Back catalogue: Deep House

Review: Second time around for eccentric Sheffield trio The All Seeing I's sole full-length excursion, 1999's Pickled Eggs & Sherbert, which here lands on vinyl for the first time.The album, a celebration of Steel City creativity featuring cameos from Cocker, Tony Christie, Babybird and the Human League's Phil Oakey, is best remembered for hit singles 'The Beat Goes On', 'Walk Like a Panther' - lyrics reportedly penned by Jarvis Cocker - and 'The First Man in Space', but there are plenty more highlights amongst the unique blends of fractured dancehall rhythms, redlined electronica, oddball easy listening references, experimental d&b rhythms and genuine leftfield pop nous. For proof, check out blissful acapella number 'No Return' (where Lisa Millett plays a starring role), the breathless, bass-heavy house of 'Sweet Music', the weighty madness of 'I Walk' and the exotica-goes-big beat flex of 'Happy Birthday Nicola'.

Review: Phil Evans' second album follows a series of standout EPs on Blankstate, Sensual, Twig, Vigenere and his own Pager Records; the Frankfurt DJ and producer doubles as the Freizeit Records co-founder of Pager, helping set in e-motion the evolution of his local underground electronic scene. With minimality at its core, we hear on E Motinos a reserved and calculated three tracks per vinyl side, preserving optimal, skipless groove quality: 'Eazin', '<3', 'Hm' and 'Deep' prefer a near nonverbal titular expressivity, resisting any reference to the record's tricky, body-jacking movements in any capacity except through body language.

Review: US house legend Dennis Ferrer's debut album The World As I See It was a masterclass in soulful, emotive house music that really cut rherough when it arrived in 2007. Blending gospel, Afrobeat, and deep NYC roots, Ferrer avoided big-name features in favour of fresh vocal talent while delivering heartfelt tracks like 'Run Free' and 'How Can I Let Go.' The iconic 'Son of Raw' and 'Underground Is My Home' bring dancefloor fire, while 'Change the World' and 'Dem People Go' showcase Ferrer's cultural depth. With rich percussion, fat basslines and sincerity throughout, this isn't just a house albumiit's a powerful work that transcends the club and still bangs today.

Review: Master drummer and producer Alexander Flood debuts his rhythmic first record on Atjazz, following up the sumptuous first single 'Life Is A Rhythm'. A truly exciting record on foliate green vinyl, this LP packs a production paradox, bringing both boomy bodyweight and a shape-cutting, 2-stepping sense of ease at the same time. With extra layers of perc in the rhythm section, with Brazilian percussionist Aduni on congas and Cuban percussionist Alexander Scull Castillo on bata, it's actually really the dance-flooring production that grabs us here, heard best in the plum chords and erratic pianos of 'Don't Wait For Me', and/or the live bruk ghost dance 'Sidestep'.

Review: Yorkshire lad Franky Wah continues to have a large say in the sound of modern club culture with his emotionally charged, high-energy productions and infectious hooks, standout releases and endless touring. He also runs SHEN, of course, a label, events company and clothing brand showcasing his broad creative vision. His latest project, The Revival, Vol. 2, arrives there five years after the acclaimed Vol. 1 that featured the breakout track 'Come Together' and solidified his status among dance music's elite. With this sequel, Franky Wah reaffirms his credentials with a fresh bunch of emotive, vocal-laced and sunshine-rich, drop-filled house anthems for hands-in-the-air fun.

