Review: The summer is almost here which means this is exactly the sort of record we want to be reaching for. It's a lush and tropical work of idealised disco grooves, deepest house, Balearic, smooth jazz and Mediterranean cool that cries out to be played loud while you sip on cocktails and dream of being somewhere utterly blissful and classy. Dreamy textures define each cut with nice fresh rhythms, glistening chords and lush melodies all sprinkled with delightful percussive detail. Big up to A Vision Of Panorama for serving up a beautiful album that is sure to soundtrack the warmest months of the year for many.
Review: After spending the majority of his 20-plus-year career flitting between the Kompakt and Coneme labels, Matias Aguayo makes a rare outing on another label - a delayed debut for Matt 'Radio Slave' Edwards' REKIDS imprint. In its' original form (side A), 'El Internet' is a typically off-kilter affair in which his own poetic, spoken word vocals (in Chilean, of course) and fuzzy, elongated synth sounds ride a beefy but wonky bassline and the long-serving producer's usual South American-tinged, hand percussion-enhanced hybrid house/techno grooves. It comes accompanied by a vocal-free instrumental mix, where the full breadth and depth of Aguayo's production can be heard, and a useful acapella DJ tool.
Review: The Alone Together Remixes EP breathes new life into Viken Arman's acclaimed 2023 album and has standout reinterpretations from Acid Pauli, Session Victim and Mano Le Tough. Session Victim first infuse 'You With Me' with their signature soul and craft a rhythmic, percussive journey. Acid Pauli blends 'You With Me' and 'Lonely Raver' into a surreal, experimental trip of modular rhythms and dreamlike textures and deep house master Mano Le Tough offers a wonderful take on 'Vibrations'. It is a pulsing club workout designed for peak-time with plenty of lush synth textures. Importantly, each remix is sympathetic to Viken's original analogue warmth.
Review: Club Vision's tenth release celebrates a deep creative bond with Atimpuri who presents his standout new EP, Epic Wave. The A-side opens with 'Critical Moments,' a euphoric house cut radiating warmth and positivity that you cannot escape. The title track follows and delivers a hypnotic trance journey driven by energetic drums and an unforgettable lead riff. On the B-side, 'Morning Crying' channels classic 90s house with lush pads and a bold bassline, while 'Smw' offers a dreamy breakbeat closer rich with strings and immersive effects. Blending past and present, Atimpuri crafts a sound that's both nostalgic and forward-thinking here.
Review: Colin Curtis - an early purveyor of rare groove and jazzdance whose credo rings far and wide - has been helming his own label of originals for some time now. Presently focusing on the best live-feel broken beat, house and jazz in his orbit, his latest curation, Cengiz and Ishfaq's 'Vibrations', is no break from this general rule. Each artist helming one side respectively, Cengiz' 'Motf' and its remix work a steadily built progression around faint jeers, metallic percs, filterpassed tom fills and space-age risers, the latter of which is much more skeletal than the former; while Ishfaq's 'Wonderjazz' moves impressively somewhere in the lost interregnum between speed garage and techfunk.
Review: Here's an interesting proposition: two new takes on one of Italo-disco's most celebrated tunes, Charlie's throbbing, synthesizer-powered 1983 masterpiece 'Spacer Woman'. Valentino Kanzayani steps up first, delivering an epic, 11-minute interpretation that subtly beefs up the beats and stretches out the spacey, arpeggio-driven groove before finishing on a lengthy, loved-up ambient section. Dana Ruh's flipside remix is a little more revolutionary, with punchy electro beats, a brand new, TB-303 driven bassline and undulating acid lines underpinning deep space chords, slowly shifting electronic motifs and snippets of the original vocal. It's tastefully done and pleasingly different, which is what you want from modern remixes of classic cuts.
Review: The fledgling Jackpot Recordings label is back with a second serving up club-ready goodness with Club of Jacks at the helm. There is a healthy dose of classic elements to these tunes - 90s vocals, deepness, soul - not least the opener 'Always' with its diva wails and balmy pads draped over nice silky drums with a majestic piano breakdown. 'Gorgon Dub' is a fat bottom house cut with mid-tempo drums and rigid percussion atop a dark bassline throb. 'Think Of You' is a warm and breezy one with loved-up pads and r&b vocal chops and 'Soundboy' gets more naughty with some garage-inspired drums and bass primed to pump the party.
