Juno Recommends Minimal / Tech House March 2021

Review: Locus was one of the breakthrough tech-house labels of 2020, so we're looking forward to hearing what they have in store for 2021. They've made a positive start though, thanks to a rock solid four-tracker from experienced, Hamburg-based producer Sidney Charles. Opener 'High Pressure' sets the tone, with Charles dousing a typically glitchy-but-funky groove in spacey chords and flashing electronic motifs. The German producer explores similar sonic territory on the even funkier - but no less fluid or mind-altering - 'There is No Time', while 'Onda' is a more dense, intense and bass-heavy late-night wonk-a-thon. Closing cut 'Joy Love', a raw and twisted affair, may well be the most inspired track of the lot.

Review: BEEYOU Records offshoot Subee first appeared in 2019, yet this offering from rising star Mathijs Smit is only the imprint's third release. The outlet's first two releases were really rather good, though, and there's plenty to set the pulse racing on Smit's Subee debut. Check first 'Bad Birdy', where alien-sounding synthesizer motifs, squelchy acid lines and growling vocal samples are propelled forwards by sweaty drums and boisterous bass, before turning your attention to the deep, warm and rubbery tech-house bounce of 'No One Can Catch Me', and the organ-sporting late-night retro-futurism of 'Tentje'. Also worth checking is Huerta's excellent remix of 'Bad Birdy', a techno-tempo romp that ratchets up the intergalactic vibes and makes much of Smit's addictive bassline.

Review: Given that this EP is titled Beast In My Bass, you'd expect the featured music to contain some seriously weighty and mind-altering sub-bass. It doesn't, but that's no criticism because what Sweely has delivered is undoubtedly excellent. For proof, check the deliciously bouncy and jazzy title track, where jaunty electronic stabs and glitchy fills dance atop an all-action bassline and swinging beats, before admiring the similarly eccentric and essential 'Daylight' (which, ironically, is also more sub-heavy than its predecessor). Spacey, deep and chunky tech-house sounds are supplied via 'She Gave Me The Funk' and dreamy, picturesque closing cut 'Accepted'.

Review: Adam Nahalewicz made an impressive debut with the warm, bubbling house cut he dropped on Recycle, and now Aesthetic have snapped him up for an EP that expands on the promise of that sole track. "Quiver" leads the way with a wonderfully dynamic strain of bumping tech house peppered with fluid sound design and pinprick textures, while on the flip "Level Up" brings a fresh dose of warm, melodic synth work into the mix while still riding that oh-so crisp groove. "A.M. Rhythm" is equally melodious, albeit a little smoother on the rhythm side of things and with a gentle nature that should suit the up all night crowd beautifully.

Review: Eastenderz enters 2021 as one of tech-house's most popular labels, a position it will no doubt be keen to keep going forward. To get the year off to a positive start, they've bagged a tidy two-tracker from returning contributor Priku and fellow Romanian producer Dinu. The pair hits the ground running on A-side 'Cleo', cannily immersing a locked-in beat and warm, undulating bassline in clicking percussion hits, echoing piano notes, hushed chords and subtle melodic flourishes. They flip the script entirely on B-side 'Deep Grey Under The Moon', where fizzing synth-string stabs, held-note chords and curiously metallic percussion sounds leap above a jaunty rhythm and a seemingly squeezable bassline. It's hard to describe, but genuinely alluring and ear catching.

Review: Half Baked return with a serious heater from Arno, who explores all kinds of crafty twists on the garage and electro resurgences with one eye on the minimal scene. This is hardly minimal music though - 'Why Does The Lion Get Lost In The Jungle?!' rattles through pan pot percussion and twitchy breakstep rhythm formations while nagging synth lines and plenty of sub flex make for an especially naughty club wrecker. 'No Car, Big Garage' brings a little machine funk into the mix with some killer DX7 organ bass for good measure. 'He Displays Nothing But...' takes things in a more housey direction with some crisp 909 claps and a vivid, trippy backdrop of vocal samples and nimble synth lines. Classy, inventive dance music for the freaky people.

Review: Fuse off shoot Locus welcomes Lauren Lo Slung for some serious seductive and slinky tech house goodness here. 'Miss B' is all circling neon pads and blurry eyed beats that are punchy but warm. 'Cosmic Flow' is then a more rugged groove with slippery synths and kinked beats, while KOKO remixes 'Miss B' into a high speed tech pumper. 'B-Side The Point' closes out on chunky beats, with more lush pad work, smart samples and a sense of electronic funk that is simply lovely.

Review: 
Barcelona based Gamine welcomes Jack Keo following major releases on Art of Dark and Spaecial. He brings a heavyweight drum line to 'Trendy Anxiety' that really bangs while the tense and twisted pads up top get you on edge. The high energy pump of 'On Core' is another dance floor belter with sci-fi pads and plenty of bright surfaces and We're Out Here' goes pure video game soundtrack with its Wipeout style lasers and bumping beats. An Otis remix of 'On Core' closes out with a splashy electro style that switches things up nicely.

