Review: He may have started life as a dusty-fingered hip-hop beat-maker, but French producer Julien Ozonder AKA Young Pulse is undoubtedly best-known for his party-starting disco, soul, funk and jazz-funk reworks (for proof, check his ongoing Paris Edits series on GAMM, which has so far notched up eight instalments). On 'Shake Your Body Down', which lands on the label founded by the Funky French League collective he's a member of, he combines samples from a forgotten disco gem with his own beats and instrumentation. On the A-side 'Disco Mix', that means squelchy bass, 126 BPM disco drums and mazy synth solos aplenty; while on the 'Beat Street Mix' he limbers up for the breakin' at the Paris Olympics via an authentically early 80s sounding electro workout.
Review: Esteemed electro explorer Emile Facey aka Plant 43 is back on his Plant43 Recordings imprint. Despite being hugely prolific, the artist always managed to find fresh new creative ground with each new outing and Concrete Echo is no different. The title cut is a high-speed opener with shimmering lines, fizzing static electricity and drama in the chords that make you take note. 'Emerald Shift' is a broken beat kicker with raw claps and scintillating liquid metal leads while 'Raw Vectors' layers up acid wobbliness and textbook electro rhythms. 'Mist Memory' closes down with a melancholic vibe and heady synths that take you into the cosmos.
Review: Mindhelmet releases always tend to cover plenty of ground and offer something for all heads. This 15th such outing is no different and has six stylish sounds across one vital 12". Kesh Loi opens with the brightly coloured and neon tech house party starter 'Sunshine Riddim' then CESM gets more direct with 'Without Party There Is No Paradise.' Elsewhere Max Stedeford's 'Cutz' is an old school flavoured cut with bleeps and blips and breakbeat laced grooves. Lemonphase's 'Clutture Soft' ups the ante with more punchy tech drums and Katia Curie & Nizar Sarakbi shut down with the twitchy, percolating tech funk of 'Go & Get It.'
Review: Fabric Originals releases the collaborative EP of Irish-born DJ, producer, and label owner Mano Le Tough and electronic musician and DJ Perel. This EP marks the second release in the label's new series, 'Future Memories,' which pairs a "legendary" producer with fresh talent, with the aim of safely bridging the ideas of generations (heaven forfend the new generation reject the old ideas!). 'Entertain Us' brings progressive house synth eighths to wonderstruck female vocals, while Perel and Tough share respective solo contributions on the B-side: 'Homage' is the self-described electrance love song written for a secret love object, while 'Infinite Scroll' indulges the contemporary screen-mirror percept, with sloshing sound effects and slow-burn builds suggesting that an embrace of the impending technological infinite need not necessarily amount to a doomscroll.
Review: Bristol's cultured Innate label is back with a first outing of the year and it returns to their various artists format with a mix of talents all making their mark. UK veteran Tom Churchill opens up with 'Unknown Unknowns (Edit)', which brings plenty of fuzzy and lo-fi aesthetic to jacked up drums and spaced-out pads. Rai Scott then shows her class with 'Suasion' that sinks down deep into immersive drums and is subtly lit up with simmering strings. Innate co-founders Owain K and Gilbert then hook-up under their brand new alias Curved Space and showcase their love of electro with 'Reverie,' a dreamy cut that glows with nice celestial melodies and will have dance floors in a zoned-out state. Last of all it's Lisbon mainstay Jorge Caiado who debuts with the chord-laced 'Floating Without Lifting,' a sophisticated and serene jazz-techno cut that takes you to the stars.
Review: Body Mechanic has been turning out definitive Motor City techno on solid labels like Cryovac, and GASS for several years. This time out he lands-on Detroit Techno and serves up, well, some electro. It's classic 313 tackle though - heavy on the kicks, snappy snares and filthy dirty basslines that make you want to move. Ghoulish vocals add extra grit to the opener and from there 'Dance' gets more playful with jittery drum funk and scratching, 'Beautiful Bum' has a gorgeously tender and reflective vibe thanks to the minor chords and smooth electro rhythms, 'Magic (feat Tay) ' slips into a deep and soulful house groove and 'Househead' is jacked up, loopy and well swung amongst several more timeless cuts. All in all, a killer double 12".