Review: The spectroscope of Cool Million's soundworld doubles in width, as 'One Of A Kind' marks a new phase of innovation in their patented boogie funk sound. This latest single hears Danish soul singer Seest - a longtime collaborator with the Danish production duo - add her doubled, tripled, nigh quadrupled vocal overdubs to the already well collieried disco track. With the ensuing EP packed with allusive, fiery effrontery, bringing inspirations from Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang and The Crusaders, we must warn you: this is a volatile disco 7", one that should really come with a fire hazard warning.
Review: Fresh UK street soul purveyors Edit UK unearth a now criminally undersung classic from New York r&b duo Groove Theory, 'Tell Me', this time flipped and rerubbed by bass aficionado DJ Double A. With its bass amped and gridlines marked, this version from A is a minimal but subtle edit, thoroughly primed for club play. We're comparatively caught off guard by stellar his work on the B, once more bolstering the effectiveness of the neo-soul via drum & bass formula.
Review: The Mountain 45 label has been giving us some unique music that cross genres since its inception just a few years ago. Like previous editions, Double A contributes 'Super Badman Riddim' which is both catchy and clever. Featuring James Brown samples thrown in the mix takes this dub related track to the limit of fun. For the B-side, James Nasty's 'Fan Dem Off' with a peak time party song that should take the dancefloor to another level. These attention getters are ideal for being addictively fun and different. It's hard to categorise music like this, which is a sign of its originality.
Kim English - "It Makes A Difference" (Danny Krivit & Kyle Smith remix - Danny Krivit 7" edit) (5:39)
Loni Clark - "Rushing" (Mood II Swing dub - Danny Krivit 7" edit) (5:31)
Review: Danny Krivit is currently known as one of the music community's greatest purveyors of top quality disco & house as he continues to perform regularly before sold-out audiences around the world. With his unique ear for what works on the dancefloor he has also become known as "King of the Re-edit." Danny has a deep connection to Kim English's "It Makes A Difference" release on Nervous Records from 2006. Krivit worked with writer Kyle Smith on the remixes that originally made this tune an anthem at his 718 Sessions parties as well as one of the highlights of club nights from Tokyo to New York to London that appreciate quality soulful house. The B-side is Danny's re-edit of one of the most famed dubs from the Nervous catalogue as well as for the producers Mood II Swing. Upon its release in 1993 this dub emerged as one of the defining sounds of summer 1993 at Ministry Of Sound which had just recently opened the year before. The "rushing rushing rushing" hook is well knownby golden era of house afficianados around the world and he does an amazing job bringing this essential hook.
Review: Caleto Records's eighth outing takes the form of this various artists compilation featuring exclusively Polish producers. The Etat Cru duo of Olszewski and Pawlescu kick off with the wire and sinewy synths and tech house pomp of 'Jasmina' then Jerry M offers two cuts. 'Gutek' is a nice spaced-out tech cruiser with flashy astral pads and 'Gondin' rides on well-designed breakbeats with an old-school bassline. Robsessive's 'Look After You' is a deeper, dubber, grittier cut for late-night vibes and SIM ON's 'Brudas' is all glitchy and dystopian urban landscaping. Poland sure has plenty of talent based on this EP.
Review: UK label Rezpektiva unearths another gem from the archives, this time shining a light on Fade 2 End, the elusive duo of Nick Woolfson and Mark Shimmon. Their output may have been limitedijust two releases in 1996ibut what they left behind is a masterclass in deep, rolling, late-night techno. 'Sundance' sets the tone with its undulating rhythms and hypnotic loops, while 'The Passage' weaves together tough beats and drifting synth lines. 'Dreams' and 'Daze' lock into a mesmerising groove, all heady atmospherics and resonant grooves. On the flip, 'Another Day' and 'Another Night' explore the contrast between euphoria and tension, their hypnotic vocals pulling the listener deeper into the groove. 'Feel The Magic' rounds things off with a shimmering, dreamlike quality, balancing lush pads with crisp drum programming. Fade 2 End had a rare touchitracks that feel alive, shifting and evolving as they play out. Now, thanks to Rezpektiva, these lost classics finally get the attention they deserve.
