is the one you will be hearing all year long.
Review: Italian house artist Flashmob's debut album Sundown is introduced with this fine four-track sampler which offers a glimpse into the diverse sounds of the full release. The opening track, 'Right Now,' features South African wordsmith Lazarusman on vocals and delivers a soulful, groove-filled house anthem with a positive message. The title track is a deep, melodic masterpiece that blends electronic music's darker and more emotive elements. Then 'Time Chance' takes a tech-house approach that showcases Flashmob's more intricate, driving beats. The sampler closes with 'Hands All Over Me' a dark, late-night roller with haunting, ethereal vocals that are perfect for the after-hours.
Review: Sydney label Club Sweat deals in big, accessible, effective house tunes that are designed to bring a smile to your face. The latest in a long line of such tunes is from Hot Creations man Lee Foss and Franky Wah. Their superb 'Name Of Love' has it all - effortlessly smooth and rolling house drums, the sound of chanting children and silky pad work. Finishing it off is a carefree vocal from SPNCR and the whole thing is just divine. The Torren Foot remix is much more angsty and edgy, with big percussive energy, sizeable drops and rock solid, kicks for teeth-gritted late night dancing.
Review: On his first release of any sort since dropping his debut album, 'The Serve of the Abnormal', last year, Denis Horvat makes his bow on Afterlife with an EP that drags tech-house and minimal house in dark, trippy new directions. For proof, check opener 'Cha Cha', a menacing, EBM-influenced affair that peppers a chugging, early morning groove with rising and falling lead lines, creepy counter melodies and rasping, trance style stabs. The EP's inherent sense of clandestine atmosphere comes to the fore once more on shuffling, moody vocal number 'Precious Unica', before the Copenhagen-based producer opts for a more forthright darkwave meets-peak-time-tech-house flex on 'Momentum of the Arapaima'. Closing cut 'Majstor', meanwhile, is an incredibly trippy, K-hole trance number underpinned by a wonky triple-time beat.
Celebration (Featuring Lilli Ellen - Denis Horvat remix) (4:56)
Review: Vokabularium's Denis Horvat returns with another contribution to his very own label. 'Marlou' is a densely textured four-tracker of deep and minimal movers, several of which push the boundaries of the genre with abrasive sounds and vocal experiments from singer Lilli Ellen. The arpy and metallic 'Poudrextase' is a case in point of this abrasion, with its juddering leads made to harmonise still with the otherwise dreamy backings. Meanwhile, 'Corpalium' and 'Celebration' move slower, allowing for Ellen's vocals to burgeon and brood over the mix in an extended fashion.
Review: Following the warm reception for the most recent Vokabularium release, label boss Denis Horvat once again joins forces with talented vocalist Lilli Ellen on the EP ‘Two Makes Everything’, a murkily earnest progressive house record building on indie pop and blues. The title track moves snakily, through watery grain-echoed synth plucks and brimming background pads, as Ellen pleas for understanding despite a newfound sense of determination in who she is. ‘Gone’, meanwhile, prefers a more plodding abstraction, held together firmly by a three-note stab.
Review: Howling serenades the start of a new sub label for Italian label Groovin entitled Mystic Vibes, and the sound couldn't be more fitting. This new project comes from Australian artist R YX and Ame's Frank Wiedemann, and it finds them dealing in a mournful kind of deep house-pop confection which can easily hold sway over a large crowd while offering something very tender and intimate. As well as the brooding original, this release comes fronted with a similarly emotive version by Adriatique, the Swiss duo who pour their considerable production talents into a more danceable remix.
Review: Haggerston-based production wizard Jeigo kicks off the year after a standout 2024 by serving his own label Fleurella Records' first release. For the occasion, he reissues his track 'Pearl Leaf' which sits in between the worlds of Bicep, Sasha and UKG. It has floating pads and airy, organic beats that carry you away on a melancholic mood with deeply buried vocals adding a blurry, heart-tugging hook. On the flip are two new and unheard jams. 'Headpains' is full of a flurry of breaks but is also laden with introspective emotion in the vocals and chords and 'The Days You Were Here' is a more downtempo cut with shimmering pads, pitched-up vocals and languid bass.
Review: Jeigo dropped a thrilling debut album Cerulean back at the end of 2022, worked in a tune with Elkka for her DJ-Kicks mix and also dropped a mix for Bicep not long ago. Now he follows all that up with a firing four-track EP on Tread Records that again collides different club sounds, great samples and hooky melodies. 'Hatchet's Cave' is hands-in-the-air house euphoria with blistering drums and warped pads, then 'Move X' is a gritty tech bouncer and 'Compulsions' is a bubbly one with crisp hits. Nervous Horizons label boss Anunaku remixes the title track into a bass-heavy banger too.
