Giorgio Luceri is not a new comer as he has already released a lot of EPs and an album on Jamal Moss Chicago-based label Mathematics Recordings. Working on spiritual atmospheres, deep emotions and nave melodies, Giorgio delivers us a strong piece of analog techno/acid music.
In demand man-child Marquis Hawkes debuts on Creme with a free flowing range of shabby bangers and euphonic middle class white boy ghetto anthems, specifically designed to entice, entertain and appease insouciant techno throngs, weekend warriors, armchair activists and recreational drug users.
Publicist is longtime producer/performer/musician Sebastian Thomson. His tracks approach house music from a darker angle, adding processed vocals and noise to a raw foundation that also takes cues from New Beat, acid house, and Detroit techno. When performing live Publicist sequences the synths and not the drums, preferring to play an electronically treated drum kit in the middle of the dance floor. This adds an element of sweat, excitement and virtuosity not found in most electronic producer’s live performances.
Rostami is a San Francisco-based musician whose roots extend off into theoretical dimensions far beyond conventional dancefloor fodder. For Czarat, however, he’s honed his approach to produce an unusual dancefloor anthem. Melding influences from around the world, the song arrives at something that sounds like acid house and techno as interpreted through an internet-enabled, information rich dialog of the present moment.
Cititrax presents a 4 song split EP by Silent Servant and Broken English Club. Although the two are geographically very far apart, Silent Servant based in Los Angeles, US and Broken English Club based in London, UK, the two share a similar outlook and musical approach. Both projects have been on the rise lately, and stem from a strongly rooted techno background. Combining their influences of dance music, techno, EBM, industrial and post-punk, Silent Servant and Broken English Club offer a new breed of EBM infused techno wave on the Violence And Divinity EP. They artfully create music that works both on and off the dance floor, infusing a dark atmospheric mood with addictive, pulsating rhythms. Themes of love, death, modernity and automobile crashes appear throughout this EP from the music itself right through to the cover art and one of a kind vinyl pressing.
CWS (pronounced ”Classicworks”) is the new brainchild of Cardopusher and Nehuen, and their debut release for Barcelona imprint Struments Records presenting their first explosive statement as a formulated duo. ”Untitled EP” sees them experiment with new forms of production and creation. These four tracks of raw, analogue fetishized techno draw you out of this world and into an acid drenched bunker in outer space, with rhythms and synthesis drawn exclusively from analog gear. The A side showcases two very blunted electronic jams – beginning with the overdriven synth and drum layers of ”Untitled 01”, and rounding off with the tape saturated, funky yet introspective electro jam of ”I”. The B Side sees things set off into hypergear; ‘Untitled 02’ ignites the dancefloor with its relentless kick and hard, acid-inspired bassline. The EP is topped off beautifully with a remix by Rephlex Records electro superhero and Breakin Records boss DMX Krew, flipping the forward drive of ‘Untitled02’ into a staccato old skool electro breakdance, drenched in sinister pads and block-rattling orchestra stabs. An absolute essential for the DJ crates worldwide.
After previously delivering the Back 2 Here 12″ to Acoustic Division last year, Todd Osborn is back with another single that draws on a range of house styles delivered with his impeccable knack for classically rooted grooves that sound better than the rest. “Step Off” is a fine slice of piano house goodness with drums that sizzle and snap in all the right ways, while “House 117” turns to a sweeter kind of disco-inflected boogie completely unabashed in its romantic, sugary leanings. “November” turns to a heavenly selection of soulful licks to create a low-slung masterpiece as finely crafted as it is loose and easy.
Bok & Trago are back with another 12” of deeply textured, hypnotic House music. This time taking a melodic approach on the A-side main mix of ”Need This”, the London-Amsterdam duo borrow and flips motifs from a classic. ‘Need This (Radio Mix)’ is a piece of slow-burning deep-tech, helicopter blade arps hovering over epic FM bassline and churning percussive guts. A well-deserved melodic reveal at 4 minutes gives way to plenty of weightless beats to keep DJs busy on the loop button – blending perfection ensured. On the flip, the 12” mix strips out the melodies and turns up the percussive heat. The results are a sweltering dub strictly for the dancers, a meandering trip through the jungle, flanged helicopters drawing closer.
