Review: Phil Mison, long revered for his chill-out sets and Balearic sensibility as a DJ, not to mention over two dozen releases under his belt, returns as Cantoma with a new single that perfectly captures the spirit of sunset listening. 'Light As Before' is a gentle and evocative piece built on Latin percussion, breezy guitar work and a standout horn section that lifts the track into a golden-hour daydream. It's the kind of track that feels tailor-made for a coastal terrace, a glass in hand and nowhere to be but the present. The B-side remix is a tasteful reimagining that dials down the horns and replaces them with soft flutes and delicate acoustic textures. This version leans deeper into the groove with a more introspective yet still melodic mood. It trades some of the exuberance for warmth and depth, making it an ideal complement to the original. Both sides highlight Mison's continued mastery of Balearic downtempo.
Emmaculate & DJ Spen - "Step Into A Black Whole" (13:38)
Emmaculate - "Boogie On Disco Woman" (6:41)
Review: Like a veteran striker in his final season, GAMM has really captured some top form on late and now drops a fire premiere from Chicago's Emmaculate and legendary Basement Boys producer DJ Spen. Opener 'Step Into A Black Whole' is a genre-hopping 11-minute journey that moves from deep house to a hip-hop breakdown featuring KRS-One before morphing into a jazzy Afrobeat stomper. First heard by GAMM contributor Coflo during a wild house set, the track blew the roof off and always will. On the B-side, 'Boogie On Disco Woman' delivers a gritty funk, disco and soul rework with raw drums, clavinets and soulful vocals. Two standouts.
Review: While the required mystery means that we can never be quite sure who is behind the Moxy Edits series and My Edits imprint, many are reportedly by the man behind the Moxy Music label, house hero Darius Syrossian. We suspect - though cannot confirm - that he's at the control on this latest instalment in the series, which feature two house reworks of classic cuts. On A-side 'In The Know', he delivers a killer slab of warehouse-ready hip-house, where a familiar, high-octane rap rides heavy-but-bouncy beats, an infectious bassline and occasional blasts of the infamous (and much-sampled) 'Apache' break. Over on side B, 'Square Hole' is a housed-up take on a Steely Dan classic previously sampled by De La Soul. Both cuts are bona fide party classics in the making.
Review: Medicine Music offer us a remedy, but not a cure, for a chronic ailment of ours: for some reason we simply cannot shake the compulsion to seek out disco edits in quadruply combined pill form. The second volume in Dr. Packer's own reworks series, this new'un follows the first edition released far back in 2017. 'Hint Of Love' and 'Watch Your Back' span nouveau riche falsettos and dirt-caked soul baritones respectively, proving the polyphonic potential of disco's voices despite the unknowability of the samples so sourced. 'Chesty Lady Of The West' is meanwhile the perkiest tune on the record, curling through a minimal, backwashy sound, where guitars soar gleefully in a surfy space above the 10th fret.
Review: Scottish veteran Hifi Sean - once, in an ancient time, frontman of indie stars The Soup Dragons - doesn't really do half-measures. 'Waiting for the Sun' is his first 12" since rinsing out the Fire Island remix in 2021, and it lands somewhere between gospel house uplift and morning-after clarity. The original version doesn't hold back - full-bodied keys, layered vocals, and a central hook that sounds like it came to him mid-dog walk, which, in fairness, it did. It could have collapsed under its own optimism, but somehow doesn't. The acapella confirms just how tightly constructed the vocal work is - stacked, reverent, and stubbornly catchy. 'Sunset Dub' dials things down without losing shape, keeping the bassline intact while pulling most of the colour. 'Sunrise Reprise' nudges things into the kind of end-of-night territory where no one's really dancing anymore but still doesn't want to leave. Not a reinvention, but a sharp, self-contained reminder that Hifi Sean knows exactly what his lane is - and how to drive directly through it at golden hour.
Review: By now, most dedicated househeads should known 2Fox and Laville's debut single, 'Elevation' - an effortlessly soulful chunk of lightly gospel-influenced deep house brilliance that has been bubbling away since the summer of 2024. The regular, full vocal versions were recently released on wax and now we get the alternative dubs. Masters at Work man and all-round NYC legend Louie Vega steps up first with a swirling, deep, hypnotic and extra-percussive take that makes good use of selected lead and backing vocal snippets, before label bosses Soul Clap slap down a deep, groovy, tech-tinged dub straight from the top drawer. Over on the reverse, we get a vocal-free 'Dub-strumental' of Vega's EP-leading take, as well as a more vocal heavy, gospel house style 'Zero Hour' dub by New York veteran Tommy Musto.