Review: Fedo prides himself on exploring beyond the usual genre tropes you get in minimal and tech house worlds. Opener 'Sin Titulo' goes some way to proving that with its innovative take on club-ready tech and boiled-down minimal synths. 'Calisthenics & Coffee' is a trippy blend of smooth bass and undulating neon pads. Warped vocals also pepper the mix to keep the brain and body occupied. 'Film Noir' indeed brings a darker energy and 'My Weapon' shuts down with some razor shape precision.
Sinfonia Della Notte (The Afterlife club mix) (6:41)
Sinfonia Della Notte (John Dahlback remix) (8:09)
Sinfonia Della Notte (The Afterlife Sunset reprise) (4:36)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***
Dennis Ferrer has already made sure he will go down in house history as a real pioneer, not least because of his epic anthem 'Hey.' This outing on Groovin shows he has many different styles in his arsenal as 'Sinfonia Della Notte' lawyers up the sort of sleek, hi-tek synth sequences that denied early Motor City techno, but over a deep mid-tempo house groove. The Afterlife club mix is more percussive, though lush chords soften the edges, and John Dahlback remixes with a more groggy, peak-time style. The Afterlife Sunset reprise is pure blessed out vibes for the more emotional moments of the night (or day.)
Review: Third time around for mysterious rework crew Florence's third hush-hush 12", a popular two-tracker that first landed in stores back in 2015. On A-side cut 'Nicholas', the unknown editors get to work on a typically deep, slipped and jazz-flecked blend of tech-house, deep house and jazz from Nicholas Jaar - then something of a scene star with a reputation for delivering detailed, atmospheric and club-ready productions. This particular track features a (likely sampled) female vocal, as well as smoky sax, low-slung bass and effects-laden tech-house beats. Over on the reverse is 'Johnny', a deep, jangling, tactile and woozy revision of what sounds like a cover version of a Johnny Cash classic.
Dreams Are Made (Kenneth Graham She Likes To Ed-It remix) (5:47)
Review: The always-cultured Sushitech is back with another of its well-chosen reissues, this time focusing on the London-based Get Fucked. These tunes dropped in original from back in 1999 on Eukahouse and have since become cult classics. First is an unreleased Sweet mix of 'Dreams Are Made' which is lush, dubbed out tech with some magnificent jazz chords. On the flipside, Kenneth Graham steps up with his She Likes To Ed-It remix which is silky smooth and hypnotic for late-night zone-outs that will lock in the real heads. This is a superb limited-blue splattered vinyl that looks as good as it sounds.
Review: A true Chicago veteran with over 100+ releases to his name(s) steps into a fresh chapter with this first EP on a new label, delivering four cuts that reaffirm his mastery of deep house expression. 'Lush' opens with silky, melodic textures, driven by emotive keys and a warm, jazzy touchipure late-night soul. 'Magic (Gherkin Syndrome Mix)' ups the energy, blending jackin' rhythms, funky basslines and a misty atmosphere, while still rooted in deep house sensibility. Flipping to Side-B, 'Showing Off' cools things down with a laid-back piece that is a worth alternate to all the heat elsewhere on this disc. Closing track 'U Don't Own Me (Destructive Beauty Inst)' dives deeper still, a spacious, textured instrumental that has a timeless, defiant spirit. Every track feels like a personal statement from an artist still pushing forward, rooted in tradition but reaching more great emotional heights.
Review: Sometimes it's wise not to over-attach oneself to a set of four walls and a roof and call it "home". Joeski and Troy Dillard prove to know it as much on 'Music Is My Home', a brilliantly soulful Afro-house roller of tearjerking proportions, and which comes backed by an wildout dub mix on the B. We'd not be surprised if this one did well in the charts; Dillard's vocals unfold over and above Joeski's static shuffles like elysian sobs, singing of safe places to go and defiant personalities to adopt, in stark contrast to what or who anyone else thinks Dillard should be. Brooklyn-Queens emigre Joeski says of the song, "This is a continuation of my collaboration with Troy Dillard from over 20 years ago when we worked on 'Hold on to Your Love', which went on to become my biggest record. Reuniting with Troy and working on this project has been special" - we don't doubt it - could it become his second biggest, even?