Rough House Rosie dedicates the sixth release to its Japanese listeners with a four track compilation from four different Japanese producers. Legendary Takayuki Shiraishi (aka Planetoid) releases a track ‘Nightfall’ which was first out in 2002 on a CD ‘Slow Shoutin”. He is teamed up with Mitsuaki Komamura renowned for his unique sound on record label Weedis. Miruga (Ethereal Sound / Badance) delivers a strong deep track on B1, while Mahal has his debut with a catchy bass driven tune as a final track of the EP.
In addition to the odd collaboration with Chrissy Rau and Nicolas Villebrun, the wonderfully named Jacques Bon is a long term affiliate of Smallville Records, holding things down in Paris for the Hamburg operation. Having contributed a rather tasty lopsided jacker to the label’s Thirtyfive Ways compilation last year, afull EP for Smallville is long overdue and the four tracks on this Two Hearts 12″ will leave fans of the Hamburg operation wanting much more. Bon can do dreamy and sumptuous, as on opening track “Jasmine’s Dream,” or deep and contemplative (“Sunday Evening”) whilst the B Side demonstrates the Parisian is fully geared to produce tracks calibrated for mid set detonation. “The Sails” is as perfect an example of musically rich gliding deep house as you will find right now.
The first record of Deetron’s new label finds him teaming up with Ripperton under their rarely seen Roots Panorama moniker.
A modern boogie 7” on Unirhythm!? Yep, you heard right! Marcellus Pittman graces the A-Side of the disc on ‘1044 Coplin’ – a nice slice of mid west funk sure to appeal to all the boogie heads worldwide. On the flip we have the Unirhythm debut from Detroit’s own John Cannon. John C is a veteran producer and MC, most recently featured on the J DIlla album ‘Rebirth Of Detroit.’ No suprise there – we definitely hear some Dilla on ‘J.C.’s Groove.’
By all accounts Romanian producer Borrowed Identity is having a splendid 2014. Currently based in Berlin taking political refuge from his homeland, the producer has already racked up strong 12″ releases. This 12″ for the evergreen Hometaping is Killing Music label shows how diverse Borrowed Identity’s range can be, dipping into similar sample laden territory to MCDE with sublime results. It’s apparent from the off with “Feeling Blue” centred around a lovely chord refrain that hooks you as soon as it drops, whilst “Nation Under A Groove” nudges the tempo up a few notches before the mood eases back down with the pair of beatdown burners on the flip. Strong four track EP with some solid sample driven tracks. Effective and tasteful house music.
The ever increasing understanding between Apron and Wild Oats and the many artists affiliated with both labels continues to bear fruit for those out there that like their house music raw and rugged. The idea alone of young Detroit talent Jay Daniel getting behind the buttons with suave Stevie Funkineven should set the pulses racing and both “Discipline” and “Abyss” will leave you craving more from this partnership. There’s an effortless glide to “Discipline” as Jay and Funk’ keep the drums to a minimal yet bugged out line of kicks, leaving it to those killer keys and thick set chords to hit you in the gut and the hips. On the flip, “Abyss” finds the duo opting for a more pared back, abstract production where rhythm is kept to a minimum as the space is filled with tweaked out motifs that sound like a paranoia filled John Carpenter.
Not the usual Bio Rhythm release… as far as they have any usual releases at all. Recently the label accidentally came across this lost treasure by Midnightopera (Workshop) and signed in at the spot. Produced in 2007, ‘Five’ is an epic 12 minute journey straight into downtempo/deephouse walhalla, making your sunday morning seem to last forever. The 2010 rework is delivered by bad boy Roger 23, diving into even deeper territories and adding some psychedelic elements to make it safely through the other side and back. Sunrise over Riegelsberg.
Some say history has come to an end… we say the future is about to start… Two brand new nu-jack sessions by Jamal Moss aka Hieroglyphic Being and Noleian Reusse.