Review: Clean-cut Scottish producer Kerr Slaven has been touted as a rising star for some time, though it's only since joining Toolroom in 2019 that he's come close to fulfilling his immense potential. 'Cold Light', his latest single for Mark Knight's much-loved imprint, has all the makings of a genuine crossover hit, with Leo Stannard's evocative, emotive vocals rising above an attractive blend of funk-fuelled house beats, rubbery electronic bass, dreamy chords and jaunty synth stabs. This accessible, radio-friendly blend is given a big room makeover on the accompanying 'Club Mix', a boisterous, sub-bass-heavy affair rich in jacking tribal drums and big builds, while the '6am Mix' re-casts the cut as a melancholic, soft-touch Balearic pop treat.
Review: Toolroom head honcho Mark Knight has pulled out all the stops here and joined forces with some of house music's biggest names. His ow-slung new tune 'The Greatest Thing Alive' is a collab with the one and only Chicago don Green velvet plus James Hurr and it has already made an impact on global dancefloors since its digital release in October last year. Between these talents they all dig deep and cook up something perfectly chunky and detailed with fresh percussion. It's the sort of tune that will blow up in Miami and has the addition of Green Velvet's take on the classic 'Mannish Boy' from Muddy Waters.
Review: Gorgon City take a break from their 2012-style donk house style a-la Jess Glynne or Clean Bandit, this time opting for a deeper mood while bringing superproducer Damian Lazarus and singer Leia Contois into their orbit. Dreamy and delirious, 'Start Over' opines for better times, with Contois wishing deeply for a memory-erasing do-over. On the B-side, Lazarus and City go Italo-trance, lending even washier lucidity to the whole song.
Review: In signature cinematic melodic techno style, Mind Against and Cay bring 'Cant U Hear Me / Trust', laying thick a hi-tech fusion of soulful house and synthetically squeezed sound-energy. The thrumming heartbeat of UK club culture is heart sifted through a harsh cyborg grate, reducing things to a metallurgic, pulmonary pulp. Crystalline percussion, cascading synths... 'Trust' makes particularly pristine use of untainted pluck design, with peaking plucks wriggling in the mid-high layer like buds on a mecha-euphoric flower (just look at that front cover).
Review: Alexis Namur helms up the house label Beau Mot Plage, which has lain dormant for a good few years, until now. Fhloston Paradise is his newest addition and a return to the imprint; four bits of funky future house beamed up and reconstituted from the Frenchman's mind, conveying a brave new world of robotized voices ('AG I Got Funk' talks of "energy frequency equalizers", for god's sake) and synthetic whooshes ('To The Unknown' is our favourite track, as it whizzes off into oblivion).
Review: Deep techno mainstay Rico Puestel has many killer cuts in his back catalogue and now he has decided to remaster and repress some of them. The Undeniable Classics Vol 1 is a bold title for your own work but the tunes stand up, thankfully. This is the first time these have actually been available on vinyl too so do not sleep as 'Volute' is a perfect early evening roller with dubby drums and languid hits that hook you in and get you ready for more. 'Remembering October 3rd' is a cut for the early mornings with soulful pads and vocals soundtracking the moment the sun first peaks through the blinds.
Review: Skatman's sounds often merge different facets of different genres into something fresh enough to pique the interest. This new album on Cognitive Prophecy is another case in point. It is club-ready tech and minimal but with standout character such as the squealing lead and auto-tuned vocal fragments of 'Fresh' which make it sound super futuristic. There is a warm afterglow to the vamping chords of ageless house jam 'Feel It' and 'Dream On' very much gets you into that mindstate with its widescreen synth smears.
As It May Seem (feat Paul Brenning - Beat version) (6:26)
As It May Seem (feat Paul Brenning) (3:11)
Cult (6:07)
Blau Cel (8:11)
Review: microCastle's second release of 2024 sees Upercent return to the label with another great new EP. Since his debut in 2011, the Valencia-based artist has developed a unique style of electronic futurism with an experimental approach and often fresh creative vision. As such he has become one of the standout artists of the past decade and his first microCastle release, 2018's Vuit, marked the label's second vinyl project and featured contemporary club tracks and innovative sound explorations. Persevere continues with his signature aesthetic with tracks like 'Oracle', 'As It May See', 'Cult', and 'Blau Cel' offering immersive grooves and imaginative soundscapes.
Review: Agents Of Time are a unique Italian dance duo whose poppy dance music blends well with a live 3D show that has dazzled punters the world over. Here they debut their first album, Universo, which plunges into the cosmos through a distinctly lo-fi dance lens. With a slew of vocal performances from Audrey Janssens to Vicky Who?, our favourite track has to be a tie between 'Vocal Ghost' and 'Liquid Fantasy'. Perhaps comparable to Bicep for cosmonauts.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.