Back catalogue: Progressive House

Review: Background is a Rimini-based label which specialises in slinky, playful strains of minimal tech house from some emergent names well worth keeping tabs on. Alex Dima has certainly earned his stripes as a name to get you checking the record, and his opening track 'Twisted' offers the mysterious synth touches and boxy drum machines beats we've come to expect, while Luca Piermattei lays down some seriously satisfying trance-minded melodic lines to loosen the crowd up good and proper. Munir Nadir is in an equally artful, inquisitive mood as he fires off the interlocking riffs and licks of 'Guinea' and then Smoud Beats completes the picture with a diversion into shaky, 90s-styled acid for the jacker in your life.

Review: Novaj Records presents its second vinyl release - 'Space Energy', an electrifying compilation EP inviting listeners on an interstellar journey through a wide array of sonic cosmologies, in good stead with the nascent trend of space-age acid house emergent of late. Lauching into the boundless realms of space, the likes of Donnie Cosmo's 'Venus Transit', MLink's 'Frequencia' and Sunaas' 'Flash Dancer' are all as enchanting as they are out-of-body-experience-inducing.

Review: Habitat Recordings is an art platform from Mind Against which seeks to explore a variety of formats and modes of expression, but here they're focusing on the good old techno 12" with the finely curated pairing of Dyzen, Syderal and Recondite. First up on the A-side is Dyzen and Syderal with their catchy, chunky anthem 'Dialogue'. Then Dyzen goes it alone with a vinyl pressing for his digital single 'Radiant', which takes cosmic disco influences in the direction of big room techno. Finally, Recondite remixes 'Dialogue' and smooths out some of the edges for a straight-trucking version that keeps the original vibe very much intact.

Review: Semi Delicious return for their sixteenth edition with the impressive 'Asylum Of Love' V/A, inviting faces old and new to the imprint. A label noted for bringing together impressive collections of talent, SEMID016 is no exception, with six separate contributions from Krywald & Farrer, Gallegos, Tatie Dee, Omar Smadar & DJ Gear, Scarlett O'Malley & label boss, Demi Riquisimo. The A-side welcomes Krywald & Farrer, Gallegos and Tatie Dee, kicking off with 'Seize The Source' from the aforementioned Krywald & Farrer, before label regular Gallegos tops things up with 'Asylum of Love', and finally, Dee's 'For My Niece'. The B brings the most jubilant of the bunch, 'Check One', while this tonal up-shift continues with 'Hey Party People', before finally closing on Demi's finishing touch that is a version of 'Rocking You Internally' from his own 'Mirage Over' EP, released on the same imprint. All quality house here.

Review: The Revivis-run Santo Tomas label launches a new edits offshoot devoted to reworking less obvious, forgotten house and prog gems from the 90s. The A-side is a collision of techno, prog and trance with cosmic synths, twitchy pads and plenty of old school stabs. The flip is a little more stripped back - the drums slap, the acid lines grow ever more wild, and a steamy and sensuous vocal sample is run through the middle for maximum emotional impact. Two dancefloor destroyers, for sure.

Review: Sasha's Fleuron Drift epitomises classic progressive house, showcasing his expertise in the genre. The original track features a strong melodic build and consistent energy throughout, captivating listeners with its dynamic progression. On the B-side, the remixes kick off with Theo Kottis' remix injects a more upbeat and trance-like vibe, with futuristic and techy elements. The growling bassline adds intensity, while a melodic break and tension release keep the energy flowing. In contrast, Kassian's remix takes a more minimal approach, focusing on groove. Stripping back the layers, it emphasizes rhythm and movement, creating a hypnotic atmosphere that draws listeners into its depths. Overall, Fleuron Drift and its remixes offer a diverse range of sounds and styles, staying true to the essence of classic progressive house.

Review: Shimmon Woolfson is next up on Rezpektiva with some well crafted and highly emotive sounds for the heart of the dance floor. 'Hands In The Air Mix' is a full throttle progressive house adventure - the powerful drums journey onwards as passed bass and big trance chords add weight and drive. It's an emotional overload that harks back to the prime era Sasha & Digweed and we love it. 'Deep Deep Dub Mix' is more heady, with as the title suggests deep and dubby vibes sinking the tune into a different realm - a late night world of post-rush seriousness.

Review: Over the past ten years brothers Sasha and Sergey Lipsky have been throwing down their own brand of wayward grooves as Simple Symmetry, tapping into a kind of cosmic sound which has been right at home on labels like Disco Halal. Now the Russiann pair have arrived on Multi Multi after teasing the connection with a compilation offering in 2021. On this EP we get dark n' dirty electro throb, ascendant trancey techno, sentimental sax-laden wooze-house (think 'Pacific State' on luudes) and a remix from kindred spirits Red Axes which will do maximum damage on the floor.

Review: Just in time for Valentine's Day, System 108 from the Netherlands marks eight years of business with Eight Years Of Love Pt 1, a superb 12" packed with fresh house sounds from across the spectrum. Simple Symmetry & Lord Fascinator open up with 'The Search Continues', a thumping acid laced tech house cut with indie vocals while Cream Soda bring twitchy electronics and amped up drums. There's electroclash-style rawness from Kovyazin D, Lipelis & Cosmic G explore a more celestial sound that will place you amongst the heavens and Gleb Filipchenkow shuts down with slow, elastic, acid laced gurgles on his 'Mieux La' (feat Ode).

Review: Sometime Sex Tags Mania and Bordello A Parigi regular Skatebard (real name Bard Aasen Lodemel) begins his third decade as a music producer in confident style on 'The Bells of Mist'. In its original form (B1), the track is an emotive, bittersweet treat, with the long-serving Norwegian smothering a (digital) cowbell-laden rhythm track and thickset, arpeggio-style bassline in melancholic chords. Noted Balearic house revivalist Phillip Lauer provides the remixes, first delivering a 'Flute Mix' built around a Robin S style bassline, crunchy '90s house beats and loved-up electronic motifs, before doffing a cap to Bobby Orlando, 'Behaviour'-era Pet Shop Boys and druggy Italo-disco on the moody 'Marshall Mix'. Round of an excellent package, Skatebard slows the pace down via a horizontal, slow-motion chugger entitled 'Favrer Flimrer'.

Review: Night Vibez first outing on vinyl is a limited affair, with only 200 copies available worldwide. It sees Steb join forces with Dario Rossi for 'Karius 1979', a shimmering, impactful late-night number that giddily blurs the boundaries between sci-fi deep house, trippy nu-disco, and strobe-lit Italo-disco of the sort more associated with basements in The Hague than open-air clubs in Italy. Van Der Kirche and THC kick-start the accompanying remix package with a bouncy, stab-happy breakbeat take that sounds like it could have been recorded in 1990 or 91, before big guns Marvin & Guy re-frame it as a throbbing Chic-meets-Italo-disco workout. To round things off, the Feel Fly 'Piano Emozione' mix is a dreamy, piano-laden trance number that recalls the mid-90s excellence of Robert Miles.