Review: Oh yes, we love it when Theo represses some of his most sought after tracks and this one is particularly well-timed. Leron Carson is still an unknown figure, a kid who used to make viciously raw and futuristic techno tracks in the late 1980's! "China Trax", alongside the rest of his tracks on a different Sound Signature double 12", is totally ahead of its time and if it was truly made in 1987 then it is nothing short of amazing. Of course, it's not just the year it was made in that's interesting but also the fact that it's music without an age, able to be appreciated by any generation of techno freaks. Theo's own "Insane Asylum" on the flipside is also pretty monumental; rigged beats, off-kilter grooves and that familiar spontaneity so heavily associated to the label.
Review: Originally released back in 2011 in conjunction with Scion Audio/Visual now repressed by Omar S on his FXHE label "Who's In Key" features Theo Parrish!
Review: Detroit heavyweights Omar S and Theo Parrish link up for a one-track release that lives up to its bold title. 'The Grand Son Of Detroit Techno!' stretches over ten minutes of raw, hypnotic movementidusty drum programming, looped keys and a low-slung groove that simmers with intent. Omar S keeps the arrangement locked and heads-down, while Theo's unmistakable fingerprints surface in the swung percussion and deep jazz-inflected textures that evolve across the track's longform structure. It's a meeting of minds that feels completely unforced, rooted in lineage but defiantly forward-facing a release that speaks in fluent Motor City dialect without ever turning nostalgic. Unapologetically stripped, functional and soulful.
Review: Don't let this one go over yo head son! The final repress from Sound Signature HQ is an essential slab of late 90s Motor City deepness from Theo, presented once again for contemporary reassessment and sounding every bit as jaw dropping 14 years on. Dropping back in 1999, title cut "Overyohead" came to be regarded as a quintessential Theo Parrish track; strings incandescent with soul and lovingly off centre Rhodes riding those heavy drum arrangements towards a sweet piano infused crescendo. Face down, "Dance Of The Drunken Drums" is a prime example of Theo's own distinct brand of cavernous beatdown.
Review: New Theo Parrish? Yes please. The Sound Signature boss remains in a class of one and continually finds new ground to explore in the studio, often taking a freeform jazz mindset to roughed-up house and techno that blends the mechanical with the soulful in otherworldly, hypotonic fashion. 'Orange Barrel Action (Yellow Flashing Light mix)' is very much in that mould with lumpy drums detuned and off-grid keys and hissing hi-hats all coalescing into something seductive and subversive. 'Pianamonn' is a deep house foundation topped with weird and wonky keys in inimitable Parrish style.
Review: Detroit innovator and singular soundsmith Theo Parrish returns with a new EP which we're told is his response to "stagnation and nonmovement" either physiologically, mentally or physically. 'Positive Mental Attitude Solves All' is up first and is a tribute to the late great funk-father Amp Fiddler. It's a typically deep cut with dusty drums and irregular, scruffy percussive lines layered in next to diffuse synth warmth and soulful melodies. 'Traffic Jams' plays with similar signature themes and is sure to loosen up mind, body and soul. Another standout bit of work from the venerable Motor City man.
You Forgot (feat Genevieve Marantette & Jerry The Cat) (12:47)
Dirt Rhodes (11:30)
Review: Sound Signature boss Theo Parrish does a fine job of keeping the majority of his vast back catalogue available to buy for all. It's a tough job, too, cause most of it sells out in a quick fashion, so he has to be on the ball with reissues. A couple are landing this month and 'You Forgot' is one of them. It was his label's 15th release way back in 2001 and for many, b-side cut 'Dirt Rhodes' is one of Parrish's best and most definite tracks. The grinding mechanical grooves that lock you into a hypnotic state are overlaid with perfectly knackered-sounding Rhodes chords and it makes for a magical listen. 'You Forgot' with its soulful vocal musings and perfunctory drum sounds is not bad either.