Review: MOY has been whipping a very tasty strain of braindance over the past year across a number of labels such as AC Records, Batrachian and Exalt. These are surely bountiful times for warm, playful acid and tricksy electro, and this latest drop from the London-based artist on new label Emotec surely adds fuel to the fire. MOY's sound is rounded and self-assured, striding forth with the moody, breaks n' bleeps vibe of 'Dreamcoast' and bolstered by the emotional jack of 'Wheel Of Time'. 'Echolab' has a fatter, more polished finish to it, but once again the gnarly 101 and 303 lines are front and centre. 'Cyclotron' offers up something a little deeper to close the EP out, completing a beautifully rendered set of braindance dynamics.
Review: Here comes the ever-prolific Eversines with more of that sinewy, seductive electro he's made his own over the past ten years. There's a bubbling, braindance-esque flavour to 'Void Walk' with its interwoven synth lines tickling your grey matter in all the right ways. 'User Six' maintains the vibe while nudging a little more towards that spooky vibe you'll hear on labels like Eya, while 'Rainy Move' switches things up on the B-side with plenty of boxy swing and some cheeky organ flex which comes on like a vintage Wagon Repair release.
Review: 'Autobahn' by Kraftwerk, released in 1974, is a seminal track that redefined the future of electronic music. Its significance lies not only in its innovative use of synthesisers and electronic instruments but also in its ability to evoke a specific visual and emotional landscape. Here, the song's repetitive, motorik rhythms are given an overhaul - or more specifically three - by Jim Rider, a regular at Lee Burridge's All Day I Dream parties. They're beefed up for the floor, certainly, but maintain the kind of delicate touches that makew the original such a great listen.
Review: After the much loved Delano Smith remix of Gigi Galaxy's 'Interview With An Alien' turned so many heads, Det 313 label has secured three originals from the Detroit producer otherwise known to as Gary Martin. Each shows he has a unique approach to the art of groove making, with 'First Night In Lemuria (DET313 version)' slower and more restrained than many in the game - almost like a Sheffield bleep anthem pitched down and augmented with a delightful, prodding bassline. 'Spirit World' is the big room pleaser of the trio, with a bubbling acid arpeggio slowly degrading and re-building throughout and some lovely sci-fi synthery going on. 'Inevitable' is the cheekiest and cheeriest of the three, all sharpened hi-hats and swirling electro beats and breakdowns that reveal its simple but damn effective musical heart to all and sundry. Nice work all round.
Review: Detroit mainstay and masterful hip hop and deep house fusionist Andres is back with not one but two new EPs. For this first one, he brings some silky electro rhythms to his signature sound but doesn't forgo that irresistible sense of r&b lushness he is known for. Track 1 brings a heart-aching vocal sample to quick beats and pristine snares, Track 2 has skittish rhythms topped with snapping snares and another classic, well-worked sample, then Track 3 takes off to the cosmos on ice-cold electro rhythms topped with plaintive chords. There is a hint of acid squelchy to Track 4 but it still somehow sounds very much like Andres. A fresh EP indeed.
Review: Black Dot lands on Italo Moderni with a cult-futuristic gem, 'Love At Glance', with vocals by Le Chocolat Noir and production acoutrements hardware wizard Christian Kroupa. Three obscure killer-bangers come primed and ready for the future deco dancefloor, ending not least on an epic remix by Marcel Dettmann. But first there's 'Losing Game', across which a self-affirming spoken word narration is heard in full force, followed by 'Obey' and 'Insatiable', the latter of which is an especially excitable hip electro/industrial cut designed to quell excuses and reignite passions.
Review: RFXN kicks off life with a new single from David Agrella which has seen early support from Ricardo Villalobos. First off he offers up his own Acid Mix of 'Perro Balearico' and it's a supple, deep and dubby track with liquid synths and prog chords that sound both retro and future all at once. The original is a more dreamy and spaced-out sound for 5 am sessions. On the flip is a more punch but still silky and warmly melodic remix from Mario Liberti before last of all, Gabriel Rai gets darker. His drums hit harder and the synths are moodier as he takes dancers down a late-night path of mystery and intrigue.