She's Mine (feat Isaac Delusion - extended) (4:57)
She's Mine (feat Isaac Delusion - extended dub) (5:58)
Deja Vous (feat Diogo Strausz) (6:31)
All Night (feat MILK - extended) (4:55)
Review: The easy-to-love disco deviant and French music producer and remixer Yuksek makes a triumphant return to the evergreen Razor-N-Tape here with three cuts of fresh, original groove goodness. 'She's Mine' opens with driving percussion and an Italo-style bassline that is going to ensure take off in any setting, not least cause it's elevated by lush piano chords and yearning vocals that recall indie disco's golden days. The title track was made in cahoots with Brazilian producer Diogo Strausz and adds tropical flair and vibrant groove, while 'All Night' closes the EP with a playful, French-touch-inspired vocal loop and lashings of persuasive energy. With crisp production and ear-catching hooks throughout, Deja Vous is the right amount of nostalgic fun and forward-thinking invention.
Review: Sofian label Soul Dynamite sling a skilful slice over our way, assuring us of the finely appraised editing work of Plovdiv producer Skill. Flat caps, ochre-rimmed glasses and dug crates seem to surround Skill like bees to honey, as the self-professed "pioneer in the purveyance of soulful, funky and jazzy hip-hop" makes evident his own expertise in a monosyllabic name. Two seconds in and we already know that 'Tribute To The Godfather' refers to none other than James Brown; we hear his many rhythm-perfect funk "huhs" striating the a fearsome breaks opener. We conclude on the sax-furloughed 'Danger', which steers hip-hoppier, and sacrifices the original vocals from Brown for an unknown sample source, though the King Of Soul's reign is not lost on it.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Few labels do minimal as well as Trelik and in terms of artists, Edward is also as good as they come right now. This perfect pairing opens up with the deeply alluring 'Time' with its woozy pads and smeared chords over warm and rubbery drums. It's a hypnagogic affair then 'Vacuum Tube' has a more menacing air thanks to the wispy and unsettling synth details and clunky hooks. 'Watch Out' brings a more spangled and rubbery rhythm that has colourful details peeling off the beats and last of all, 'Stream' ups the ante with some thudding deep house and widescreen ambient synth work.
Review: Geir Jenssen (Biosphere) marks his AD93 debut with The Way Of Time, wrapping elucted echo and looping synth drift around spoken fragments of Elizabeth Madox Roberts' great 1926 novel The Time Of Man. A Midwestern gothic literary staple, Roberts' novel is about the daughter of a Kentucky tenant farmer, and Jenssen's haunting use of Joan Lorring's voice from the 1951 radio play adaptation readapts his usual icy predilections for suitably huger desert horizons. Rather than treating the vocal as ornament, he folds it deep into the mix, letting it dissolve into the melodic architecture.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: As Soul Capsule, Baby Ford and Thomas Melchior made some of minimal techno's most accomplished records. It has been many years since they stopped turning out new material - sadly - but their archive tracks are still in hot demand and undeniably relevant. While 1999's 'Lady Science' might be their most famous offering, this EP from 2001 on Aspect Music is no less vital and it will currently cost you well over L250 on second-hand markets. It is Ford's Trelik label who reissues it here in all its glory: the entirety of the a-side is taken up with 'Law Of Grace,' a delightfully deep and breezy minimal dub house roller with pensive chords draped over the frictionless drums. 'Meltdown' has a more experimental feel with brushed metal drums beneath a wordless vocal musing. The cult 'Lady Science' (Tek Mix) is also inched with the whole package being remastered by D&M to make this one utterly essential.
Review: Glasgow-born veteran and techno heavyweight Gary Beck drops the much-requested ID 'Hopper' on SHDW's Mutual Rytm sub-label, Spectra. He's already well-known for underground anthems like 'Upside Criminal' and 'Fold' but now unveils this long-awaited club cut, which was born from a spontaneous studio session. Featuring a syncopated disco bassline, nods to funk and with an irresistible groove, 'Hopper' lingers long after the dancefloor empties and showcases Beck's production nous in more ways than one. Remix duties go to Bulgarian hardware wizard KiNK, who first delivers a warm, house-leaning version, then flips the script with a high-octane blend of techno and UKG.
