Juno Recommends Deep House: July 2023

Review: A year after it slipped out digitally, Danny Tenaglia's superb 'The Brooklyn Gypsy' finally lands on wax. It's perhaps deeper and groovier than some of his vintage productions, which tended towards the muscular, dark and percussive, but the bassline is fabulous, the Frankie Knuckles-esque chords and textures inspired, and the piano solo that stretches out across the track nothing short of superb. Over on the flip, Tenaglia joins forces with fellow house legend Cevin Fisher on vocal and instrumental takes of 'Move Your Body', a more energetic, thickset and piano-powered affair that sits somewhere between the sun-soaked A-side and the long, Twilo-inspired workouts that marked out Tenaglia's turn-of-the-millennium creative peak.

Review: Do It Now Recordings Vinylized launches with a superbly classy new house offering from accomplished producers From P60 and Jaidene Veda. They bring plenty of studio skill and musical creativity here with tunes that fuse the best bits of deep house, soul, jazz, funk and downtempo. Opener 'Softly' is a late-night lover's dream with its gorgeous vocal and smooth, rolling drums and warm bass. The 2022 remix brings bigger chords and a lo-fi fuzz to the table, while 'This Sweet' is sunset house with a diffuse synth glow and more spine-tinging vocals. 'Your Love' closes with another subtle tweak on the same candle-lit and smoky basement house style. A superbly intimate EP.

Review: Since moving to Rotterdam a couple of years back, Chicagoan DJ/producer Jamie 3:26 has begun serving up some seriously good original music, usually in cahoots with local lad, wizard keyboard player and fellow producer Danou P. The most eyebrow-raising cut here is a more surprising collaboration with UK legend Mr Scruff: the wonky, analogue rich, Ron Hardy-goes-to-Manchester style wayward house brilliance of 'Scrubb It'. Danou P replaces the Ninja Tune stalwart on the EP's two other cuts, both of which are excellent. Check first the immersive, dreamy, synth-smothered deep house hypnotism of 'Love Not', where Danou P's keyboard skills and musicality work in perfect harmony with the Chicagoan's dancefloor instincts, before admiring the more Brazilian disco-influenced elasticity of 'Earl Montana'.

Review: While the first EP in Larry Heard's Vault Sessions series focused on previously unreleased music made in 1988, this sequel is not as tightly focused - though the mixture of never-before-heard cuts and rarities is similarly impressive. Check first opener 'The Time Is Now (Old School Mix)', a typically sumptuous and soulful chunk of classic sounding Mr Fingers brilliance, before getting your ears around Jordan Fields and Kevin Elliot's dub of the Heard-produced 1995 Ona King single, 'Premonition of Love'. Made with legendary New Jersey club Zanzibar in mind, it's a warming and tactile US garage treat. Over on the flip, 'Andromeda One' sees heard blur the boundaries between deep house, dub and sci-fi synth sounds, while DJ Mel's remix of all-time-classic 'Mystery of Love' is a percussive, rolling treat.

Review: Track Mode Recordings label head Brett Dancer is kicking off a new project here, the Ethnic Blend Music label with a view to putting out only the deepest and most soulful sounds. There could be fewer better to live up to that brief than Vic Lavender who kicks off with a pair of sublime tunes. 'Are U Going My Way' (Time Traveler Rework) is actually his take on the Pat Metheny classic 'Are You Going With Me' It brings his melange of jazz, funk and soul to a great new reimagining. 'Prometheus' is then a majestic journey that layers up warm bass, rolling beats and lush chords for a super soothing session.

Review: When it comes to gospel-powered 21st century dance music, Detroit trio Dames Brown have been involved in many of the most memorable records - not least Sophie Lloyd anthem 'Calling Out' and Horse Meat Disco hook-up 'Message To The People'. Here they join forces with fellow Motor City musician Waajeed for another arms-aloft classic in the making. In its original form, 'Glory' blurs the boundaries between gospel disco and gospel house, with the trio's powerful vocals rising rubbery bass guitar, loose-limbed beats and riotous organ licks aplenty. It comes accompanied by two fine remixes: a stomping, piano riff-powered gospel house take from Rob and Lyric Hood's Floorplan project, and a stomping, thickset gospel disco 'dancing club dub' courtesy of Kelly G.