Tougher (live At Hollis Park version - Jorun Bombay remix) (2:38)
Who's House (Iive At Hollis Park version - Jorun Bombay remix) (4:03)
Review: Legendary edit king, scalpel master and studio wizard Jorun Bombay is back with more of his expertly articulated remixes. This time his latest 7" comes on Soundweight and finds him reworking a live at Holls Park version of 'Tougher.' It is super short but sweet with raw, bumping breaks, backspins, sleazy vocals and early-era electro stabs. On the flip is 'Who's House' (Iive At Hollis Park version - Jorun Bombay remix) which is a smoother, deep hip-hop roller with feel-good horns and plenty of characterful scratching. Two different but equally effective new joints from Jorun.
Review: London's legendary Mute institution goes back to its roots and digs up some of the best work by one of the UK's finest Cabaret Voltaire. These guys don't really need an introduction give the fact that they're pretty much responsible for the rise of post-punk right through to the birth of techno. It was about time a new compilation of their stuff was released, especially one as brutally on-point as this one! All the classics such as "Nag Nag Nag", "Kneel To The Boss" and "On Every Other Street" are one here but the more obscure rarities that were previously only available on 7" are the real winners. "Just Fascination", for example, is one you'll certainly want on a longer, re-mastered cut! Downright essential!
Review: Following on from last year's impressive Redlight debut, Scott Hess is back on his Adeen label with another selection of warm and inventive house cuts splashed with colour and analogue wobbles precision-engineered to catch your ear. Lead track 'Sirius City' leans on a harmonically rich lead line and plenty of off-kilter wriggles to appeal to those who want some cheekiness in their tunes. 'UFO' sports a tasteful acid tweak running in between plush pads and snappy drums, while 'Call Me, Acid' plays around with telephone tropes to make a bleepy jam that will have the ID requests flying in. 'Stars' offers something sweeter to complete the set, spacing out the beats to leave the synths plenty of room to cavort around a celestial name-checking session for deep house dreamers.
Review: There's not much that hasn't been said about this amazing electro breadance beauty from Juan Atkins and Richard Davis. Sometime last year it was ripped of by Pharrell and company for Missy Elliot's "Lose Control" and (with the notable exceptions of Kraftwerk, Brian Eno etc.) it's generally been the blueprint for everything techno from '83 onwards. Here we have the original and best version... A must have.
Review: Marking over 16 years as an artist, Robert James unveils his debut album Battle of The Planets. A milestone in any musician's career, the LP illustrates the breadth of Rob's tastes and influences, exploring the rugged terrain of planet electronica. Ranging from breaks and electro to house and techno, Battle of The Planets was made during lockdown, a period of creativity and isolation for many artists around the world. Across 10 skillfully produced cuts Rob takes us on an intrepid adventure into the cosmos, where mysterious atmospheres and uplifting melodies sit side by side with captivating dance floor rhythms. Many shades of his personality come through on this album, all tied together by his unique sonic identity; informed by his years spent on the dance floor, behind the decks and in the studio. On Battle of The Planets Robert James presents a distillation of his extensive knowledge and experience into one succinct, highly engaging body of work.
Review: Yet again, Helena Hauff's Return To Disorder label brings us a new talent from the world of electro production, this time in the shape of India's Investigations of a Dog. The four tracks here contain a lively, energetic feel sure to tempt the reticent onto the dancefloor, matched with a dreamy optimism that gives them an ultra pleasurable head-in-the-clouds celestial feel. 'Heliocentrism' has echoes of classic LFO's naive melodicism, '11 July' is sunny and gently bubbling in the same vein as Aphex's first 'Ambient Works' LP, and the rest is generally infectious and loveable yet employed with a touch of subtle restraint. We look forward to further Investigations
Review: Lowfish originally released his 'Burn The Lights Out' LP in 2007 on the US label Satamile but we have found some copies of it in the warehouse. Synth-pop meets breakbeats in an electrifying fusion of emotive melodies and bass-heavy beats across all four sides of the long player with ten then-new tracks and two classics from his Sat.31 EP. They all show that his music, complex yet accessible, evokes images of Blade Runner, Wave Noir, or William Gibson. It is post-modern in approach as it skilfully blends past and present styles to create a sound uniquely his own, seamlessly bridging the gap between eras while pushing the boundaries in his own way.
Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band - "Scorpio" (4:03)
The Jimmy Castor Bunch - "It's Just Begun" (3:41)
BT Express - "Energy Level" (3:46)
James Brown - "Get On The Good Foot" (4:06)
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - "Planet Rock" (6:26)
Manu Dibango - "Soul Makossa" (4:24)
Esther Williams - "Last Night Changed It All" (4:23)
The Mohawks - "The Champ" (2:38)
Herman Kelly & Life - "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" (4:13)
Spanky Wilson - "Sunshine Of Your Love" (3:40)
James Brown - "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose" (6:11)
Candido - "Soulwanco" (4:12)
Arthur Baker - "Breaker's Revenge" (4:53)
Manu Dibango - "The Panther" (2:29)
Abaco Dream - "Life And Death In G & A" (2:19)
The Jackson 5 - "Dancing Machine" (3:29)
Mongo Santamaria - "Cloud Nine" (5:42)
Edwin Starr - "I Just Wanna Do My Thing" (5:18)
Badder Than Evil - "Hot Wheels The Chase" (3:01)
Review: Curated by the legendary producer Arthur Baker, Breakers Revenge is a comprehensive compilation of original funk, soul, Latin, disco and electro tracks from 1970-1984. These tracks, ranging from well-known classics to hidden gems, have become legendary in the world of breakdancing. Featuring seminal tracks like Dennis Coffey's 'Scorpio', The Jimmy Castor Bunch's 'It's Just Begun' and Afrika Bambaataa's groundbreaking 'Planet Rock', this collection embodies the essence of breakdancing culture. The percussive breakdowns and infectious beats of these tracks have not only been the soundtrack to countless block parties and park jams but have also been sampled by numerous hip-hop artists and producers. With extensive liner notes and track-by-track breakdowns, Breakers Revenge is perfect time capsule for fans of breakdancing, hip-hop and music enthusiasts.
Review: Santiago Uribe is back with a new and richly crafted double-record featuring eight tracks that delve deep into his signature sound of bright tones and intricate harmonies. This outing takes in a wide range of moods and ideas as well as subtly working in a compelling blend of conceptual statements, complex layers and thoughtful composition. The likes of '45 Lento' start with dark, slapping drums and menacing low ends. 'De Vuelta Al Acido' is a trippy intergalactic trip on tribal drum loops while 'Acid Tercermundista' is a zippy numbness with synths riding up and down the scale in dynamic fashion.
Review: Swedish producer Ola Obergman has been at the top of his game for over 20 years now, dropping superb electro on the finest labels. Last year he dropped a fantastic full-length album on Pariter, but now steps up to Infiltrate with a direct dance floor offering. 'Norma Cluster' pairs busy drums and bass with more atmospheric leads before 'Invariant Hyperbola' has a perfectly crisp boom-bap that is run through with synth sequences that get your head amongst the stars. 'Sterile Neutrino' is more raw and ragged with another irresistible rhythm and 'Dragonfly44' closes in a thoughtful fashion.
Review: Return To Disorder welcomes Evighet Records label head Marco Bruno for some brilliantly controlled sonic chaos on this new electro exploration. His Sharp Focus EP brings together ambient, breaks and techno to snappy electro rhythms of the sort that he has already showcased in style on labels such as Blueprint Records and Machine. This one opens with the sleek, future-facing and speedy sounds of 'Storyteller' before 'Values Over Ego' gets more textured and raw with knick-snapping hits and prying synth lines making for real turbulence. 'Twist Of Fate' is a jungle workout that ducks and dives on warped bass and 'Karmic Pattern' is a slow but textural and intense closer with rueful chords.
Review: The last of the Konduko series from Emotional Rescue arrives now and quite possibly it is the best of the lot from Noel Williams. His 'Fantasy' saw him work with Larry Dermer aka Der Mer on what is an effective and catchy electro jam that operates at the higher end of the tempo chart with some classic vocoder vocal action to really make it pop. Despite being released originally in 1984 this one still bangs with its emulated TR-808 beats and nagging melodies. The instrumental heightens that and then the Jonny Rock Discomix shuts down with long-form rework that shows why the DJ, editor and all-round amiable bloke is so well regarded.
Review: To coincide with the reissue of the standout Exaltics album Das Heise Experiment, Robert Witschakowski has reached out to an all-star cast for a bonus 12" of remixes and collaborations which will only serve to add weight to the whole project. Iconic Detroit duo ADULT. team up with Exaltics on 'Dreizehn Habits', which is a vocal update of a track from the original soundtrack. Then Gesloten Cirkel jumps on for the typically incisive, edged-out machine language typical to his Bunker Releases. The mighty Keith Tucker dons his K1 cap for a punchy slice of Motor City machine funk, and then Gerald Donald's Arpanet alias locks on for a creeping, slippery excursion to close the record out on the B2.