Review: Long time deep house don Jovonn is back with more of his sophisticated sounds, this time on the Body N Deep label in the Netherlands. 'Hightower' opens proceedings with some old school drum swing and vamping chord stabs. Add in some raw claps and you have a timeless jam. 'Seductive Dance' is just that - another irresistible house sound with steamy vocals and a 90s baseline to get you moving and grooving. 'Sunburst' shuts down with rolling percussion and smart FX under an atmospheric vocal. Faultless as ever.
Review: Selected Pieces from Berg Audio is a fantastic EP that features four standout tracks, each offering a distinct flavor of deep house, perfect for the dancefloor. On Side-1, Kolter kicks things off with 'What A Day,' a track that embodies deep house with its soulful build, warm atmosphere, and uplifting vibes. The clever use of a vocal sample adds an extra layer of emotion, making it an instant crowd-pleaser. Traumer follows with 'Don't Stahp,' a classy, more techy cut that still maintains deep house roots. The dubby chords inject extra depth, turning it into a smooth, dancefloor groover. Side-2 opens with Mihai Popoviciu's 'Waitin,' which features rich, soulful chords that envelop the listener, creating a laid-back yet engaging vibe. Moor closes the EP with 'Kashif,' an uptempo track that stands out with its energetic keys and undeniable party feel. Selected Pieces is a versatile EP that offers something for every deep house enthusiast.
Review: On his new 12" for his own kickstarter label Cosada, easy riser Laseech beseeches us to dance. Jazzy, soulful house music enlists the emosh but unrushed voice of Swaylo, snaring the essence of heartfelt house in a power-of-three-tracks net. Awakening the legend Ron Trent from his slumber, his deep, percussive touch and copy-paste-happy vocal science adds a happily haphazard twist. Inspired by the melodic landscapes of the Adriatic, the inaugural label name "Cosada" holds out a personal meaning for Laseech, drawing from both an idyllic island and the street where his studio lies, symbolising his continued hope to make timeless music.
Review: Ten yeras ago, when it first was released, Young Corner marked the triumphant return of Swiss producer Alex "Lexx" Storer, renowned for his ability to craft evocative atmospheres and emotive journeys on the dancefloor. The standout track, 'Turning Tides,' blends deep house rhythms with Balearic flair, featuring sun-soaked textures and lush disco-inspired guitars destined to create unforgettable moments. 'Mahogany' takes a slower pace, with bold electronics and crisp guitars layered over a deep, dub-infused bassline. Rounding out the EP, 'Serenity' elevates the Balearic vibe with dreamy chords, clipped guitars, and cascading electronics, offering a serene escape into blissful sonic landscapes. Lexx's artistry shines through in this mesmerising collection.
Review: Leyo from Amersfoort in the Netherlands gives us a confident, if a little repetitious, lowdown of his past employment history on the 'Circus' EP. "I used to work for the circus" is the relentless vocal refrain of this acrobatic minimal tech weapon, where uppercutting handclaps overlie below-the-belt funk grooves. 'Hypnotize' is the human cannonball to the A-side's aerialist, bringing even heavier grooves to a convivial back lot mood. An impressive return to Cecille from the artist, following the hallmark Hello LP.
Review: After originally dropping on 7" in edited form back in early 2022, Sophie Lloyd's wonderful gospel-disco sing-along, featuring righteous lead vocals from Pauline Taylor, finally makes it onto a 12".. The full-length take on 'Angels By My Side' - all rubbery disco bass, sustained organ chords, punchy horns, cut-glass strings and Taylor's awe-inspiring vocals - comes accompanied by two fresh re-rubs from Detroit duo Floorplan (AKA minimal techno originator Robert Hood and his talented daughter Lyric Hood). They first serve up a bouncy, non-stop gospel-house dub full of cut-up vocal snippets, hands-aloft piano stabs and stomping drums, before throwing their arms skywards on a similarly loved-up, full vocal remix.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: The Plastik People label kicks off its new year with a trio of top garage jams from Romeo Louisa. 'Challenges' is a perfect feel-good sound with silky smooth chords and nice dusty drums and hi-hats all topped off with a classic vocal packed with emotion. The irresistibly catchy vibes continue with 'Lost Bottle' which is another timeless US house sound of the sort the Dope Jams crew became so well associated with. Last but not least is 'Keep Me Deep', another perfect blend of US garage and house with horns, deep kicks and lush chords.