Review: Since the 1970s Danny Krivit has been a prolific re-editor. We're used to him cutting up classic cuts - think disco and soul, in particular - but he's never been afraid to turn his talents to contemporary cuts. That's what you get on this surprise Defected release. On the A-side he turns his attention to "Heaven", the killer gospel-inspired modern disco single from The Vision and Andreya Triana, turning in a version with plenty of drops, instrument solos and more emphasis on the righteous, life-affirming vocals. He's in a smoother mode on side B, extended and rearranging the rich and soulful dancefloor treat that is Kai Alce's Original NDATL vocal mix of The Dangerfeel Newbies' "What Am I Here For?" - a gem from 2016 that has previously been criminally overlooked.

Review: Groove Culture Deep is only on its second release but decides to use it to kick start a new compilation, Deep Into House. Volume one brings together a range of names and influences from across the ages starting with the super silky r&b samples of Micky More & Andy Tee's 'Can I (Show You Real Love)' (feat Angela Johnson - Full Intention remix) which is as soulful as house gets. The same duo's 'Soul Heaven (Alright)' is another mid-tempo bubbler with disco percussion and then they get into remix mode for two slinky, laid-back grooves on the flip. Good times only with these jams.

Review: EEE stands for East End Edits and beyond that, we know nothing about this white label and production outfit. So far they have seven up their own takes on Madonna, Depeche Mode and Kelis, St Germain stye deep house and smoky late night minimal. This is a one-track wonder on one side of wax and it is a thumping and steamy deep house cut with driving drums and swirling pads. A vocal sample is littered through as the crispy percussion adds texture. It's tasteful and well-designed but also set to do plenty of damage to the dancefloor.

Review: Strap in for this one as Razor-N-Tape have got a booty shaking new EP on their hands here. It's an unearthed and previously-unheard classic by Midnight Magic that has been pulled from a dusty old vault after more than a decade in the darkness. First up with get a bumping remix from the one and only Chicago great that is Derrick Carter. Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca also serve up their own heavy Dubstrumental and the BHQ Passion Vs. Desire Dub is the most streamy of the lot with its wild trumpet lines and tribal funk. Last of all Perel pairs it back to pinging drums and toms.

Review: Here comes an all new and unknown edits labels with some playful disco house jams packed with characterful samples from Chaka Kenn. 'Dawn Breaker' opens up with freewheeling melodies and loose drum breaks that makes for a nice sunny vibe run through with jazzy Rhodes action. 'High Steaks' takes on a heavier house vibe with layers of lo-fi synth and some muffled vocals for company. Last of all is some playful swing that fuses house and hip hop over Hall & Oates bump and grind groove and filtered vocals. Useful tools for sure.

Review: Florence is back on their own self titled label for a fifth outing that once again brings hardcore funk groves laden with great samples. 'Get Down' is raw and driving with hard hits and bouncing bass all delivered in a lo-fi style under guttural vocals. 'Dirty' is more sleazy and low slung with a more seductive vocal sound and plenty of modern synth lines next to the authentic rhythm section sounds. Whoever is behind this project sure knows how to cook up the funky goods and then some.

Review: The Mysticisms label welcomes Coral D aka Duncan Stump for a debut outing here that marks the first new music to be part of the ongoing and most excellent Dubplate series. This artist has a long history of crafting "deep dub electronic swing" in his roles in Mock & Toof, FX Mchm and his 6000 Degrees project. This one finds him bringing some dub reggae influences as 'Dissolves' is built on a chugging rhythm with smeared chords. 'DR 55' is then a masterfully laidback digi-dub groove that warps space and time and so leaves you utterly hypnotised.

