Back catalogue: House

Review: Watergate welcomes back a crew of regular artists for an EP taken from the 27th instalment of its long running mix series. The Adana Twins kick off with a dark and bubbling minimal house number to set a late night mood then Sabb & Black Circle combine to great effect on the more uplifting, piano laced 'Vega', no doubt inspired by the house icon of the same name. Flip it over for 'Suwedi', a tech house track that traps you in a trance with computer melodies and last of all Emanuel Satie & Nanghiti get all spiritual and joyous with the warm house surges of 'Forever More.'

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


Berlin's Cocktail d'Amore and Tokyo's Ene Records have come together once again to present the music of Solidair. The duo of Cocktail alumni Luigi Di Venere and Jules Etienne present three tracks aimed to induce a dance floor hypnosis. Orgonite (Riding the Waves) does just that, a slow build awash in the ebb and flow of acid tinges, just enough to wet your whistle on a Saturday night. The original mix keeps the skeletal support but throws in a life preserver of 8 bit gaming synthesis. Frisky arps call and respond to each other before making way for sinewy pads to lift off. Tiger's Eye sets itself onto cruising speed incorporating elements of late 90's acid techno with the sleek and smooth clubbing aesthetics of modern day Berlin.

Review: The latest single from Jamie Smith's 2015 album In Colour, featuring The xx bandmate Romy Madley Croft, gets the remix treatment from a pretty stellar cast. Starting off, Hivern Discs boss John Talabot gets on board with his "Loud Synths Reconstruction" which definitely lives up to its name on this driving proggy take on the track. Ed Russell aka West Country bass techno auteur Tessela steps up and delivers a typically thumping and funked up rendition which is a real highlight on here. On the flip, Cologne's Barnt delivers yet another dark journey through the cosmic hole and the legendary Matthew Herbert offers us his take; sublime deep house and yet again; sampling everything but the kitchen sink!

Review: Swiss minimal techno imprint Relikt is back with its first release for 2023 and another various artists sampler that once again showcases a fine curation of all things minimal and deep. On the A-side, you've got Jan Dro with the swing-fuelled tech house groove of 'Through The Tunnel', followed by Alexander Matchak's late night mood music on 'My Favorite Game'. Over on the flip, Mathii similarly nails that classic Cabinet Records sound of old on the sensual 'Motions' followed by Dajku Twins with the feelgood boompty vibes of 'Blue Light'.

Review: For its sixth releases, the always funky DOBRO label has called up Dutchman Jan Janssen. He serves up a trio of gloriously sunny and slow motion house cuts with some top shelf remixes from Lay-Far, Scruscru and Juravlove. 'Architecture Of Happiness' opens in heart melting fashion with shuffling drums and atmospheric vocals next to leggy drums and warming bass. 'Sense Of Wonder' is another jazzy and soulful house cut with skip in the drums. 'Where Have You Gone' ups the pace but is no less loved-up before the remixes add extra funk, club beats and blissed-out deepness.

Review: Steve O'Sullivan invites a trio of artists to lay down some serious head nodding beats for 'Rhythm Method Vol.4'. Calling on one of Canada's trusted talents and solid purveyors of deep grooves Jay Tripwire leads the charge with 'Mung Bean Medley'. There's simply no messing: pushing through a taught rhythmic workout, incessant toms and metallic tones etch deep into the mood - awash with dubbed out atmospherics and crafty touches that more than a give a nod to the dark house dubs of yesteryear. On the flip, 'Hidden Sequence' inject their creative flex, demonstrating the all important art of minimalist bounce with 'Synchro'. The kind of fully swung beats and tripped out twinges that brighten the groove more often than not when 7am comes calling. The svelte bustle and soothing tones of 'Makka' from Fletcher by contrast, soothe the mind and leaves plenty of room to kick back as weary limbs take their toll: a fine tonic indeed.