Review: A reflective step sideways from the ever-restless Paul Weller, this new release finds the modfather reinterpreting the music that shaped him with measured reverence. Not just a covers project, but a kind of internal cartography-charting influences that feel intimate and formative. The standout 'Lawdy Rolla' is loose and lived-in, a bluesy drawl that lands somewhere between campfire spiritual and basement jam. On the flip, 'Pinball' is rendered with fragile grace, stripped of Pete Townshend's original angst and reimagined as something more quietly resigned. With guests including Noel Gallagher, Robert Plant and Seckou Keita, it's a record driven less by ego than memory. Produced with warmth by Ocean Colour Scene's Steve Cradock, it's an understated, deeply felt offering from an artist still unafraid to look inward.
Review: After two decades of label-hopping, Mickael Nordgren AKA Tiger Stripes appears to have found a new home on Radio Slave's REKIDS imprint. Dance For Peace is the Swedish house producer's third 12" for the Berlin-based label in less than 12 months, following the excellent 'I Heard It Through The Bassline' and 'All Night Long'. As you'd expect, there's plenty of playable, peak-time ready material on show, starting with the low-slung, non-stop sweatiness of 'Time For Peace', where hooky electric piano licks and echoing spoken word snippets ride a heavy bassline and energy-packed drums. He opts for a sort of DJ Sneak-goes-darkroom flex on driving loop jam 'Rockin', before channelling the spirit of mid-90s early morning garage-house on 'The Street'. To round things off, Norgren offers up the swinging, soul-flecked warmth of 'A Dance'.
Review: German electronic nerd and tactile techno master Skee Mask returns to Ilian Tape, the label run by the Munich-based Zenker Brothers, with a fresh batch of his club-ready throbbers. 'TR Nautila' rides on uneven drum breaks with claps loud in there mix, until they aren't, and a stumbling bassline that underpins a morph into jungle-adjacent madness. 'Panic Button' has springy sounds and sludgy low ends, precision-tooled drums and a celestial backlight that pushes and pulls you emotionally. 'MD25' has an industrial clang and clatter that evokes being lost in a strobe-lit warehouse and 'LCC Rotation' is a freewheeling percussive gem with moody pads for all-out assault in the club.
Review: SOULSIMMER & ALVARO is brand new duo about which we know very little other than they are selectors with many years of experience. They have been charged with serving up the debut 12" from new imprint RE-DISCO-VER and do so in a way that signifies it's going to be a label worth keeping an eye on. Drawing from years of spinning obscure gems at intimate private gatherings, the duo now channels their sensibilities into a love letter to dusty grooves and forgotten dancefloor magic that is newly reworked and reimagined. All four cuts tap into golden era disco with cosmic wandering synths and some lovely live drumming, synth solos and proper vocals that burn with great soul intensity.
Alex Kassian x Spooky - "Orange Coloured Liquid" (part I) (6:25)
Alex Kassian x Spooky - "Orange Coloured Liquid" (part II) (5:54)
Alex Kassian x Spooky - "Orange Coloured Liquid" (Placid Angles remix) (7:08)
Spooky - "Orange Coloured Liquid" (5:02)
Review: After last year's standout 'E2-E4' rework, in-form producer Alex Kassian returns to Test Pressing Records with the next instalment in the series i this time turning his attention to Spooky's 'Orange Coloured Liquid', taken from their 1993 debut album Gargantuam. Alongside acts like Underworld and Leftfield, UK duo Charlie May and Duncan Forbes helped shape the early 90s progressive house sound under their Spooky moniker. Now, decades later, Kassian delivers two versions designed to serve dancefloor and sunset respectively, with the rolling breaks of Part I beautifully complemented by the ambient swells of Part II. John Beltran dons his Placid Angles alias for a sumptuous remix pitched somewhere between the two, while the still-fresh original rounds out an essential EP i no surprise, given the calibre of those involved.