Review: There is a wealth of talent on show on the third EP from the Fusion Sequence label which has put together this six-track deep house sizzler. The Variable Club' 'Biorhythms' is perfectly warm and dynamic for cosy backroom moments and Alpine DJ then brings an old school piano feel to 'Pepe Nony' before A Vision Of Panorama zones you out on lush chords and reverential keys on 'Kissing The Sun.' The flipside offers the more dark and heads-down 'Many Stories' while the blissed-out and feel-good grooves return with Common Mode's 'Bassface.' Body Corp shuts down with the slower, seductive sounds of 'Take It Or Leave It' which rounds out a top-class EP.

Review: Bengoa's Athens-based-label B2 Recordings has impressed over its first nine releases. The 10th is another fine one to mark the mini-milestone and it comes from Lex, who was last on the label a couple of years ago. His star has only continued to rise since then with fresh beats on the likes of Samosa and Leng and now his brilliant disco house fusions find more new heights with 'Fast Jags.' This is a cosmic workout that slowly builds on nice loose drums with astral pads circling around you and keys withering in sci-fi fashion. Bengoa offers up a raw edit that brings some deeper jazz keys and tumbling bongos and Felipe Gordon's Deep Funk remix ups the house vibes with a nice thumping groove.

Review: For the latest missive on his Up The Stuss label, Chris Stussy has joined forces with fellow Dutch star Locklead for a first collaborative EP as Across Boundaries. As you'd expect, it's a bouncy, chunky and melody-rich affair whose four tracks remain focused on the dancefloor throughout. Title track 'Sense of Future' is warming, dreamy and undeniably summer-ready, with talkbox vocals, elongated chords and bubbly electronic lead lines leaping above a thickset bassline and energy-packed beats. 'Strummer' is a more tech-tinged affair - check the meandering, TB-303 style motifs, sci-fi sounds and rolling drums - while 'Nightcreeper' is a foreboding peak-time pumper and 'Cold December' sits somewhere between classic deep house and elastic European tech-house.

Review: Fresh from wowing festival crowds big and small, Honey Dijon drops a fresh EP - one packed to the rafters with collaborative cuts and peak-time ready house workouts. Insanely heavyweight beats, relentless bass and restless cowbells come to the fore on the EP-opening Shake The Earth remix of Channel Tres/Sadie Walker hook-up 'Show Me Some Love', before fellow Chicagoans Mike Dunn and Ric Wilson join in the fun on 'C's Up (The Southside Remix)', a pots-and-pans percussion-laden Windy City house bumper. Elsewhere, Dope Earth Alien features on the similarly inclined, footworker friendly goodness of 'It's Quiet Now (The Sunlight Remix)', while the Set You Free remix of 'Not About You' sounds like the sort of dense, drum-rich jam that Classic co-founder Derrick L Carter would absolutely love.

Review: Derek Jamerson was the son of Motown bassist James Jamerson Jr. and grandson of Motown Funk Brother's house band bassist James Jamerson. He himself made a select few house records back in the mid-nineties which have been unearthed by some contemporary deep diggers. A couple of his tunes now get reissued on this The Legacy Continues EP on Endangered Musique. 'So Hard' is traditional US house with organ chords, chattery claps and well-placed vocal samples, then 'Hot House' gets a bit more loose and soulful. On the flip are three different versions of Derrick's biggest tune, 'Adventures Of A Disco Diva', all of which bring some form of piano house magic.

Review: Vicious Charm Recordings makes its vinyl bow with a collection of cuts from the mighty Crooked Man, AKA sometime Sweet Exorcist and All Seeing I man Richard 'Parrot' Barratt. A-side 'Love & Resistance' is one of Barratt's most magical and otherworldly workouts yet - a long and crooked chunk of off-kilter deep house soul featuring vocals by Carmen Squire that's as emotionally impactful as it as magical and melancholic. Over on the flip, Barratt offers up more mind-mangling mid-tempo sleaze via the echoing vocal samples, clanking industrial machine beats and frankly filthy TB-303 bass of 'Nemesis'. He ruffs that track up further on 'Nemesister', reaching for bouncy, dancehall-influenced house beats, reverb-laden stabbing bass and trippy electronic riffs. Like much of Barratt's work, it's effortlessly excellent.