Review: Originally tucked away on a 2020 12", Quiroga's 'Snaporaz' EP gets the treatment it always deserved with this expanded, four-track edition from Balearic archivists Archeo. Based in Naples, Quiroga stretches his original into a languid, Rhodes-soaked jazz-house glide on the A1ifull of crackling percussion, soft-focus pads and a bubbling low end that carries the melodic line into increasingly heady territory. A loose hand drum finale seals it with flair. 'Escorpiao' on A2 is subtler but no less vibrant, a slick fusion jam where keytar and cowbell meet over a featherlight grooveibalancing restraint and virtuosity in equal measure. The B-side belongs to Rome's Francesco de Bellis, appearing under his L.U.C.A. alias. Known for his Edizioni Mondo material, he warps 'Snaporaz' into a dreamlike new age dancer, slowing the tempo and steeping it in hazy atmospheres and woozy melodies. His 'Quirky Beat' version strips it further, letting skeletal drum edits carry the mood alone. Bridging Neapolitan warmth and Roman oddball finesse, this is a limited edition reissue that more than earns its second life.
Review: Radio Slave making a record in tribute to the late, great Terry Hall was not on our bingo card for 2024, but the resultant workout - based on the much-loved vocal hook from 1981 workout 'The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum' - is both undeniably dancefloor-ready and fittingly forthright (the original song was, of course, a scathing commentary on Thatcher-era Britain). The EP-opening 'Club Mix' places at the vocal refrain at the heart of the action, surrounding it with hazy vocalisations, thunderous bass, heavyweight tech-house drums and horn sounds that offer knowing nods to the classic 2 Tone sound. The accompanying 'A Clinic Full of Cynics Dub' leans into the ska sound of the original more, placing echoing horns and steel pan sounds atop a deep, dubby bassline and unfussy house beats.
Review: The No Fuss label has been busy of late and is now dropping the many fruits of their labours with several EPs landing in quick succession. The 13th outing is a various artists affair that features two cuts from Saison on the A-side, though it's a Ross Couch remix of 'The Riff' that opens up. It's feelgood house with nice dancing piano chords and a Balearic feel while 'Feel This' brings more summery chords and dusty drum loops for some open-air dancing fun. Vertigini then offers the 90s-tinged 'Box Of Pandora' and Mo'Cream closes out with the already classic 'I'm Sure.'
Review: Enshrining its 20th release with a reverent new one from STBR, 'Atelir' on Daydream murks our expectations, bringing a thrilling lowercase slosher to classic black wax. 'Lloyd' and 'Homer' hear two named characters hog the studio, as STBR seizes many an interstitial productive moment in which to vary and excite the mix, though not *too* much. 'Session', meanwhile, brings a parallactic view of the prior two moods, acids squelching and spurting between relatively driven beats, while a closing paroxysm, 'Tourtour', insists we climb back down from our cloud.
Review: Detroit techno outfit Three Chairs is one of the most revered in the underground game with heavyweights Theo Parrish, Kenny Dixon Jr and Rick Wilhite all part of it. Back in 1998 they dropped this classic EP and now it's been repressed by Theo's Sound Signature. It still bangs, obviously, starting with 'Good Kiss' which is a slow, dusty and jazzy deep house methane with candle-lit pads. 'Blue Out' has heavier kicks but they're still scuffed up and scruffy with some loopy keys up top and last of all is 'Transit' with its more disco leaning loops, funky bass riffs and atmospheric vocals making for a nice cosy house party vibe.
Review: Hailing from Tokyo, Satoshi Tomiie emerged in the New York scene after Frankie Knuckles discovered him and his debut record, 'Tears' in 1989, was co-produced with Knuckles and featured Robert Owens. It is a dance music classic and as part of Def Mix Productions with David Morales, Satoshi crafted iconic 1990s remixes for artists like Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Inner City. Here collaborating with Ibiza's Tuccillo, Satoshi created 'Delta Dubs', a live, one-take dub house project recorded on a Soundcraft Delta desk. This tribute to dub's pioneers reimagines the essence of dub with a futuristic twist that lands courtesy of 20/20 Vision.
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