Review: This priceless double-header brings together two timeless gems from South African music icon Letta Mbulu. On one side, the afro-electro boogie cult classic 'Nomalizo', a favourite among diggers and refined selectors alike, with its honeyed vocals, salty synth work and languid rhythms. On the other, there's 'Kilimanjaro Takes Us Higher', an uplifting, up-tempo dancefloor anthem radiating optimism with soul-drenched vocals, funk bass, disco strings and agile keys. Released together as a single for the first time, these sought-after tracks have been embraced across countless scenes for decades. Nothing short of essential.
Review: Hailed by RA as a "true connoisseur of music" - and so far with a spectacular trail of festival appearances behind them, apparent between Ireland, New York and Vienna - Island Times Deejay has kept up a staggering career so far. His new EP now drops as an inevitable testament to his ability not just to select but craft and cut grooves of his own; the lead track works through an untraceable disco source sample of fiendishly obscure proportions, despite its brilliant hookline: "set your mind free, you can't fight it, you'll be delighted, destiny". The A-sider is equally obscure, though it sounds to be quite a loyal and forgiving redo of an equally graded disco-soul crooner, awash in lyrical reminders of the operant genre: "disco!"
Review: Ambient Classics From Japan on Mukatsuku features two lush filled classics from the label Form@ Record label from the land of the rising sun....First up, Shuichiro Nakazawa under the guise of Modern Living from 1998 - initially taken from the CD only Art Form 2 compilation although it also popped up on Music From Memory's excellent Virtual Dreams collection - now gets a whole side on loud cut 180 gram vinyl to itself. On the flipside comes Virgo aka Yasutaka Sato with his gorgeous deep techno ambient gem 'System For Zodiac piece, taken from the Landform Code CD, of which only 30 copies were ever made and has never seen light of day to vinyl until now. No repress hand numbered to 300 copies and first 100 come with Japanese Origami paper crane + sticker.
Review: The Patchouli Brothers once again impress with their deep love of soulful and esoteric dance music and ability to convey that in their own work with their debut on Sosilly Edits featuring four standout tracks. Best friends and musical partners, they're regulars at Toronto and Montreal's Beam Me Up disco nights and have released on labels like Defected, Razor-N-Tape, GAMM and Soul Clap thanks to their blends of disco, house and rare grooves. They bring serious dancefloor energy here with playful, funky and undeniably effective jams all well sculpted to light up any dancefloor with timeless, feel-good fire.
Review: One of several new cuts to grace the Medicine Music catalogue, this new one from fresh Australian face Doctor Packer aka DP hears him wipe the floor with his opponents in the edits game. 'Treat Me Right' samples The SOS Band's 'Just Be Good To Me' from 1983, before launching into a resplendent trifecta of edits including Womack & Womack's 'Teardrops' and two less easily sourceable cuts. A well-sculpted, neatly rounded four-tracker, pulsing with plump wompage.
Review: Razor-N-Tape's white label series serves up its first-ever various artists collection here, and it opens with Windy City master Glenn Underground. His 'Happy House' is a joyous disco stomper with florid strings and lung-busting vocals. Rahaan adds his own edit to 'Be Cool', which is a jazzy dancer with magnificent guitar work and brassy horns. 'Hot Damn' (JKriv edit) keeps the love flowing with funky disco house energy and an air of hands in the air celebration and The Patchouli Brothers flip 'Love Explosion' into a strident, front foot wafered and pumping disco funker with gorgeous vocals. There I so much sunshine and joy in these tunes that they melt even the stoniest of hearts.
Review: Since being snapped up by Defected a few years ago, the reinvigorated Nu Groove label - originally home to some of the earliest NYC deep house recordings ever released - has done a good job in balancing essential reissues with new EPs from artists whose music neatly fits their ethos. Jimpster, a man who has been serving up impeccable deep house for decades, is their latest recruit. Fittingly, he's delivered an EP of nostalgic, colourful deep house of the kind that could have been produced by Nu Groove stalwarts The Burrell Brothers in 1990 or 91. For proof, check the tactile, analogue-rich retro-futurism of 'The Phoenix', the warming deep NY garage-house bump of 'Lightening In Me' (featuring vocalist Oliver Right) and the synth-rich sonic sunshine of 'Beat Of An Era'.
Review: Coyote and Peaking Lights form a perfect pairing on this latest drop of bliss from Is It Balearic? They are artists who are drenched in dub influences and that comes to the fore on this direct collaboration which marries swirling dub with dreamy vocals and ghostly acid arpeggios to bring to mind a serene sunset after a long, hot and lazy day. 'Love Letters' is pure horizontal bliss, 'So Far Away' gets even slower and will drown you in synth succulence and Coyote's dub mix is laden with soothing delays and warm bass that transports you to an exotic world of weed-laced wonderment.
