Concrete Music

Review: Concrete has been integral in the rebirth of Parisian clubbing culture, offering a unique 19 hour long party that begins early on Sunday and goes on and on in the picturesque setting of the Port De La Rapee on the River Seine. Looking to expand, this new Concrete Music label should operate as an extension of the party commencing with a series of three planned Textures releases inviting local talent and previous guests to contribute. Volume 1 inaugurates the label in style, brandishing original productions from the excellent Jared Wilson, Awanto 3 and Nsyde artist Samuel Andre Madsen as well as Parisian producer S3A (Sampling As An Art). "Sit On This" is a typically dusty slice of house from Awanto 3 which contrasts nicely with the percussion heavy classicist house of "The Ravist" by S3A and the deep acid of Jared Wilson. Madsen takes it deep and moody on "Waterwalking Paris" to end a superb and diverse debut release.

Review: Earlier in the year, Lobster Theremin and Bokhari regular Sweely made his Concrete Music debut via the first part of a series of 12" singles titled Les Chroniques De Monsieur Montana. Barely six weeks on, he returns to the imprint with volume two. It's a pleasingly varied affair, too, with Sweely flitting between luscious electro/deep house fusion (the tactile and far-sighted futurism of "A Bit Too Much"), rolling early morning tech-house (bass-heavy workout "More Love"), rubbery noughties electrofunk ("No More Salad") and ultra deep, jazz-flecked dub house dreaminess ("Ambassadors of the Jungle"). Solid stuff, all told.