Deep House Recommendations August 2013

Review: The 14th release on the Made Fresh Daily label comes from Barcelona resident and long time label supporter Swoose. The former Shine resident DJ known to friends as Danny Simpson turns in a tough slice of forthright vocal house in the shape of "Rushin" and it's complemented by a trio of remixes from rising UK deep hose talent Timmy P, the venerable Washerman and JMX, Swoose's partner in the Extended Play crew. In short, we've taken a banging original and flipped the script on it in several ways. Showcasing our mob of talent in a blinding 4 track EP.

Review: First announced over 15 months ago, Firecracker finally come through with You've Never Been To Konotop (Selected Works 2009-2012) a rather finely presented collection of tracks from the self styled 'Slavic Spiritual Warrior" Vakula. The main recording alias of Ukrainian Mikhaylo Vityk, Vakula first emerged in 2009 with a succession of singular deep house explorations for respected hubs such as Dekmantel, Ethereal Sounds, 3rd Strike and Firecracker offshoot Shevchenko an as the extended title suggests this twelve track LP focuses on unreleased material from this same period. Musically, the tone mirrors Vityk's material for Shevchenko, taking the mainframe of house and melding it with elements of "Ukrainian folk melodies, esoteric cryptic rhythm patterns, field recordings, interludes and overgrown organic effects hidden beneath acres of cosmic murk." Let's take a moment to appreciate the rather unique double gatefold sleeve with hand-drawn, silk screened artwork too.

Review: Kai Alce's first release of 2013 - only his second in two years - comes via his own NDATL imprint. Naturally the EP draws inspirations from the cities the label is named after: New York-Detroit-Atlanta. With tinges of dub, the A-side is reminiscent to the looping deep house of Norm Talley's music on Pariter, while the scrappy hats, popping snares and all-round rough fidelity of "Rabbit's Hole" rank up with the productions of Delroy Edwards on New York label L.I.E.S. Alce then brings some of his own home spun Atlanta funk to the EP with the title track "World Causes".

Review: From the soul-stirring opening strains of Ex Friendly's sublime start to the People Are Looking At You imprint, it's clear that the emerging Nottingham-based producer has a gift for music that travels further than mere surface physical response. In a scene littered with disposable vocal turns, the simple poetry of Rich Medina's narrative that runs through "Journeyman" resonates perfectly with the yearning strings and low-slung, bass-rich groove that come to define this exquisite approach to deep house. Jonno & Tommo hone in on the more rhythmical elements with their own dub of "Journeyman" as a clearer club-ready intent meets with the psychedelic potency of the aqueous sound effects and that ubiquitous string hook. Whether reaching for a more meaningful dimension to add to a set, or to simply drift away on the cradling nature of the music and its message, it's clear from the outset that this is music built to last.

Review: Victor Simonelli's Groove Committee alias inspired much of the upbeat vocal house we hear today thanks to seminal releases on Nu Groove Records in the early '90s. Simonelli's "I Want You To Know", from the eponymous EP released in '91, enjoys a rerelease and remix overhaul on the upstart Deep Down Slam label. Inner Sense's Knows The Truth mix boosts the overall presence of Simonelli's original, by reinforcing the drums, hats and chords with deft touches of neoteric sound design, while Deep Down Slam label-head Washerman opts for cut up and interspersed vocals and loopy instrumentation in his mix. French house ball of fire Kool Vibe, turns up the heat - and punch - in his chord riffing remix, paying homage to a originator that's no doubt influenced his own productions.

Review: For the fifth release on Roots For Bloom, Michael James delivers 3 bumping cuts of very much dance floor orientated music. The opener 'Infinite State' gets you moving straight from the off with some edgy stabs and serious groove. 'High Roller' carries on where the A1 lets off upping the tempo but maintaining the direction. The B side 'Freeze' is a more techno influenced track, but still hold that underlying groove.

Review: Beyond The Speaker is a new label launched by three American indiviuals with hands in graphic design, DJing and presenting radio shows. These mediums are put to expert usage on the label's first release, Angels Against Dust, which pairs up two of electronic music's singular personalities in Legowelt and Willie Burns. Both artists arrive on Beyond The Speakers with countless widely applauded releases between them in recent times and also share clear links with Legowelt's Strange Life Records having previously released early material from Burns under the Grackle banner. Each side sees one production from each producer with Legowelt's penchant for woozy melodic hooks, rippling percussion and aqautic techno complemented well by Burns' more meditative, hypnosis inducing arrangements.