The Joneses - "Love Contest" (Dave Lee extended Disco mix) (8:53)
Street People - "I Wanna Get Over" (Cosmodelica remix) (7:53)
Review: This second instalment in the Spring Revisited seriesia collaboration between Acid Jazz and Ace Recordsioffers two expertly handled edits from across the Atlantic rooted in the fertile legacy of 70s New York soul. London's modern disco institution Dave Lee reinvents The Joneses' 'Love Contest' with his trademark finesse, giving the track a full-bodied groove-up without losing its bittersweet heart. The strings soar, the rhythm section locks tight, and Lee's decades-deep knowledge of disco and boogie shines through in every detail. On the flip, New York-based Coleen 'Cosmo' Murphy brings lush new life to Street People's 'I Wanna Get Over'. With sun-drenched keys, crisp hand percussion and subtle delays, she transforms heartache into late-night liberation. Both sides feel like love letters from DJ to danceflooriclassic soul refracted through contemporary ears, pressed on wax that looks and feels like it just time-travelled from 1979.
Review: Nicola Conte and Nico Lahs, both Bari-born producers pushing the boundaries of underground Afro-Latin and jazzdance, hear the warmest of intros through their friends over at Schema Italy, their sound pivoting a careful Newtonian balance between presence and nostalgia. The roomy but distant highs of 'Macumba De Oxala' contrast strongly yet subtly to the hifi plinks and percs of 'La Danse De L'Esprit', on the latter of which we hear visiting production fellow Oaklandian Lalin St Juste add an ancestral vocal magic. This first EP is only a start, with a second 12" and a resultant double LP planned.
Review: Macedonian DJ Goce's reworks breathe a sense of urgency and grit into two classics, making them feel like new discoveries. 'Back to Cali (Goce's Pop Lock Edit)' takes the swagger of LL Cool J's original and shatters it with rapid-fire Brooklyn rhythms and experimental tension. It's a rework that hits hard, adding a sense of narrative chaos to the track's laid-back vibe. Over on the B-side, Goce transforms Wu-Tang's 'Gravel Pit' into a dirty, kinetic force. The original's bounce is replaced with an altogether funkier pulse, creating a new layer of unpredictability while retaining that beloved Staten Island grit. Both tracks move in unexpected directions, pushing the boundaries of what these classics can be on the dancefloor.
Review: Funk editor Mister Mushi finalises the latest fleet-dispatch by the eponymous factory known as Mushi 45. All housed on a distinctive yellow, large-innered 7" record (you know, the you need the metal spindle adapter for), every release on this label is a charm. Here the dotted line marks out a well-defined classic by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock from 1998, 'It Takes Two', which in turn samples Lynn Collins' 'Think', after which this reissue is named and from which the now rather saturated vocal sample originates. James Brown's original production and backing "c'mon!" admonitions shine brightly, while Mushi's extra phattenings also serve to emphasise the mix without peaking it.
Clovis Chilwell - "Don't Let The Night End" (5:16)
Dominic Oswald - "Never Letting Go" (4:40)
Rico Scott - "Slow Burn" (4:59)
Review: Bobby Donny's ongoing ACE series of vinyl releases has thus far delivered some genuine deep house treats. This is particularly true of the Dutch label's sporadic, compilation style EPs, which tend to showcase tracks previously released on digital-only EPs. There's plenty to set the pulse racing on EP number four, with highlights including two fine collaborations between label founder Frits Wentink and fellow Amsterdam scene stalwart Malin Genie (the sub-heavy peak-time bounce of 'Ambrosia' and the techno-tempo hypnotism of 'Exopaq'); the ultra-deep two-step house shuffle of 'Comet (Deep mix)' by ZZ Banks; the Italo-house influenced colour of Clovis Chilwell's 'Don't Let The Night End'; and the deep, hazy and dubbed-out brilliance of 'Slow Burn' by Rico Scott.