Review: Label boss Ben Jones steps up to curate the third outing on Before. It finds him working with Benjamin Joseph on opener 'Soothe', a stripped-back and warm house roller with crisp hits. Robert James then remixes with a more broken vibe and old-school baselines. On the flip, James then steps up with 'Dmode' with its a punchy cut with drilling bass and tripped-out effects. Ben Jones & Benjamin Joseph then return the remix favour with their own take on 'Dmode'. It's darker and more heads down, with silky synths and plenty of late-night intrigue keeping you locked.

Review: Purism leaps into action once more, this time welcoming a strong cast of lesser known characters that fit right into the adventurous approach to house and techno that the label has forged its reputation on. All these producers make their first appearances here, but you wouldn't know it listening to the quality of the tracks on offer. Rafael Kasma's "Static Rope" is a quintessential grooving house jam with some killer filtered chords, while Munir Nadir brings the twitchy minimalism vibes on "Milagro". Jackie is on a sultry, jazzy deep house tip with "Lune" and Mag0 rounds things off with the cheeky, quirky funk of "Spectrum".

Review: Luv Shack is a little old place where good-time disco sounds never stop flowing. The Disco Biscuits series from the label is now up to the third volume and it's as crucial as the first two. Lee Stevens gets it going with 'Theme For Disco Biscuits' which is a contemporary take on a classic Italo stomper. Endrik Schroder's 'Infinity' is a glossy synth-heavy disco made with 80s hi-energy in mind. 'One Of A Kind' on the flip then slows down with a warm house chug and Golden Boogie Connection keeps it horizontal with 'Dull Grey', topped off with some nice acid.

Review: Soul Clap have always dealt in their own brand of funk no matter whether they are serving up house or disco. They of course call it e-funk - a nod to their heroes George Clinton's p-funk - and it also provides their label with its name. This second volume of Detroit leaning e-funk is a faultless four tracker. Rick Wilhite's signature lo-fi sounds define 'Cheetah', the vital Ladymonix then brings the party, Soul Clap themselves join up with funk master Amp Fiddler and Jon Dixon completes the quartet with '4ever Searchin.'

Review: The acclaimed Kito Jempere joins Cherrystones and DJN4 on the label for 2020, with an album full of international minds. Working with array of collaborators across a cast of friends including Jimi Tenor, Wolfram, Hard Ton, Lipelis, Rich Thair (Red Snapper), Ruf Dug, Cedric Gasaida (Azari & III) and many more, presenting this, his third long play.

A hail of freedom of thoughts and voices before these changed times, recorded and shared across continents. Kito - following releases with DFA, Lo Recordings, Bordello A Parigi, Hell Yeah and Duca Bianco - acts as curator rather than conductor, the idea not to transform the contributions but allow them absolute.

Sending music and receiving back, nothing was touched to keep the truth and honour. From Tokyo to London, Berlin to his base in St Petersburg, trusting the chosen artists led to a broad palette, as his 4/4 driven funk expands with Jazz horns to Motorik percussion, Avant-Reich vocals to White Isle melodies, J Pop Balearics to Chanson stories wrapped around Club memories.

A true world meeting, crossing borders and genres. An eye on the dance floor and week long chill outs. With remixes from the likes of Samo DJ, Lipelis, Cable Toy and more to follow, this is more than Yet Another Kito Jempere Album.

Review: RTS (Real Time Solutions) is a young but promising outlet that hands control over to JONGPADAWAN here. The artist is said to be exploring "how ideas and concepts relate, intertwine and affect each other" on the three tracks he cooks up, but even without that backstory they make a mark. "Believe" is an old school breakbeat with new school production and dreamy ambient pads that leaves you loved up, before "Face Time" sinks into a shimmering groove with busy, bristling drum programming that feels militant yet spaced out. After the bumping, straight ahead Stallion mix of "Believe" comes the suspensory ambient of "Geometry Revisited". This is fresh indeed.