Review: Ahead of a long delayed and keenly awaited new long player for the Firecracker label, Vakula returns to the Banduru imprint that he inaugurated in anonymous fashion for more of his well measured descents into East European house mysticism. Much like everything the Ukrainian touches, the devil is in the details and this four track 12" is notable for the prominent lo-fi fuzz that coats the execution. This murky approach is apparent from the start of lead track "D The Man" with the familiar warm textures blurred by the thick fuzz that occupies the edges of the production which ends on a wonderful piano solo. Complementing this, "Evening Breeze" pairs rasping deep house in the mould of vintage Mahogani with this gauzy approach, whilst "Fifth Experiment" probably gave the mastering engineer heart palpitations.

Review: As an intermittent feature over at Deep Explorer, Leo Gunn makes his second vinyl appearance for the label appearance with some typically astute deep house ponderings, starting off with the lush undulations of "Dancing With Dreams". "Come Down" gets into a tripped-out mind state of a different nature with its soulful key progressions, although still very much in that elegant vein championed by Deep Explorer. "Open Spaces" brings equal amounts of wistful atmospherics, although over a slightly more pronounced beat, while "Quiet" sees Dubbyman getting in on a reconstruction that lets cheeky synth flutes amongst other things dart into the blissed-out mix.

Review: The Rothmans label combines an unlikely link between football statistics, some of the best (or worst) haircuts to grace the European version of the game, with jacking drums and acid-based rhythmics. The label dedicates its third EP to French striker Dominique Rochetea, with a various artists EP as strong as the back four of Arsenal's '98 FA cup winning side. The Nigel Winterburn of the release is Coyote's "Without The E", a squelchy and Balearic groove with psychedelic vocals not too far off from DJ Koze "Mrs Bojangles". Aimes and Scott Fraser provide the EP with the composure of Tony Adams and the brute force of Martin Keown with their respective synth-led productions "The Kontemplation of Kosmic Order" and "Heat for Dust", while on the right - a would be Lee Dixon - Drvg Cvltvre, supplies "The Master Builder", an EBM and industrious dancefloor workout.

Review: Following the success of the Consumer EP by fellow label owner James Johnston comes the Praise EP by Alex Agore, and it's a true return to form for him on No Matter What. The record opens with the title track "Praise" - an inspired tribute to gospel music, keeping all the soul but reimagining it into something more infectious. Uplifting keys combine with vocals that will have you trying your best to sing-a-long, over a bass groove that holds it all together. "Falling" is a slower affair, with its dream-like chords, airy synthwork, cowbell hits and seamless hats. A perfect track to start a night or to end one. The B-side completes the package with two undeniable house jams. You will soon realise how much you like "There's No Love" when its skippy vocal is stuck in your head, hours after hearing it for the first time. "I Can Feel You" closes out the EP on a deeper note which will have you thinking of moments when the sun is about to rise, yet the night is far from over.

Review: Vinyl only, 180g, hand stamped and individually numbered.

Review: Fresh off remixing DJ Spider for his Sublevel Sounds imprint, Steve Frisco opens 124 Recordings' newest various artist sampler; The Dat Tapes EP. Frisco's "From The Dat" is a chord heavy and filtered vocal house cut that then moves into the screaming strings of Colman Buckley's "Three". The B-side holds the busy kicks, percussion and resonating bass drums of Cecil's "Raw Jam", while Sjef Wanders debuts on the EP with a French house sounding, UK leaning, deep house track similar to the productions of Montel and Kool Vibe.

Review: The Rick Wilhite Presents: Vibes New and Rare Series from 2010 gets revisited in this prime remix offering from Rush Hour. The lead track sees Wilhite's "Analog Love" getting a driving chord-driven rework from Andres, who delivers another one of his stone cold killers filled with the sort of deeply affecting melodies that make his productions so vital. On the flip, Marcellus Pittman's "In Due Time" gets a rework from Ricardo Miranda that transforms it with '80s boogie textures that offer a different kind of depth.

Review: The revival in fortunes of former Bent producer Nail began in earnest this year with the Ode Rammel EP of classic cuts that Fear Of Flying released back in February, and following further full EPs for Airdrop, Shabby Doll and Robsoul the man born as Niall Tolliday returns to FOF as part of their latest vinyl only excursion. The chunky, roughed up "Glazed" originates from the same time period as Nail's Fear Of Flying debut but is unreleased, having been found gathering dust on a DAT tape - more of this please Nail. Complementing this, Undersound resident Harry McCanna showcases his production prowess with "Act 1" which is dominated by a subtle yet powerful bassline, whilst the flip sees Romanian producer Zece mix delay laden vox with gritty breakbeat rhythms on the stripped down "Nephew". Sonodab's self titled closer dips into the deepest realms of melodic electro - this one has set opener written all over it.

