DJ Aakmael

Review: Given that Croatia's Dimensions Festival is one of the most consistently on-point electronic music events around, it figures that their new off-shoot label should regularly hit the spot, too. Certainly, the early signs are good. This second sampler single impresses from start to finish. Occasional L.I.E.S artist Marcos Cabral kicks things off with a fine chunk of fluid, underwater deep house ("Prochainement"), before Byron The Aquarius reaches for the talkbox on the sumptuously deep, soulful, jazz-funk influenced house bliss of "Full Moon". Lady Blaktronika gets things going on side B with the groovy, late night Detroit deep house bump of "Can We Still Be Friends". Arguably best of all, though, is the dreamy, jammed-out analogue deep house warmth of DJ Akmael's "Transit".

Review: Through a wide selection of releases on his own UnXpozd Entertainment, DJ Aakmael has truly established his place within the house scene, and his own sound, too. The man deals in a very specific sort of deep house filled with jazzy elements, much like the one championed by the likes of Fred P or Patrice Scott. Here, on the People Earth imprint, we are graced by the deep and chimerical synth work of "Izza" on the A-side, while "Untitled 116" on the back of the wax contains an air of disco, but one that's been warped and messed with good and proper; "Spreadsmoluv" is a heads-down house lover with an insanely hummable vocal flex. YES.