Review: Haws hits double figures here with a double good EP that marks the occasional in suitably high class fashion. Adam Pits is the man on the controls and is always one to come up with the goods. He launches off with 'Gazza', which has a screw-face bassline that rubs away filthily underneath dusty garage beats. 'Solar Wave' is a more heady and serene cut that glides through the galaxy on a wave of cosmic warmth and then the final of the originals is 'Element X', a slow motion and blissed out cut with new age ambiance. Danish house king DJ Central brings his usual smoothness to a remix of 'Solar Wave' before Priori layers up dreamy broken beats to close.

Review: Following releases from Amir Alexander and himself, Thomas Melchior has turned to sometime No Corner and A Colourful Storm contributor Klon Dump for the third release on My King is Light. Listening to the featured tracks, it's easy to see why. Opener 'Paul's House' neatly updates late '90s tech-house, adding rumbling bass, creepy electronics and a dash of UKG style swing to the techno-tempo blueprint. 'Surprise Room' is a little more glitchy and bubbly and reminded us of the Gallic tech-house grooves released by Yoyaku crew for many years, while 'No Surprise Room' is a more stripped-back, late night interpretation of the same track that should delight all those who loved locked-in, mind-altering grooves.

Review: Viceversa is back on the ever more essential MTM label outta holland with a pair of slick new minimal tech house gems. There is a lovely wetness to the claps and rubberiness to the bass of opener 'IV' that immediately appeals. They roll on with more metallic hits and you are happy to stay there for days. 'VVVVII' is another warm, dubby, deep bit of minimal tech with tripped out medic motifs. Lastly, Cosmin steps up to remix and takes the tune into more dark, uncertain territory that keeps you on edge.

Review: Miriam's latest release comes courtesy of debutant Ollie Drummond, a London-based producer who will be a name to watch in the months and years ahead. He sets the tone with opener 'Out Grazing', a fusion of swinging, UKG-influenced London tech-house beats, smooth but weighty bass and bubbly, almost bleeping electronics, before delivering some heads-down goodness via the more typical tech-house roll of 'Tunnel Music'. The high-pitched bleeps return on 'The Clock Shop', where breathy freestyle vocal snippets and deep sub-bass catch the ear, while Anthony Diffancesco's rework of 'Out Grazing' is a dreamy, alien-sounding late-night treat. A genuinely impressive debut.

Review: Recorded during lockdown - hence the rather apocalyptic title - and made in part using a different set of hardware and software tools than his previous work, Year of the Living Dead has a slightly different feel than John Tejada's previous full-length excursions. Of course, his fine grasp of mood and melody remains a major feature, as does his love of warming ambient chords and dreamy electronics, but these elements are twisted round a wider variety of rhythms (think mutant electro, post-dubstep UK bass, UK garage and dub techno), with warm, deep and rich sub-bass coming to the fore throughout. Tejada rarely misses the mark, of course, but there's a surprising freshness to the album that means you'd do well to sit up and take notice.

Review: After its inaugural release featuring the likes of Pierre Codarin, T. Jacques and Jack Michael made some waves around six months ago, Spaghetti Club are back and this time with a bunch of all stars. On the A side, we have Frenchman TC80 who follows up releases on Cabaret and Eklo and presents the ravey afterhours antics of 'Journey', while scene veteran Alexkid teams up with the aforementioned Codarin for some '80s techno-funk reminiscent of classic Derrick May on 'Hard Drive Located'. Over on the flip, Jantzen similarly impresses with some equally trippy sounds on 'The Good Ramen" taking his cues from early UK tech house.

Review: The long running Crosstown Rebels label serves up a fourth fine volume of its 'Spirits' series and once again draws on a wide pool of talent. In a rare production outing for Pete Tong, he links with
Alex Kennon for 'Apache', a sleek tech roller that slowly but surely transform into a melodic monster. Eslewhere Irish techno talent Matador shows off his mastery of his machines as he lays down plenty of cosmic pads work on 'Vulture' and the always interesting Francesca Lombardo goes for a deeper, driving, bass heavy roller that makes you march. Another of the man heady and spiritual highs comes from Made By Pete and his mystic, tribal 'Harar.'

Review: Alessandro De Padova is Deyayu, bringing you another cyberspace inspired release called Know You Can on Belgian label Kontrast back after a two year hiatus. De Padova has been heard previously on labels like Jooice and Fantasy Attitude. On side A, we have the funky retro techno bounce of 'Drumcomputer' and the low slung late night mood music of 'Che Ne Pensi' where he goes ultra deep. Over on the flip, there's more sensual deepness in the form of 'U Man' and the classic Stateside shuffle of 'The Next Time' taking its cues from legends like Mood II Swing.

Review: Last time we checked in on Berlin's Nick Behringer, he was running the Rubisco imprint as well as appearing on top labels such as Daydream, Mulen and NCSS. With his latest release on the ever reliable UK imprint Infuse, there's yet more proof that Behringer's career is on the ascent. Get ready for more swing-fuelled hypnotic groove business on the Blue Blood EP, featuring the late night bass driven bump of 'Concave', while the title track (on the flip) calls to mind the minimal funk of Cab Drivers or Mike Shannon's output in the mid noughties. Finally, go deep into the afterhours on the atmospheric and sensual mood music of 'Second Hand Emotion'.