Review: In the period since Lord of The isles first release on his Little Strong label back in 2011, the Scottish producer has graced all manner of impressive labels with his sumptuous, cross discipline styles, racking up credits for Tusk Wax, Firecracker, Ene, Shevchenko and Cocktail D'Amour. A second Little Strong release from the Lord is well overdue then and for fans of his productions Galaxy Near You is some of the best LOTI work to date. The brief opening gambit "Fey Folk" seems to be a soft rock number played in reverse with pensive results; it swiftly steps aside so that the Lord can lay down a wonderfully thick analogue mid tempo house groover in the shape of "Ossian's Hall" with the muggy bass and intricate percussion offset by the soaring leads that build to a captivating mid point crescendo. B side opener "Xatsiv" is a brief star gazing delight that adds an element of serenity which is expanded on with the swirling jazz techno epic "Nustron" - real cosmic Carl Craig vibes on this one!

Review: RSI is a new label affiliated to the Tusk Wax empire, and for their first release they look to the unexpected choice of the Posthuman duo of Rich Bevan and Josh Doherty. "Hecatism" sees the pair wander into deeper corners than their music is usually known for, trading electro breakbeats for a mid tempo production filled with resonant textures and vocal chunks that could nominally be described as house, while "Helioshock" sees them break out the 303 for some heady acid grooves. The remixes of the title track come expertly chosen also, with Disco Bloodbath resident Damon Martin taking the track even deeper into something approaching Balearic groove, and PORK INTL, who adds a distinctly more interstellar flavour to the original with its Danny Wolfers-style analogue house chords.

Review: The 7th Sccucci Manucci EP kicks off in moustache curling style with a Scandinavian slice of four/four action from Tarjei Nygard. On loan from his own Untz Untz Records, Tarjei Nygard weaves his way way through beautifully recorded synth bleeps and bass lines on "TOGO," culminating in a piano breakdown which will have any party reaching for the lasers. The Scandinavian vibe continues as Dane Brian Logstrup comes correct with the classic slab of deep house sound that is "I Can Do" whilst we return to the UK and the sounds of London producer Mella Dee whose UK Garage and Bass influences shine through on the peak time monster "Love Is". Last seen debuting on Buzzin' Fly, Alex Blaxx rounds off proceedings with the wonderfully insouciant house of "It's A Race Thing".

Review: Hong Kong native Steven Tang might just win the award for most overdue debut album, but Disconnect To Connect proves it's been worth the wait! Emerging as a producer in the late nineties, Tang's considered take on the deeper strains of house music under his given name and the Obsolete Music Technology and Misguided aliases have graced revered hubs such as Syncrophone, Keith Worthy's Aesthetic Audio and the Dolly label run by Steffi, as well as his own Emphasis Recordings. To this list Tang adds Hamburg's Smallville operation with the nine track Disconnect To Connect revealing itself to be less an album in the traditional 'journey' sense and more a sublime testament to the productions skills he's been honing over his under rated career thus far.

Review: Full Pupp gets the Sex Tags bug Part Deux. After the triplet of "Bobletekno" reworks from Sex Tags icon DJ Sotofett last week, it's now the turn of his affiliates Fett Burger and Kambo Super Sound to rework tracks from last year's Prins Thomas long player. "Bobletekno" features prominently once again, with Kambo Super Sound opening with a heavy skanking disco dub version featuring all manner of melodica, distant delay and some mighty low end bass. Up next Fett Burger drops a self styled Taellekaell mix of "Flau Pappadans" which aligns to a more familiar Nordic chug but gets increasingly trippy as the run out groove draws closer. Pon de flip there's two further "Bobletekno" versions with Kambo Burger offering a non melodica dub kutt which is kind of overshadowed by the huge dripping mass of male energy that is the Plus One Remix.

Review: The second release for the Inner Shift music group comes as four track various artists EP. First up is Mick Welch with his second outing, supplying some deep and Chicago rhythmic house, eloquently introducing an acid bass line later on the piece, which he then breaks down further with jacking drum patterns of the John Heckle variety. It's also Rai Scott's second outing and he opts for movie soundtrack horns, synths, and subtle tribal percussions that give "Beyon Earth's Atmosphere" that little extra push. Miles Sagnia adds some distinguished weight to the EP alongside Brad Peterson, with Sagnia flirting with trancey elements in "Tears of Saturn", while Peterson strips his mix back with raw kicks, softened by hollow tribal drums and spacey synths.

Review: Having launched the N16 loving Newington label with a split release from a range of bubbling UK house talents, Label bosses turn to a more familiar name for the second release with The Cross Flatts EP from PBR Streetgang. Formed of the wonderfully named Bonar Bradberry and Tom Thorpe, PBR Streetgang have been quietly accruing a respectable discography since the project was founded oop North roughly five years back. Elevated into wider consciousness last year thanks to some stellar 12"s across Hot Creations, 20:20 Vision and Futureboogie, it makes perfect sense for Bradberry and Thorpe to add the similarly minded Newington label to their CV with both cuts on this 12" fitting snugly into the current lexicon of vocally driven deep house.