Review: Fabric Presents Laurent Garnier is a masterful 4xLP compilation showcasing the legendary French DJ's unparalleled taste in picking deep techno and house tracks. With over 35 years of experience, Garnier elevates the dancefloor like no other, and this collection reflects his exceptional taste and influence in the genre. The compilation features standout tracks such as Deon Cole's infectious 'Where The Freaks At', the atmospheric 'Aftermath' by Culoe De Song, and Anane's reimagined 'Walking On Thin Ice'. Each side offers a seamless flow of energy, including highlights like Sammy Virji & Flowdan's 'Shella Verse' and the dynamic 'Urban Snare Cypher' by Equiknoxx. Normally, a set from Laurent is a balanced look into the history of the genre while being balanced with new music he enjoys. This set focuses all on new music, showing Laurent is in touch with top-notch techno as always.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Michael Grey is a London-based house talent who finally unveils his long awaited album, Optimism. This double-gatefold beauty on Optimism is a timeless listen that takes in myriad house styles. There are sample heavy mid-tempo rollers like 'Fly Away' as well as blissed out vocal cuts for loved up floors like 'You Got To Remember', sophisticated disco-tinged cuts like 'Where Do We Go From Here' and feel good summer anthems such as 'Don't Want Anybody'. What unifies them all is the high class produciton and lavish quality of the most uplifting music.

Review: Oskaa-born but truly otherworldly producer Daichi Furukawa, aka Ground, is back with a new album that is here to bend your mind and distort your reality with his fourth world follow-up to 2018's cult favourite Sunizm. This experimental odyssey truly defies genre, logic, and linearity as it assembles a chaotic yet mesmerising fusion of organic samples, synthetic textures, tribal rhythms and cosmic noise that are fantastic and freaky. Yaoyorozoo is one of those records that feels both ancient and futuristic as it taps into beautiful and unsettling, inviting and disorienting rhythms and sample sources. Across 73 minutes, it mutates like a dream-always shifting, never settling, so it makes for a cerebral collage for wide-open minds and ears only.

Review: The cult Slow Life label has always operated at the more cosmic end of the house and minimal spectrum with speedy grooves designed to make an impact both physically and emotionally. Now a member of the collective, Indi Zone who is half of the Ethereal Logic project, steps out with a solo debut album that flips the script and explores organic grooves and blissful harmonies. It's an escapist delight with supple downbeat drums and gorgeous synth work that ranges from wispy to starry, watery to smeared. It paints a vivid picture of a heavenly tropical wonderland with endless neon glows and soft edges in which to get lost.

Review: Celebrating 25 years of two of the most influential house labels around, this joint double-pack from London's R2 and Osunlade's Yoruba Records is a heavyweight offering that bridges soulful roots and dancefloor depth. Karizma's long-awaited 'Spirit' appears in multiple formsihis original gospel-powered burner, a Josh Milan remix (as Honeycomb), and a dub version featuring Nicholas Ryan Gant, all radiating righteous, late-night warmth. The second R2 cut, 'W!thout !t' is stripped and punchy, full of Karizma's trademark percussive invention. Yoruba's side sees Osunlade light up the system with 'Electricity' and 'Sumpin' Like Dis', both steeped in rhythm and spiritual uplift. Afefe Iku's '823' dives deep into his signature twilight textures, while Karizma's Baltimore remix of Mr. Flip's 'Drippin'' closes the set on a loose and funky high. It's a snapshot of two defining voices in house musicirich in groove, spirit and intention.

Review: Marc Moulin's long career, establishing him as a pioneering figure in Belgium's music scene, continues its journey on this release, with tracks that weave together his signature blend of smooth jazz and downtempo rhythms. Beginning with the jazz-rock group Placebo in the 70s, Moulin later formed the electro-pop act Telex, which represented Belgium at Eurovision in 1980. As a solo artist, he merged jazz with electronic and downtempo sounds, collaborating with artists like Sparks and Lio. His production, marked by complex instrumentation and atmospheric depth, solidified his reputation as a key figure in both jazz and electronic music. Whether drawing from the cool jazz of the 60s or the laid-back grooves of 90s chillout, Moulin's music transcends genre boundaries. On this album, the music explores a subtle interplay of muted trumpets, congas, and guitars, blending sensual, smoky vocals with a deeply rhythmic pulse. There's an unmistakable touch of classic jazz, reminiscent of legends like Wes Montgomery and George Benson, while the rhythms pull you into a more contemporary space, aligning with the downtempo beats that were popular in the 90s. Tracks like 'Into The Dark' and 'What?' unfold with a breezy yet intricate sense of rhythm, offering both chilled vibes and moments of tension. 'Organ' offers a groove-heavy track, with its jazz roots merging seamlessly with a funk-infused, hypnotic backdrop. The bonus remixes serve as a fresh take on these original compositions. From the midnight mood of 'Organ (Cosmos Midnight Express Remix)' to the deeper house flavour of 'Into The Dark (Karma Fever Reminiscent Step Remix)', these remixes take the core of Moulin's vision and deepen it, offering something for both the jazz enthusiast and the dancefloor. This release crystalises a rich moment in Moulin's career as he updates the familiar jazz and downtempo idioms with the intricate, soulful grooves of funk and electronic experimentation, keeping his sound vital and relevant.

