Lapien – Something To Show You EP Part 1 [MISTRESS008]

Following a brief hiatus, DVS1’s Mistress Recordings label returns with its’ first release of 2016. Something To Show You is an expansive, two-part E.P fron Nick Lapien. There’s much to enjoy on this first part, which sees Lapien deliver trippy, late night workouts that sit somewhere between ultra-deep house and Detroit techno. It’s an atmospheric formula that works wonderfully, particularly on “Something To Tell You” – where bluesy vocal samples weave their way around a deep, locked-in groove – and the up-tempo bump of tech-house hustler “No Good”.

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Lapien – Something To Show You EP Part 1 [MISTRESS008]

Norm Talley / Michael Zucker – South by Midwest [FS001K]

Owner operator of Finale Sessions Music Michael Zucker has brought you a sister label called Finale Sessions Music to showcase his own music with close friends and family. The first release it’s starting with the Detroit veteran Norm Talley and label boss Michael Zucker. Norm Talley track called “Power “it has the sublime Detroit deep sound with its sharp chords and that pumping deep kick and claps and it also has additional work from another Detroit legend Delano Smith but what makes this track is the fantastic vocals from the soul. Track two “Lock Jaw” is just raw beatdown late night track with deep chicago classic sound with a pumping kicks and mind altering synth. Then next is Michael Zuckers first track “Parisian Nights” with it’s classic filtered classic chicago sound with proper pads and chords with a vocal drifting in and out of the spectrum . Track two “ Thought Process” is just an amazing deep inspired melodic trip with key’s and that classic b4 organ that sets the tone for the pads and that lifted filtered sound.

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Norm Talley / Michael Zucker – South by Midwest [FS001K]

Jupiter Jax – Urban Legends [DPTX002]

The second release from Deeptrax, features Jupiter Jax from Malta. A deep 4 story EP containing Detroit vibes beamed into today’s world. Starting melancholic with lush sounds and firm beats, then slowly building into piano heaven. The other tracks are deep ethereal technoid trax with lush, conscious sounds and stomping beats, which is pushing the label into deeper, broader territories.

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Jupiter Jax – Urban Legends [DPTX002]

Brian Harden – Chicago To Detroit (Remixes Part 1) [D3E002X]

This EP features 3 remixes, one By Brian himself and the others by Detroit’s Patrice Scott and Atlanta’s Byron The Aquarius. First up is man of the moment, Byron The Aquarius with his ethereal take on the original. With it’s cosmic sounds weaving in and out, Byron manages to infuse his soulful sound on the track to take it to a otherworldly territory. Brian is up next with his “Chicago Sur Seine Mix”, introducing a steel drum and some beautiful pads that are reminiscent of 808 State’s, Pacific 202. While still keeping with the original’s pace, this remix has more of a down tempo feel, and would fit perfectly in those late night/early morning sets. Finally Patrice Scott delivers a more beat driven Detroit take on the original, with an emphasis on the hi hats and clap that really gives the track that driven feel. While still paying respect to the original, half way through Patrice takes it to another level with his atmospheric keys that round off a great remix EP.

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Brian Harden – Chicago To Detroit (Remixes Part 1) [D3E002X]

Smallpeople – Crystal Fandango [SMALLVILLE048]

Smallpeople doing the Crystal Fandango. After a little while, Just and Julius are back on wax with a fresh three-tracker, that was well tested on the road by some close friends for quite a while- and it was about time to put out this groover right in time for the summer.

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Smallpeople – Crystal Fandango [SMALLVILLE048]

Frank & Tony – Under The Jaguar Sun [SAT027]

The boys in black, Frank & Tony, are skating back onto the scene with another four track summer stomper, ‘Under the Jaguar Sun’. The A-side starts things off with the titular track, a rollicking deep house number primed for sunset raves. A bouncing and lush bass line is the back bone of the track, as crisp hi-hats, distant, yearning pads, and shimmering bells propel dancers forward into eyes closed euphoria. Things ramp up quickly into peak-time ecstasy on the Breakaway edit of Solo Andata’s A Ballet of Hands.’ A whirling dervish of delicate music boxes, bowed guitars, delicate music boxes, and distant horns swirl around and weave in and out between a skipping drum pattern, pushing and pulling alongside a gruff and stuttering bass, perfect for those late night rooftop ventures. The B-side takes listeners into early morning after hours territory, starting with the groovy Difficult Loves.’ An airy and luscious double bass keeps things bouyed as introspective pads shimmer alongside pillars of aquatic synths. Backed by a classic, shuffling NY House drum groove, this one is best served late into the evening. The boys wrap things up on a high note with the latin vibes of Sargasso.’ Crisp tambourines keep things light as dense kicks and a bass line deeper than the deepest canyon pull dancers deep into the floor with a warm embrace. The star of the show is the bouncing and earnest synth line, which is partnered up with a pair of playful toms in a game of cat and mouse, making this track a weapon anywhere you place it in a set.