Review: The Alpha Transmissions EP is a new project from Dubbyman that has been long in the making. The always classy producer brings his trademark deep house sound to Inner Shift Music with label owners Brad P and Rai Scott getting in on the action. 'Transmission #1' is smooth, serene and dubbed out deep house with cosmic energy, while 'In The Space (Song For Joey)' is a more loose-limbed groove peppered with gentle percussion.'Transmission #2' first comes as a Man-Drake edit that is widescreen and drenched in prog rock guitar licks and as a Rai Scott remix that is more rolling and heady. A typically versatile package from Dubbyman.

Review: Luther Vine's Fragments Of Reality and its various artists series have been a real doozy for 20/20 but now the sub-label offers up a first solo EP. It is Snad who gets the gig and he is a house producer from Berlin making big waves right now. This one follows outings on Chicago's Kimochi Records, Chez Damier's Courtesy of Balance and the Dungeon Meat label and is another raw, stripped-back offering of tough house. 'Bootlickerz' is a bristling cut ready for the peak time, 'Goobernatorial Candidacy' has a more stripped-back but just as compelling groove and 'Per Savour' goes deep into late-night goodness before closer 'Butt Heads' picks up the pace once more.

Review: As well as pressing up a blue splattered vinyl version of this one, Deep Fried has also got a black wax 12" for lovers of r&b tinged deep house. Alicia Keys released 'Feelin U, Feelin Me' back in 2004 and it's a rather slept-on and soulful classic. But that is likely to change with this series of fresh remixes from DJ Clear and DJ Kurtiss (aka Curtis Vodka). First up is a smooth and dusty deep house rework with curious melodies and smoky sax, then a more stripped-back version closes out the A-side. On the flip, Kurtiss steps up with a remix doused in swirling pads with wet clicks and jumbled house drums.

Review: Prolific multi-media artists Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek are long time creative partners but this is their first ever collaborative project. New Future City Radio is a busy 40-minute suite cut into 18 tracks that are all short but hugely potent and play out like a well-sequenced mixtape. Across the playtime they contemplate "community, transformation, and the future through the programmatic format of a pirate radio station for the people." They have worked together since the late 90s so have rare chemistry and prove that and then some here.

Review: Cult Edits are specialists in pushing a certain kind of heater, working in a mode landing something between edit and original. Six producers - Mario Bianco, Tomoo Hata, Roe Deers, Radial Gaze, A Tweed and Oltrefuturo - lay down a blend of sampledelic, ecstatic, multi-tempo'd tribal moods. Channelling everything from chic Tulum rituals to the brutalism of Eastern-European underground clubs, and rounded off by doses of Italian rasta and Japanese re-imagining of Hungarian folk song, all come to the label's exquisite brand of mandala-esque vinyl.

Review: The most sought-after release from the entire Sounds catalogue, Gemini and Unit T's 1995 release, 'Sideburns', finally gets a much-needed reissue. A1 track, 'Trip', is a prime example of deep house if there ever was one. An infectious, encircling melody meets the deep groove of the bassline to create a finished product that is in equal measure sun-soaked and cosmic. 'B Trip', the A2 track, is a gloriously shifted, off-beat reimagining of A1, pummeling percussion reverberates across the track, left alone to enjoy moments where everything is stripped back, before the body of the track returns. On the B-side, 'Mystery Tones' arrives with the kind of groove that instantly makes its way across dancefloors - a unifying track that feels precise in its simplicity, whilst still retaining exactly the right degree of looseness to get a crowd moving. This is a must-have record for any deep house aficionados, and you can now save yourself the hefty Discogs price tag!