Gari Romalis - "Electronix (I'm Ya Dancer)" (7:31)
G Major - "Metro To Downtown" (6:27)
Chuck Daniels & Hazmat Live - "I Want You" (6:25)
Max Watts - "Velocity" (6:35)
Review: Norm Talley's Detroit label Upstairs Asylum comes through with another various artists gem here: Gari Romalis kick off with the sort of smoky house depths you always expect from this imprint. 'Electronix (I'm Ya Dancer)' is dubbed out but dynamic, then G Major's 'Metro To Downtown' brings an injection of soul warmth and percussive looseness. Chuck Daniels & Hazmat Live's 'I Want You' is a darker, more heads down affair with freaky vocals and digital synth patterns over gritty, US garage styled low ends. Max Watts then cuts loose with the undulating dub techno depths of 'Velocity' to round out a varied EP.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: It's reissue time for one of the most in demand records from the Trelik catalogue, featuring Baby Ford and Thomas Melchior under their Sunpeople alias. The flip side's opening track 'Check Your Buddah' is probably the best known of the four tracks here, with its spacious echoes, mantra-like voices and heads down beats, but there's plenty to be said for the other three. 'Lovers Eyes' is an equally dubby techno affair, but pinned down by sturdy, infectious beats, 'Sungods Wedding' is blessed with churning, warm bass action and just a smidge of cowbell and 'Make It Right' is properly hypnotic 3am gear that's a dream to mix and draws in the listener with its imperceptible builds and three note bleep magic. Worship the Sun!
Review: Back after a three-year break, NuNorthern Soul's Summer Selections 2025 marks the fifth instalment in the label's beloved Balearic series, which has evolved over the years as an alloying of Ibiza-ready sounds from beachfront occupiers new and old. Manu Archeo opens the set with a slomo rework of Nightdubbing's self-titled cut, while George Koutalieries follows with 'Seasons', a wordless guided medication set upon a golden-hour fade. Label newcomer James E Burton dials up the texture with roomy live drums and suitably blear-ic pads (there's still sleep in your eye). Then comes Visions Of Light, a new trio led by Simon Sheldon, offering dubby percussion and real bridge tremolo on 'The Mandela Vortex'. Finally, Roots Artefact lays down a thick dubbing in 'The Big Calm Dubwise', before French producer Jilo signs off with 'Shadow's Tango'.
Betty Crutcher - "Sleepy People" (Old Chap Alteration) (4:46)
Gwen McCrae - "Move Me Baby" (SanFran Disko Transformation) (4:42)
The Sisters Love - "Give Me Your Love" (Fingerman Remodel) (4:48)
Clydie King - "Punish Me" (Bully Boy Makeover) (2:58)
Review: French funk lovers Acts of Sedition love double dropping 7"s, and after several fine outings in the last year comes this latest under the title 'Feemes Fatale.' It features some disco classics reworked by mysterious names, starting with Betty Crutcher's 'Sleepy People (Old Chap Alteration)', which is a swooning sound with strings of lament and funky drums. Gwen McCrae's 'Move Me Baby (SanFran Disko Transformation)' is a more stirring and upbeat sound, The Sisters Love's 'Give Me Your Love (Fingerman Remodel)' is a blissed out and cinematic soul and disco fusion and Clydie King's 'Punish Me (Bully Boy Makeover)' ends with a more raw and guttural soul sound and big horns driving the pain onwards.
Review: Yorkshire-born producer Franky Wah joins Crosstown Rebels with a polished, emotionally resonant four-tracker that fuses vocal-driven depth with peak-time muscle. Collaborating on two cuts with Brighton-based trio Kuuda, he leans into a widescreen sound that's equal parts club-primed and cinematic. 'Disconnect' sets the tone with icy synth washes and a dramatic vocal line, while 'Off The Wall' pushes further into afterhours haze, Kuuda's warped harmonies curling around a muscular rhythm section. The B-side delivers weight and tension: 'Desert Dance' channels trance and techno into a low-slung, hypnotic throb, while 'Freak In The Sheets' snaps and growls with basement energy. Wah's affinity for the big-room emotional payoff remains intact, but it's paired here with restraint and atmosphere that makes each drop land with greater intent. With years of major bookings and releases behind him, this feels like a confident, sharp-edged update from one of the UK's more melodic voices.
Review: Three Es would be some trip, and EEE also symbolises guaranteed good times in the club. The mysterious label and eponymous artists keep on rolling out essential tech and minimal cuts that are smartly designed and authentic, but also with anthem potential. Maybe that's why each one is a one-sided 12", to really allow the tune room to shine. In this case, dusty drums with a hint of garage swing and shuffle are paired with melodic baseline motifs and colourful synth patterns. It's a good time groove with plenty of heart.
