THATMANMONKZ 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: One of the brightest talents in the UK house firmament, Thatmanmonkz is back on his own Shadeleaf label with an EP of remixes and versions centering around last year's Non Zero Sum Game album. First up is the mighty Waajeed, who brings some Motor City bump to "Them Thangs" in fine style before 'Monkz's own "Dubstramental" of the track. PPF deliver some seriously pumping, pneumatic pressure to "Freaks 'n Prophets" and then new original track "Sawa Sawa" completes the set with that dusty, tactile blend of sounds that 'Monkz makes his own.

Review: The most impressive thing about Thatmanmonkz debut album, 2016's "Columbusing" on Delusions Of Grandeur, was the Sheffield-based producer's seemingly innate ability to fuse elements of deep house, jazz, hip-hop, Detroit techno and broken beat. That distinctive grasp of dusty, soul-fired fusion once again comes to the fore on this belated follow-up. There's much to enjoy from start to finish, with highlights including the jazzy, sax and organ-heavy deep house of "Easy Still (with A Brother Is)", the raw and off-kilter acid insanity of "Chai Tea", the samba-house soul of Ms Fae hook-up "Them Thangs", the dancefloor jazz-funk bounce of "WhatUThinkIDo" and the Moodymann style Malik Ameer collaboration, "Thee Others".

Review: Sheffield's Thatmanmonkz returns with the Feels Trip To The District EP, where he teams up with his good pal Martin Miguel. The record is inspired by several trips to dope parties in the District of Columbia, home of the quickly rising label Better Listen Records. Starting off with the the lo-slung disco deepness of "Sweetiez Fresh", it's a dusty and looped up jam that will appeal to fans of the Robsoul sound. On the flip, things take a well funkier and more soulful turn with that familiar vocal on "The Assassinator" and finally things end on a groovy and sun kissed note with the slo-mo/hip-hop inspired boogie of "XDC". Real name Scott Moncrieff, he's appeared previously on a who's who of labels such as Delusions Of Grandeur, Kolour LTD and Classic in recent times.

Review: Scott Moncrief's quietly confident debut album Columbising has been one of the sleeper hits of 2016, with the Sheffield-based East Midlander serving up an effortlessly soulful set that joins the dots between hip-hop, broken beat, boogie, and U.S deep house. This follow-up EP showcases one of the album's highlights, Dave Aju collaboration "Turn It Out." Aju takes the deliciously loose and live-sounding original - all jumpy clavinet lines, swinging deep house drums and urgent vocals - and turns it into a stripped-back, heavily electronic broken house gem. Elsewhere, Lawrence Guy delivers a wonderfully warm, rich and soulful deep house interpretation of Erik Rico hook-up "Boogie Down", before Moncrief enlists the honeyed-tonsils and impeccable piano playing skills of regular collaborator Pete Simpson, on the jazzy gospel-house deepness of "For Bae".

Review: While he may now be best known for his dusty deep house excursions, Scott "Thatmanmonkz" Moncrief was once primarily known as a maker of off-kilter modern soul under the Small Arms Fiya alias. Interestingly, this debut album for Delusions of Grandeur smoothly combines both of these musical threads with other soulful and jazzy influences, resulting in a set of dancefloor soul that bristles with laidback authenticity. The Sheffield producer is clearly talented, and barely puts a foot wrong throughout Columbising. Whether paying tribute to George Benson style jazz-funk ("Boogie Down"), A Tribe Called Quest ("A Fly New Tune"), disco ("Another Night Under The Glitterball"), and bumpin' jazz-house ("For Bae"), Moncrief always hits the spot.