Walking Thru The Sky (feat Ron Smith - Liberation mix) (10:43)
Review: Detroit's Theo Parrish continues to serve up expressive and utterly unique new music, but his vast back catalogue will always remain of almost just as much interest to house heads. As such his Sound Signature label has repressed some quality gems from his discography. 'Roots Revisited' first came back towards the tail end of 1998 and finds the sonic shaman in heavy percussive mode while off-grid rhythms and his unique take on soul shining through. 'Dan Ryan' is deeply meditative, while the 'Walking Thru The Sky' (feat Ron Smith - Liberation mix) is a dusty and scuffed-up deep house exploration with Theo's trademark keys.
Review: In the nicest possible way, Weirdo is a perfect way to describe the music that comes from the mind of Theo Parrish. The Detroit badman has his own set of rules and they are constantly being re-written. His Sound Signature label is home to most of his work and that is where he lands here. The title tune is a rickety house workout with heat-damaged chords vocal mutterings and that grinding mechanical groove that is all his own. 'Original Weirdo' ups the ante with skittish drum patterns and more intense vocals while 'Imaginary Thugfunk' is a fusion of jazz keys, shuffling beatdown drums and dustiness.
Dreamers Blues (Percussion By Jerry The Cat) (10:39)
Lost Angel (9:33)
Review: On his latest expansive double-pack, Theo Parrish has decided to dip into his epic back catalogue. The four featured tracks are taken from two sought-after, hard to find EPs released in 1997 and 2001 respectively. Opener 'Smile' is arguably one of the Detroiter's most magnificent musical moments of all time: an epic slab of drowsy Motor City deep house built around idiosyncratic drum programming, ultra-deep chords, toasty bass and an effects-laden vocal snippet. 'Lost Keys' is a breezier and looser affair marked out by Latin style piano motifs, jazzy house beats and tactile bass, while 'Dreamer's Blues' is a languid, percussion-and-electric piano rich number that tends towards the hazy and jazzy. Finally, 'Lost Angel' is an ultra-deep affair whose spacey chords seem to stretch out eternity.
Review: Sound Signature end 2013 how they started it; with a fresh slab of Theo Parrish goodness! Whilst the Dance of the Medusa EP issued back in January was Theo in marauding beat down mode, it seems the respected Detroit based producer is in a much mellower mood here. For example, the title track on the Long Walk In Sun 12" is the sort of mid-tempo production that would feature in an early doors Floating Points set at Plastic People. Complementing this, "Strawberry Dragon" features a more prominent display of Parrish's widely regarded skills at chopping percussion, but it's the resplendent instrumentation that stands out.
Review: Theo Parrish and Marcellus Pittman's collaborations run deep, from those seminal Essential Selections 12"s some 20 years ago through to the T.O.M Project with Omar S, the 3 Chairs super group and on and on. In the usual Sound Signature style, a new link-up between the two Detroit legends arrives with a minimum on fanfare, just a killer jam with all the grit and soul you'd hope for from this pair. The drum levels push and pull in the mix from red line pressure to back seat driving, while a mellow blur of soul sampling comes calling through the mist until the titular low end glues everything together. It's understated and casual brilliance, everything a Sound Signature club drop should be.
Review: In his usual no-nonsense fashion, Theo Parrish has not said much about the surprise release of Gentrified Love Part 2, despite it being his first fresh material since 2014. The EP features contributions from two of the Detroit's legends oldest friends: Rotating Assembly member Duminie DePorres, and original Slum Village member Waajeed. A-side "Warrior Code" is a quietly foreboding proposition, with spiraling electronics, jammed keys and cosmic chords riding a chunky, West London style broken beat groove. Flip for the altogether brighter and breezier "Leave The Funk To Us", a jaunty and jazz-wise 4/4 excursion blessed with some superb, Herbie Hancock style jazz-funk keys.
