Tags: Minimal

Review: Prolific Italian producer Black Loops continues his explorations of deep, groove-led house with the Experience EP. The release serves as a teaser for his forthcoming debut album, both of which arrive courtesy of the always on-point Freerange, and its label boss Jimpster kicks things off here with a rolling, Italo-tinged dub of Electrical, blending modular synth lines with dubbed-out vocals. Black Loops then flips the same track into a funk-fuelled workout, layering guitar licks and a weighty Moog bassline. On the reverse, Experience channels early 90s house with a sultry, Vogue-era feel, while Black Loops' Dancefloor Dub strips it back to a punchy, minimal groove built for late-night floors. Rounding things out is Inmasoul, a jazzy, deep house gem not found on the album.

Review: Viken Arman is Alone Together on his superb new album for the French label Denature. The artist himself is obsessed with freedom and his sound sits somewhere in a nether region between house, jazz, hip-hop and minimal. Carefully layered and precisely structured as it takes listens on a colourful and kalaedescopic journey through different moods and grooves with plenty of worldly influences, it's the sort of deftly designed album that works both at home and in the club and packs in plenty of profound moments of emotion.