Review: Thatmanmonkz is Scott Moncrieff to be precise, a Sheffield based producer who been making house music since around 1997 but more recently on Kolour LTD and of course Delusions Of Grandeur: where he's recognised as a label mainstay. His new album Colombusing is a mighty 14 track effort, and there's a wide variety of moods and grooves, not to mention collaborations! Some of those very hookups are the highlights on here, we must say. There's a couple of tracks with San Francisco minimalist/human beatbox Dave Aju; "Turn It Out" is a deep and sleazy funk jam with Cameo-ish vocals, while "Boogie Down" features the sweet lungs of Erik Rico whose Curtis Mayfield impressions suit this feelgood soul jam just perfectly. "Baked" features the deep poetry of NYC's Malik Ameer on this on this dope jam full of urban flavour. There's music to dance to too, rest assured: "Take U 2 My House" featuring Khalil Anthony is surefire deep house aimed squarely at the dance floor.

Review: Delusions Of Grandeur, easily one of the most consistent deep house labels to come out of the post-minimal era, returns with that guy we all love, Thatmanmonkz. Himself and Chicago's Khalil Anthony are remixed by the equally consistent Jimpster, who delivers the goods by laying down some utter tech house quality on "Take U 2 My House", while Brooklyn-based Sound Signature man Ge-ology takes on "Jus Anutha Wunna Deez", and comes out the other end with a murky, beat-heavy house monster that bumps so perfectly along. The originals are sexier, chunkier in the mix, and backed by some killer vocals, particularly "Take U 2 My House" - what a beaut! Recommended and tipped...

Review: Aside from a couple of EP's for Shadeleaf Music and Delusions Of Grandeur, respectively, the enigmatic ThatmanMonkz prefers to ride undercover. However, his latest record comes courtesy of Derrick Carter and Luke Solomon's infamous Classic imprint - which is run out of the Defected HQ these days - so it's clear that he's talking business. This four-tracker is all house vibes and no messing around: "In Bed With You" features the charismatic and soulful vocals of Pete Simpson over a deep but driving groove, and "Miss You So Badly" ups both the tempo and the hypnotics. On the B-side, "Kickin's It" is a Detroit house kinda' number, boasting ingenious little sample shots and anthemic melodies, something which can also be said for "Vainglorious Style" - another slice of Detroit-fueled soul.

Review: Who said filtered, chugging house was dead? Certainly not Delusions Of Grandeur, long-time proponents of delivering sweaty dancefloor heat. Following the Burnin' Up 12" for Shadeleaf last year, ThatmanMonkz's second release provides dubstep heaviness made to fit a deep house, jazz and disco influenced mould. With its tribal drums and deep vocals "Girl I Know It" is an attention grabbing A-side, while the B1, "Blowin' My Mind", has some of the best Rhodes you could hope for in a house production (never mind those thick claps and damp beats). "Be With Me" then hits up the jazz tip with gorgeous Lauryn Hill sounding vocals. Big tip on this one.

Review: Following fine 2017 outings on G.A.M.M, Dirt Crew and Better Listen, Thatmanmonkz (AKA Shadeleaf Music co-founder Scott Moncrieff) returns to Classic for the first time in three years. "Ooh Wee" features an impassioned, stylish vocal from Nikki-O rising above a dusty, soul-fired deep house groove rich in loose, MPC style beats and low-slung electric bass. The tight and on-point remix package is headed up by SoulPhiction, who gets just the right balance between the fuzzy, classic-sounding instrumentation of Moncrieff's original version and his own locked-in, tech-tinged beats and electronics. Detroit Norm Talley excels on the flip, dishing up a jaunty, piano-tinged Motor City deep house version that niftily balances percussive energy and lo-fi tunefulness.

Review: A love letter to the Basement Boys 2001 classic with Ras Baraka "An American Poem", Malik Ameer Crumpler lays down an incredible, wry and poignant sermon over a swing beat that builds into some fine freeform horn work from Leron Thomas. A fusion that spans Sheffield, Paris and New York, pays homage to Gil Scott Heron and delivers a critical message, the timeliness of this is legitimate. The acapella is incredibly handy, too. With sunrays this strong, everything else is a lightbulb...