Review: Following previous drops from Lukey, Enzo Leep and dot13, Into The Wizard's Sleeve welcomes David G Tronic and Reboot for a taut trip through high-end electro for all razor-sharp selectors. 'Leave Your Body' is a bouncy affair with an ear-snagging snatch of toasting certain to get the floor loosened up good and proper. 'Loose' meanwhile is anything but, revolving round a punchy beatdown and choice vocoder licks. 'Mind Games' heads into the zone between electro and tech house, while 'Orlando Bass' lets a few boogie licks sneak into the mix around the sleek 808 drums with sparkling results.
Review: Berlin's renowned Iptamenos Discos its back with more great musical enchant in the form of this new white vinyl 12" in hand-numbered hand-stamped sleeve from Boys' Shorts. This dynamic queer duo comes from Greece and is made up of Vangelis (formerly of LAGASTA) and London-based Tareq. Their Something To Forget EP is a dazzling mix of disco with a whole world of subtle influences from other genres. Two originals come accompanied by innovative remixes from Gabe Gurnsey and Whitesquare to make this an effective outing that will likely win Boys' Shorts many new followers.
Review: Cititrax's first Tracks 12" sampler did a good job in showcasing material from some of the Brooklyn-based label's favourite contemporary producers. This follow-up, arriving only a few short months after the first, aims to do the same. Returning for his second appearance, Tsuzing kicks things off with the razor-sharp shuffle of "Nonlinear War", whose intoxicating electronics and wild synth lines recall Brown Album-era Orbital, before London-based L/F/D/M takes a trip into bleak techno territory with the acid-laden "Mouth Holes". Flip for Silent Servant's deliciously grandiose, muscular electro-disco workout "The Touch", and the clanking industrial percussion, EBM attitude and humming electro beats of Maelstrom's "Lithium".
Review: Last year, someone set up an online petition calling for Warp to re-release The Other People Place's brilliant Lifestyles Of The Laptop Cafe album on wax. Happily, Warp has responded to the strength of feeling from electronica fans - most of whom bristled at the high online prices for second hand copies - and re-pressed it. Drexciya man James Stinson's 2001 solo set remains a timeless electronic classic; a perfectly pitched and immaculately produced fusion of downtempo electro rhythms, spacey electronics and twinkling synthesizer melodies. In fact, you'll struggle to find a better electro album full stop, making this reissue an essential purchase for anyone not lucky enough to own an original copy.
Review: Bolz Bolz originally dropped this EP back in 2001. The German artist has long been a key underground player and has put out plenty of seminal releases. Few capture the magic of this one though which arrives now via Satamile. 'Transatlantic Treasure' is a quickened techno cut with mysterious pads and dubby low ends. 'The Ultimate' (remix) is lithe machine funk with a minimal vibe but heady impact and last of all 'Universal Language' is cyborg funk that is tightly programmed and in a rush to get you moving. Don't sleep because this one will be gone again in no time.
Review: A new project based out of Copenhagen - Aether's Spring comes shrouded in mystery but makes a bold statement with this first transmission. WATER: Dancing Moon 12" leads in with "House In Blue Rain," a downcast track bathed in melancholic pads and blown out percussion around a steady 4/4 tick. "Dancing Moon" is a more kinetic affair that works with all kinds of synth shapes alongside some primal drum machine percussion that lends the track a new wave quality that suits it just fine. Closer "Throne Of Clay" spreads across the B side in a brooding, journeying epic fit for the likes of classic James Holden or a more wave-minded Jon Hopkins.
Review: 20/20 Vision present the debut release from Manchester based artists Armec. Following releases for Cultivated Electronics and Furthur Electronix, the Caged EP hits the ground running - with a record that spans heavy club-ready electro and futuristic soundscapes. Complete with a hefty remix from German acid connoisseurs Hardfloor.
'Caged' sucks us down the rabbit hole with dense textures fortified by an infectious groove, vast pads, and bubbling synth lines. The Hardfloor remix of 'Caged' submerges us into an acidic electro trip - fuelled by quirky melodic licks, a menacing low-end and body shaking drums.