Review: Theo Parrish's Gentrified Love series seems to be a collaborative affair. Part two, available separately, contained hook-ups with fellow Detroiters Wajeed and Duminie Deporres. "Ghetto Proposal", which is available in Vocal and Instrumental versions, features sublime contributions from another Motor City legend, veteran modern soul man Amp Fiddler. It's something of a deliciously trippy affair, underpinned by a freaky, delay-heavy groove, fireside-warm Rhodes keys, meandering trumpet lines and - on the vocal version, at least, drowsy female vocals. Both artists jazz influence is clear, particularly in the crunchy percussion hits that begin to dominate as the track progresses. Interestingly, the instrumental moves a little further towards jazzy broken beat territory.
Review: Hard to define, rule breaking and game-changing producer Theo Parrish is back with another of his challenging and superlative albums. This one - which naturally arrives on his own Sound Signature label - is a collaboration with Maurissa Rose that true sooth the soul. It s full of his usual deadly grooves, shamanistic percussive layers and jazz energies with plenty of his famous luscious, meditative loops. Add in the smooth vocals of Rose - which come in the form of a soulful stream of consciousness - and you have yet another unique album from this true maverick of the form.
Review: Theo Parrish and Maurissa Rose are Detroit musical veterans (even though Parrish was actually born in Chicago) and they have worked together on a number of superb singles in the last few years. After that fruitful start to their working relationship they finally flourish into a new full length that arrives soon in the form of Free Myself, It arrives, as you would expect, on triple vinyl on Parrish's own Sound Signature label, but also here as a CD. It is a lovely deep house exploration with smooth vocals of Rose - which come in the form of a soulful stream of consciousness - over Parrish's dusty, hypotonic beats.
Review: Theo Parrish is giving his new album with Maurissa Rose the full treatment - serving it up on his preferred vinyl, but also as a CD and here a cassette on his own label Sound Signature. It is a complete coming together of these two revered Detroit musical talents following a string of great singles with one another since 2019. As you can expect, the grooves are dusty, complex and rooted in house but with plenty of influences from soul, funk and jazz. The vocals from Rose are as smooth as you like and take the form of soulful streams of consciousness. Utterly vital.
Review: Theo Parrish is a world-renowned name in the global Detroit house and techno game, and he's thrown a fascinating curveball as the latest entrant for the acclaimed DJ-Kicks series. Mr. Parrish has gone above and beyond the duties of most invitees - rather than just licensing tracks from his favourite artists and big-name-friends, he's asked his own community from Detroit to each produce their own mixable tracks, exclusively for the comp. What's more, these are hardly established names - they're organic connections to Parrish, not occupying the top layer of attention and recognition. Bits from H-Fusion, Jon Dixon, Donald Lee Roland II, Ian Fink and Raybone Jones all dominate this anarchic new deconstruction of the otherwise exclusivist mix series.
Meftah - "When The Sun Falls" (feat Mohammed Meftah) (7:16)
De'Sean Jones - "Psalm 23" (2:13)
Ian Fink - "Moonlight" (Duality/Detroit live version) (8:05)
KESSWA - "Chasing Delerium" (feat Nova Zaii) (3:33)
Specter - "The Upper Room" (10:23)
Raj Mahal - "Hudsons" (2:01)
Raybone Jones - "Green Funk" (6:09)
Whodat & Sophiyah E - "Don't Know" (5:25)
Howard Thomas - "Experiment 10" (4:33)
MBtheLight - "aGAIN" (T edit) (2:48)
Sterling Toles - "Janis" (4:05)
Review: Theo Parrish is a world-renowned name in the global Detroit house and techno game, and he's thrown a fascinating curveball as the latest entrant for the acclaimed DJ-Kicks series. Mr. Parrish has gone above and beyond the duties of most invitees - rather than just licensing tracks from his favourite artists and big-name-friends, he's asked his own community from Detroit to each produce their own mixable tracks, exclusively for the comp. What's more, these are hardly established names - they're organic connections to Parrish, not occupying the top layer of attention and recognition. Bits from H-Fusion, Jon Dixon, Donald Lee Roland II, Ian Fink and Raybone Jones all dominate this anarchic new deconstruction of the otherwise exclusivist mix series.
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