Review: Anorax Records' motto and hash-taggable suggestion is to #eatsleepcollect, as if we weren't doing so already! This time they deliver on the highly anticipated 'Tighten Up' by Melbourne soul collective The Bamboos. First released in 2006 on Kenny Dope and Keb Darge's Kay-Dee label, this instrumental version of Archie Bell & The Drells' 1968 hit quickly became a favourite in soul and acid jazz circles. Rhythm-made by The Bamboos' leader, Lance Ferguson, this one stands out for its vocal absence, offering a quirky, irresistible take.
Review: You probably already know that Housey Doingz were a pivotal early house outfit from London. As part of its 20th-anniversary celebrations, Sushitech is back with a second instalment of remastered tracks and rare, previously unreleased material from their legendary Strange Weather DAT archives. This one kicks off with 1998's 'Belly Wobbler' which has been a cult classic ever since. Flip it over and you get treated to an unreleased mix of' Chess With Dwarves' which is another archetypal tech house sound with a sweet mix of driving drums and crispy snares but also plenty of machine warmth.
Review: James Shinra returns with Shinra Electro Company Vol. 1, a toughened new electro chapter in his far wider mecha-sonic portfolio. This one hears the UK producer add mass to the girders; lead track 'Poppin', with its strong-armed force majeure, is known to have already netted major support from Bicep during their Coachella 2024 set. Further to the release's scary goodness, Shinra balances razor-sharp drum programming, warped textures and low-end pressure on a carbide rotor's edge, with 'Turn It Up', 'Champagne' and 'Trippin' flashing the libertinous side of electro-hedonic pressure.
Review: Longtime disco editor Smoove played his first cards right with Wack Records in 2007, and now he returns to the imprint after decades with another raw-cut, redone diamond; a synth-driven slab of filth-funk reflecting the talents of 80s soul mogul Bobby on vocals. On the flip, things speed up as Smoove flips Mrs Jackson's vocals into a razor-sharp electro funk rework, loaded with punchy edits, Mantronix-inspired stutters, and warped stabs that twist the track into club-ready territory.
Review: From Papunya in Australia's Northern Territory, indiginous Luritja artist Keanu Nelson returns with a new two-track 7", produced in collaboration with Sydney's Yuta Matsumura. It's a continuation of their distinct blend of desert-rooted storytelling and homespun electronics. 'Place Where I Go' merges YouTube-era hip-hop with dubbed-out textures and plaintive piano, Nelson's voice diaristic and close. 'Kapi Ngalyananni', sung in Luritja, is a water song laced with clapsticks, parched melodica and ghostly pads. Shaped with minimal means, these tracks shimmer with spirit and quiet clarity, holding space for both the ancestral and the everyday.
Review: Lars Fischer aka Klangkollektor, returns with a serene and introspective EP that deepens his exploration of dub-infused ambient music. Drawing from his usual analogue instruments and effects, Fischer crafts a soothing soundscape where live basslines provide a warm, womb-like vibe and gentle synths and piano improvisations evoke images of birdsong and mountain streams. Tracks like 'Ferry from Torkwrith' and 'Isle of Stonsey' offer meditative journeys that fuse elements of dub techno with melodic richness. Fischer's ability to create music that serves as a refuge from the chaotic world is what sets him apart and invites you to take a moment of peace and introspection in his company.
Review: Sheffield artist Commodo - long a mainstay of Deep Medi and Black Acre - hooks up with Turkish dubstep producer Gantz again here to explore heavy low-end percolations on Ilian Tape's revered ITX Series. 'Left Hand Path' has earth-shattering kicks and scraping hits that are coated in lo-fi and grain pads for ultimate subterranean menace. '89! Gloom' is a more nimble rhythm with a slippery lead line bringing extra movement as the low-end throb keeps you locked. 'Shake And Lurk' closes out with some brighter melodic intrigue to bring a ray of optimism to the glory but brilliant bass.