Review: It's a remarkable statistic that Payfone - the long-serving production partnership of Phil Passera and Jimmy Day - have not released an album before, despite building up a killer catalogue of singles over the last 12 years. The vinyl-only Lunch, then, is a genuinely significant release .- and, happily, a rather brilliant one too. Featuring an impressive roll-call of guest vocalists and musicians, it sees them deliver six excellent riffs on their analogue-rich, hybrid house/Balearic/nu-disco sound. The plentiful highlights include the dubbed-out, low-slung and atmospheric opener 'Movin' On', the infectious, spaced-out boogie of 'Joan of Arc' (whose chorus will be stuck in your head for days), sensual jazz-funk jam 'Spend The Night' and the warming, sun-soaked delight that is 'Pony Bar'.

Review: Retrouve retrieve eight new future house retroversions for their resident PIV label, bringing brilliant syntheses of 80s inspo, speed garage, and hard dance groove-dynamism. So far having rocked dancefloors from Amsterdam's Thuishaven to Miami's Space, an electrifying past two years have fed the febrile fan anticipations going into this one. The sound is distinctive, with no pulse missing the mark, though the experimental ante is upped as the record progresses, as on the dark jacker with Midas Field, 'Gravel', whose textural palette hears the duo cross into an uncharted otic darkness.

Review: The Situation collective, led by Mr. Mulatto and Frank Situation, returns with their new album Audio Proxemics. It's a rich, genre-blurring journey across nine tracks of soulful nu-disco, jazz-infused house and broken beat featuring global collaborators like Javonntte, Venessa Jackson and Faze Action's Robin Lee. The album highlights Situation's deep musical roots with live instrumentation that ranges from shimmering keys to brassy horns and guitars which elevate each track beyond mere tool status. From the club-ready sparkle of 'Mrs Donovan' to the sun-drenched groove of 'Bullit,' this is a warm, musical celebration perfect for summer days and late-night sessions.

Review: California producer Space Ghost teams up with South Carolina-based singer Teddy Bryant for a sun-soaked ode to late 80s and early 90s soul. The record opens with the silky swing of 'Some Things Last Forever', giving way to lush, G-Funk-laced grooves like 'Majestic Fantasies' and club-focused cuts such as 'Unconditional (Club Mix)'. Bryant's vocals glide over Space Ghost's plush instrumentation, with tracks like 'Cheer Me Up' and 'Ultimate Love' channelling UK street soul and the balladry of classic r&b. 'Shine' and 'Ultimate Love', both featuring Morgan, add extra emotional weight. The pair clearly draw from a shared love of Teddy Riley, Jam & Lewis and DeVante Swing, but there's a lightness here that feels rooted in the present too-music that remembers the past without ever getting stuck in it.

Review: Original deep house pioneer Ron Trent is back with another new album, 35 years after his game-changing debut. And Lift Off marks a sophisticated evolution in his sonic journey as he echews the introspective downtempo of his 2022 LP What Do The Stars Say To You and deftly blends epic instrumentals, vocal collaborations and intricate arrangements that reflect his diverse influences. There is a great sense of musicality here as masterful percussion intertwines with exploratory tempos and elegant bridge dance music's past, present and future. The highlight is 'Just Another Love Song' which has a whiff of Womack and Womack about it.