On the flip side 'Curvature' is an out-and-out understated bomb. Propelled by a squelching, supercharged bassline which soars over Armec's signature textural landscape, it's reinforced by razor sharp hats and a heavy kick-drum. 'Replicants' is a side-winding, emotionally charged cut that feels truly fresh and forward-thinking. Deep, luscious pads are underpinned by a superbly engineered break-beat driven groove.
Review: Over the past few years Nick Gynn has been whipping up a storm with his loose and limber strain of trance-inflected club melters. Now he's landing in exactly the right spot to kick off 2022 alongside the good folk at EYA Records. Minting their Lonewolf series specifically, the 2000 & Something EP deals in maximal acid wrigglers with a playful but dark-tinted edge which should go down very well with the buoyant wave of psychedelic party people. Watch out for the electro stylings of 'Ritmos Obscuros', which closes out the 12" in body-popping fashion.
The Kingdom Of Scotland (Roy Of The Ravers remix) (5:05)
Review: Acid Waxa take a break from carrying Roy's mind-warping rave gear to bring you the deep donking, hardstyle hype-up of 'The Kingdom Of Scotland' by Romeo Taylor. You may have already heard the track bouncing around the odd mix or two for those with a penchant for full-fat hard dance with a wry comedic edge. On one hand it's a patriotic pelter, on the other it's a neo-rave laff which will comfortably lodge itself in your brain, more than ably backed up by some more wayward ravey gags and headsy gear (watch out for the simmering, heads-down wave-splashed techno of 'Keep Him On The Line'. Roy Of The Ravers is on hand to deliver a more direct remix of 'The Kingdom Of Scotland' on the B side which blows the original out into a wigged out, spooked up acid gurgler. oot!
Review: Marie Davidson's latest single 'Y.A.A.M.' is a poignant critique of power dynamics in the music industry - favouring authenticity and passion in a world that thrives on branding and transactional relationships - out of which the Canadian artist finds fuel to fan the driving flames of existential industrial electro-techno. The track opens with a juddering, in-between-4x4-and-2-step electro beat, which lasts for over a minute before Davidson takes up the mic: "do you follow me?". What ensues is an imperfect list of music industry quibbles, which flow over the monstrously huge backing - "entrepreneurs, influencers, producers, managers / nothing for you and me" - in stark but gallows-comedic contrast to the plea to relocate our arses to the dancefloor. In Davidson's own words, the track was inspired by a haughty, lecturing email from a music industry insider: "I took the opportunity to write down how I felt about the words," she recalls, "and the overall tone of arrogance of what I had just been sent quickly, I found myself having a bit too much fun."
Review: London's Phil Bolland aka Sync 24 has been creating electro for over two decades via his Cultivated Electronics label, which he launched in 2007. The label has gone on to release music by Carl Finlow, DMX Krew, The Exaltics and Morphology, but now the spotlight is firmly on his solo work. Across its 11 tracks, Inside The Microbeat showcases many variations of the electro sound yet all delivered in his singular style. From the futurist beats of opener 'Oriental Sunset' and the brooding sci-fi aesthetic of the title track, to the dystopian bass programme of 'Haunt Times' and the hi-tech computer funk of 'Avoid The Ploid' - Bolland drives you through his own intimately constructed landscape.
Review: Perel's sophomore album Jesus Was An Alien continues in some ways from the themes she brought to her debut, 2018's Hermetica on DFA. The tracks are rich, lush in design and multi-layered with plenty of emotional uplift. While inspired by a raft of the best indie hitmakers she has her own sound which is perfect for the dance floor but also suited to listing away from the club. "Jesus Was An Alien is a discourse about whether Jesus was an actual alien" she explains, amusingly. When the debate sounds this good, no one cares about the answers.
Do You Wanna Dance? (Felix Dickinson Discomix) (9:08)
Review: Emotional Rescue returns with the third (and final?) King Sporty & The Ex Tras releases with the first ever-official reissue of the highly sought after cult boogie jam Do You Wanna Dance? Coming as remastered vocal and instrumental, plus again featuring a special Discomix, this time courtesy of acid-disco slayer Felix Dickinson.
Appearing shortly after the success of the band's only album, Extra Funky, Do You Wanna Dance? pointed the way forward, moving further from Disco and closer to the rising electro-boogie sounds that were sweeping the dance floors. The confident up / jump electro drum programming, slap bass and trademark Sporty guitar chops are propelled by a monster swamp inducing synth arpeggio that sings the funk electric, while hip-hop-shout-outs ride the rhythm. If the vocals are too much for some, then the original Instrumental (dub) is also included for those just wanting that infectious groove.