Straight Forward (Gerd House mix part 1 & 2) (6:22)
Future Love (5:58)
Future Love (DJ Nature remix) (6:53)
Disco Funk (5:32)
Disco Funk (Aroop Roy Burning Vision) (6:53)
Review: American singer and songwriter veteran Erik Rico's back on Cosmocities Record with a new 12" that brings fresh life to forgotten funk and soul classics. He delivers typically vibrant, soulful covers of tracks from Matt Soulie's vinyl vault, including P.J. City's 'Straight Forward,' Franklyn's 'Future Love' and Star Lighters' "Disco Funk.' The EP also features standout remixes and Gerd's remix in particular is gold and infuses a Chicago house flavour, while the UK's former Wild Bunch man DJ Nature adds a synth-laced, bass-driven groove and Aroop Roy delivers a dancefloor-ready anthem. These are the sort of authentic, lovably rough-around-the-edges sounds that bring real heat to headier floors.
Review: The bond between Frankfurt and Leipzig emerges from their shared blend of tradition and modernity, each fostering exuberant cultural ecosystems. Frankfurt, Germany's financial heart, echoes with eclectic currents, contrasting its skyscrapers with local art scenes. It's here that not even noticed, a rising duo blending tranquil acid and breakbeat, began crafting their sound. This EP is a celebration of this, from the airy pads of 'Aerial' to the tough groove of 'Fidelity,' offering a mix of upbeat party tides and mellow vibes. It's music that feels right at home in Frankfurt's experimental spaces, with its easy-going acid and breakbeat tones striking a balance between warmth and innovation. Leipzig, with its rich classical roots and quieter charm, provides the perfect setting for a duo whose music embraces both reflective and energetic moods. Tracks like 'Voidness' and 'Affected' fit perfectly within the city's intimate spaces, where the music's restorative quality and weight come alive. Whether in Leipzig's clubs or Frankfurt's iconic venues, Not Even Noticed captures the pulse of modern German techno that offers both grounded and boundary-pushing sounds.
Review: Following the success of his 'City Smile' EP, Aleqs Notal is back with more ear-piquing goodness in the form of this latest boundary-pushing vision. The EP is said to be unified by a central theme of self-acceptance and covers plenty of ground, from the deep and meditative essence of Chicago-inspired 'Pain Of Truth' to the more loose 'Talk' Em Down' with its snaking bass and eerie chords. 'Crushin'' sits somewhere between the two, with analogue textures and a firmly rooted groove forming the foundation for percussive and synth layering. 'Instant' has brilliantly pinging 909s and humid chords. This is Aleqs Notal at his most expressive.
Review: Alt-dub never quite found its mainstream moment, but for those attuned to its intricacies, it remains a defining undercurrent in electronic music. Unlike its dubstep cousin, which relied on aggressive basslines and in-your-face drops, alt-dub takes a more measured approach, focusing on subtlety and complexity. It's about crafting a vibe, not smashing through it. San Francisco-based artist Federsen has been a pivotal figure in this niche for over a decade, using vintage tape delays and analogue gear to build immersive, textured soundscapes. His work with labels like Silent Season, Greyscale, Lempuyang and Ohm Series perfectly embodies how dub's elements of space, decay and resonance can be transformed into hypnotic, dancefloor-driven rhythms that unfold slowly. Tracks like 'Dub Trail' and 'Silent Whispers' reflect Federsen's signature approach: slow, deliberate builds, where the bassline is felt more than heard, and the subtle shifts in atmosphere draw us into the groove. It's not about immediate impact, but rather about crafting a space where the music breathes and where the transitions are felt as much as they are heard. 'Echoes In The Void' pushes this idea even further, with its dense, evolving layers of sound, while 'Lunar Dub' offers a more stripped-back, meditative experience. Through Federsen's work, the genre stands as an exploration of depth and atmosphere, where every moment of silence and every drawling transition plays an integral part in the experience.
Review: Hailing from Tokyo, Satoshi Tomiie emerged in the New York scene after Frankie Knuckles discovered him and his debut record, 'Tears' in 1989, was co-produced with Knuckles and featured Robert Owens. It is a dance music classic and as part of Def Mix Productions with David Morales, Satoshi crafted iconic 1990s remixes for artists like Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Inner City. Here collaborating with Ibiza's Tuccillo, Satoshi created 'Delta Dubs', a live, one-take dub house project recorded on a Soundcraft Delta desk. This tribute to dub's pioneers reimagines the essence of dub with a futuristic twist that lands courtesy of 20/20 Vision.
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