Project Pablo – Inside Unsolved [SPC-143]

For over five years, Canadian artist Patrick Holland has developed an inimitable perspective on melodic, freewheeling house music. And the myriad tracks he writes as Project Pablo have come to embody both the sensibilities of the producer and the environs of his Montreal home. Inside Unsolved, Project Pablo’s dynamic four-tracker for Spectral, specifically looks to Holland’s local clubs and Canada’s dance music past for inspiration. The old records of labels such as Steel City and Map Music course through the lush synths of emotional roller “Pressure No Impact” and the light-footed swing of “Big Room Delusion.” While standing on the dancefloor at MUTEK two years ago, Holland dreamt up “Pill” in all of its billowy, percussive charms. Lead track “The Solution” cooly and confidently kicks things off with the kinds of earworm synthlines, rich atmospheres, and effortless grooves now synonymous with Project Pablo. Inside Unsolved is yet another classy and classic record from an unstoppable force of quality dance music.

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Project Pablo – Inside Unsolved [SPC-143]

Stump Valley – Natural Race [DKMNTL072]

Stump Valley now pop up on Dekmantel. The committed Berlin based studio outfit head into new areas after their previous work on Uzuri, Off Minor, Dopeness Galore and No ‘Label ( that already had them jumping around styles and influences). The label say ”Stylistic, enigmatic, and effortless. Stump Valley’s Dekmantel debut EP is a smooth melange of glossy soul, jazz, and serene house. Produced by the mysterious, and ultimately under-the-radar duo, the extended EP breezes through tropes of balearic analogue, warm Chicago sounds, yet remaining ultimately Italian. The duo, originally from Turin, prove their skills as true alchemists, as their forge hypnotic house and tropical flare through their array of drum machines, synths, and informed artistry derived from their deep stockpile of assorted records. Debuting they may be, but the Italian duo are no strangers to Dekmantel, having played at Dekmantel Festival, Selectors, and Lente Kabinet. Having released groove tracks across a whole spectrum of labels, Stump Valley’s reputation even precedes them. Throughout the EP, their sound echoes that of Prins Thomas, Larry Heard, and other select funk-driven Italian live producers that are making waves in the current scene. It’s a sound that’s permanently upbeat, radiant, and filled with joy. Berlin based vocalist and Max Graef collaborator Wayne Snow collaborates on vocal opener ‘Natural Race’, creating a slow groove, and funk-driven tempo. The music then veers into equatorial territory, as the duos’ uses of classic 707 and LinnDrum sounds evoke a sense of sunset grooves; the sound of Theo Parrish slowly winding through an Adriatic cocktail party. Further on and ‘Proletarians In Space’ reflects the producers’ more Detroit-like influences, with oscillating machine music. ‘Zoo Planet X’ takes the sound further, with dubby pads, and old-school kicks and hats, that transport the Turin-based artists across the Atlantic with their out-of-time sonic aesthetic.”

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Stump Valley – Natural Race [DKMNTL072]

Lisière Collectif – Unknown Credentials [PRTR17/18]

Sushitech’s sub label Pariter presents the Romanian group Lisiere Collectif. “Unknown Credentials” is a project of 5 tracks released on 2 single records. A sides on both parts are absolutely massive, acid lines and hypnotic chords peak time tracks that will shake any proper sound system with some serious bass extension! B sides are deeper and have more modern, fresh electroish vibe that we love!

part I / part II

Lisière Collectif – Unknown Credentials [PRTR17/18]

Lerosa – Bucket Of Eggs [ATLP10]

Leopoldo Rosa AKA Lerosa has been fighting against lazy categorization for years, offering up tracks that go way beyond the deep house sound he cultivated in the early years of his career. Those who still think he makes records like that should definitely check “Bucket Of Eggs”, his long-awaited second album, because it’s far more thrillingly wayward, off-kilter and alien-sounding than anything he’s released before. It’s rooted in house music – and twisted acid house, in particular – but also doffs a cap towards Rephlex style mutant electronica, turn-of-the-90s Bleep and Bass (the superbly weighty and spacey “Sheffield”), skewed electro (“Subterfuge”) and even deep space electronica (killer closing cut “Don’t Worry”). In a word: essential.

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Lerosa – Bucket Of Eggs [ATLP10]

Dan Piu – Alphaville EP [CMD006]

Dan Piu is the man behind the long running techno label ”Moto Music” and also the driving force behind ”deepArtSounds”. The Alphaville ep is nothing less than a showcase of his signature atmospheric, textured sound that defines his overall production style. Having releases as early as 1997, we’re sure you’ll enjoy the music from this seasoned veteran of electronic music.

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Dan Piu – Alphaville EP [CMD006]

The Strictly Jaz Unit – The Tempest [SJUDLP1]

Astonishingly, 23 years have passed since Glenn Underground and Boo Williams established the Strictly Jaz Unit project, a fluid collective of underground Chicago deep house producers. These days, SJU mainly operates as a duo, and it was this stripped-back line-up that produced “The Tempest”, a rare album-length outing bristling with quality cuts. Every track is naturally dynamic with sonic rich musicality & keyboard melodies. As a whole, the album is far more intergalactic, electronic and sci-fi sounding than either man’s solo productions, with just a few hints of the luscious instrumentation and swinging grooves associated with their previous work. There’s no dip in quality, though, with the dubbed-out deep house hypnotism of “Heard Syndrome”, the Patrick Cowley/Giorgio Moroder influenced “The Struggle”, the Chicago-goes-Yorkshire bleep flex of “Time of Speed, Not Day” and acid-fired gorgeousness of “The Flat (London Projects)” standing out.