As many will recall, Do You Wanna Dance? featured on Felix's "Originals" compilation for Claremont 56 back in 2011, so when the King Sporty reissue project was coming together there was only one name to be asked for the Discomix. With a long history of DJing and music production, as well the man behind the Recycled Records, Fools Gold, Urban Myth and Bastedos labels, as well many, many releases on the long running and aptly titled Cynic Recordings, his remix arrives on point.
Teasingly drawn out, his mix switches back / forth between versions, the interplay between vocals, guitar, bass and electro-glide synths hypnotically building, with Dickinson's deftly dubbing tripping it out, making the title's question irrelevant, as mind and feet involuntarily move.
Review: If there was ever a duo with the bombast and flair to pull off the 18-minute electro-rock-opera, it's surely Justice. Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay created Planisphere in the wake of conquering the world with their debut album Cross, initially for use on the catwalk but subsequently shared on their MySpace. Of course such releases now attain a kind of cult mythos, and Planisphere is no exception. In the Ed Banger era of dirty French touch, this is a fans dream come true - the gnarly monster that keeps on giving, now pressed up on a single side of vinyl for continuous listening, with a classy etching on the reverse.
Review: Deadmau5 is nothing if not a controversial figure. He emerged before the EDM explosion with his big head fancy dress which made no sense until that scene then blew up and he was right at the heart of it. Now he keeps on with his playful attitude not least in the title of this new EP on Play out of Canada. People Are Still Having Sex is big room electro with energetic synths and a sort of polished Draft Punk aesthetic. 'Desynchronized' (John Made remix) is a more trippy affair with busy and sequenced melodies ready to blow up a main room
Review: Although they would go on to become one of New York's most iconic hip-hop crews, the Ultramagnetic MC's were fresh-faced newcomers when they first popped up on Next Plateau Records - an imprint better-known for its proto-house and post-boogie releases - in 1986 with debut single "Ego Trippin". As this first ever seven-inch edition proves, it remains a stone cold classic: a heavy, stripped-back "golden era" gem in which the group's multiple MC's aim to get the party started over an iconic beat and weighty electronic bassline. As with the original version, it comes backed by flipside "Funky Potion", a scratch-happy, similarly constructed number full to bursting with effervescent rhymes, crunchy beats and distinctive bass.
Review: Global dance music superstar Peggy Gou comes back with a second super summer single that is widely infused with her own distinctive influences. Chiefly, that is a love of 90's dance anthems, which was rekindled in her during downtime during the pandemic. Released via her own Gudu Records, 'I Go' is a catchy, singable bit of throwback dance-pop with her own vocals front and centre. The old school beats and bass will get any party pumped, with the synth work looks to the cosmos and explores a very different vibe to her previous single. An instrumental and acappella are also included on this lovely 12".
I Swear It's A Bop (feat KAYY & ALLGIRLSALLOWED) (2:17)
Fitness By King Milo (2:07)
Review: The spirit of ghetto tech looms large over this full length offering from duo Hi Tech, surfacing on Omar S' FXHE label. That said, the usual straight forward pumped up booty bouncing beats that the genre flaunts are left well behind by an eclectic and well constructed trip across the rhythmic spectrum. 'Milf Milo' is one of the more regular sounding jams, riding a relatively conventional house/garage production, but elsewhere elements of trap, hip-hop, techno, footwork and electro all influence the genuinely innovative and original frameworks. Even better, the cleverness of the arrangements doesn't lessen the alarmingly thuggish timestretched and over-autotuned vocals, giving us the best of both worlds.
Review: UK electro powerhouse and general all round mainstay of the underground Radioactive Man is back with more of his singular sonic goodness, this time with Ben Pest on the Asking For Trouble label. The brilliantly entitled I Don't Want This Sort Of Thing In My House EP starts with 'A Gentleman From London Was Very Upset' and a filtered vocal sample then kicks into life with precision electro breaks and flashy acid lines. 'Rock Farm Rave' is another caustic and rave radar mix of squealing synth lines and jacked up beats, 'Our Survey Says' is hyperspeed rhythmic experimentation and 'Hello Wee'n' shuts down with spun-out cosmic grooves and bumping bass.
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