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The Strictly Jaz Unit – The Tempest [SJUDLP1]

Fred P – Reaching For The Stars [NERO046]

Neroli welcomes NYC very own FRED P aka Black Jazz Consortium for a very special EP. Here he delivers four songs where his trademark rich emotive melodies meet with fresh syncopated beats. Four soul hurricanes that range in weight and emotion, the two poles here can be found slap-bang in the middle of the EP: “Moonlight” is a sultry brushed-drum break for lovers while “Riverside Drive” jacks like a rhino but soothes you with big breeze feels. Elsewhere “Reaching For The Stars” cruises on a skippy break with airy early 90s New York pads and “New Ways” closes on a stunning 88 tip. Have nice dreams y’all.

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Fred P – Reaching For The Stars [NERO046]

George Earnest & Der Opium Queen – Time Heals All Wounds [EVR028]

Music for building bridges, healing and shrugging it off, Fear not ’cause Time will heal your wounds, these tracks are the sound of friends having fun with the medium of House.

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George Earnest & Der Opium Queen – Time Heals All Wounds [EVR028]

Native Cruise – Desert Theory [PSGG002]

Inspired by warm climates, shaped in a rainy city. Native Cruise’s Desert Theory opener Late Nights is a relaxed jam filled with crispy drum-machine percussion and new age-ish pads with delicate nature sounds in the background. The energy rises towards the title track, a marching rhythm characterised by chugging wooden drums and floaty pan flutes. Bermuda Clouds brings you on a shore presenting a dreamy 4 to the floor session with an FM bass line, atmospheric pads and a wave of ocean sounds. The journey ends with Whispers which reminds of an imaginary 80s digital world vaguely influenced by the aesthetic of labels like Innovative Communication or Les Folies Art.

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Native Cruise – Desert Theory [PSGG002]

Mark E – Shelter [PR20]

Ten years and twice as many records have come out since Public Release shared its inaugural 12-inch with the world, and it feels fitting to mark the occasion of its twentieth with new work by a steady partner in crime, Mark E. The English Midlander, known as a peddler of classic house laced with the unexpected—sprinklings of frisky Italo and wiggly disco here, splatterings of taut techno and woozy dub there —made his P.R. debut with 2016’s steamy industrial chugger, Sky Horn, and has also been a frequent remixer for the Northern Californian label.

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Mark E – Shelter [PR20]

Move D – Building Bridges [AUSLP010]

Move D’s ‘Building Bridges’ is David Moufang’s latest studio album. Close friends and long time collaborators, Thomas Fehlmann, Fred P, Juju & Jordash, D-Man & rEAGENZ all feature alongside Benjamin Brunn. Building Bridges was recorded at reSource, Heidelberg between 1999-2019 except “One Small Step…” which was recorded at Thomas Fehlman’s Space in Berlin. This album initially started out as an entry for the Inside Out series on Aus – based around the idea of collaborations with his nearest and dearest but when David sent me the music and wrote a few new tracks there was such a cohesive, timeless feel to it as a body of work I decided that it had to be a stand alone artist album. These tracks have been written over a twenty year period and involve 6 people but it sounds like it was written in one sitting. This is testament to David’s creative aesthetic and the closeness of the relationship with his collaborators as a common feeling of warmth and smudged soul oozes out of every poor of this record.

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Move D – Building Bridges [AUSLP010]

VA – Earth Plates Vol 1 [E00001P]

The first pressed 12” from Earth Plates comes from three newcomers #130E0A from Paris, dj LIFE from Melbourne and Louis // Louis from San Juan, plus non-newcomer Gnork from Budapest. The tunes are sweet and dreamy, contain lots of breaks, space sounds, pads and some dubbed out house and electro vibes.

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VA – Earth Plates Vol 1 [E00001P]

Hugh Mane – Voodoo Questions [RB076]

Welcome to the deeper end of the Hugh Mane spectrum. Mane’s third outing on Running Back captures his love for the spirit of early Detroit techno, IDM’s ambient aspects, the philosophy of the acid house experience and a natural production flow. Emotions electric. Vintage voodoo with modern spells.

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Hugh Mane – Voodoo Questions [RB076]

Marcus Paulson / Böhm – Commuter EP [PURE001]

Bohm (030303 Records) and Marcus Paulson (aka Kid Machine) deliver four classic cuts of quality house. Inspired by Manchester and Utrecht commutes, the EP sets the tone for future things to come on their Purewaxx label. Paulson and Bohm share a side each, both using the 707/101/303/106 to good use, layering pads, square basslines and deep moody pads and strings.

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Marcus Paulson / Böhm – Commuter EP [PURE001]