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Frank & Tony – Under The Jaguar Sun [SAT027]

Fred P – Sound Destination [SPMBLP002]

Sound Destination is a project that crosses genre to find its own space. Soundscapes, downtempo, ambient, and house music all find a place in this aesthetically complete project. There’s a simmering, hovering quality about the whole album, as a pastoral ease settles over the listener. The record flows like a vague narrative, a non-specific sort-of journey album, a meditative jazz-house trip. Fred Peterkin shows yet another perspective of his expression. bursting out of the style-box, to draw you in to his own dimension.

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Fred P – Sound Destination [SPMBLP002]

Modaji – Belle Epoque [UTA002]

MODAJI - Belle Epoque

Dominic’s initial Modaji releases garnered acclaim from luminaries such as Francois Kevorkian, Derrick May and Gilles Peterson and after 10 years away from releasing to concentrate on composing music for film and television, Jacobson returns to the studio to delve further into his deep house and ambient soundscapes. The first of two EP’s, Belle Epoque touches on a more cinematic approach to production and showcases a warmer, more expanded sound.

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Modaji – Belle Epoque [UTA002]

Marvis Dee – Dreams Of A Future Metropolis [DREAMS003]

Marvis Dee returns to In My Dreams for the second part of his EP series with the sparking, 80’s boogie-house 5-tracker, Dreams Of A Future Metropolis. Huge shimmering synths, funk-heavy basslines and serious grooves all sailing out with the setting sun.

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Marvis Dee – Dreams Of A Future Metropolis [DREAMS003]

Xoa – Aiye Le [SHAKE003]

XOA is an exciting new project fusing sounds from the golden era of 70s Afrobeat with contemporary electronica and modern production. The debut release Aiye Le, features the vocals of former Fela Kuti musical director and afrobeat royalty Dele Sosimi. Label boss Dan Shake steps up for the remix on the B side, bringing his signature Detroit house aesthetic.

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Xoa – Aiye Le [SHAKE003]

Hekkla – Sunset Strip EP [02AM]

HEKKLA - Sunset Strip

02AM is an 4 track EP by the young producer Hekkla from Eindhoven. The first track is ‘Sunset Strip’, a slowly build house track that moves like the last waves of heat at the end of a hot summers day, walking home feeling satisfied, all ready for the night. ‘Saturday Morning Sentimentality’ is a hard to pinpoint track that sounds like the bastard son of a trio between the melancholic side of Cyndi Lauper, Alphaville and the echoes of a cheesy saturday morning cartoon theme song from the late 80’s. On the other side ‘Memories of Tau Ceti’ feels like tumbling into space with only the memories left of a good time on an alien world, accelerating faster and faster but still enjoying it, even though you know that the vacuum of space will eventually kill you. Finishing with the hardest track ‘No Math’, because, boys and girls, it’s no math.

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Hekkla – Sunset Strip EP [02AM]

Mister Ho & Heap – Feeling Hopeful [ESP045]

Mister Ho & Heap close their eyes and float downstream. This is their second offering for the ESP Institute. On side A, Feeling Hopeful is a straight-ahead burner comprised of minimal thuds, bumps, honks, blips, bleeps and bloops—a harmonious arrangement of percussive elements and soaring synth chords that feels both slow and fast paced, sunset and sunrise hour, island back roads and traffic in metropolis. On side B, Gis Gis explores a similar notion of contrast, setting a the scene with a driving mechanical hi-hat that never dips below the selection of luscious melodies—a cha-cha bassline, breezy chords and a slippery lead hook that collectively invite us all for poolside Pin?a Coladas at the Ho & Heap villa. These two songs were conceived in the year of the monkey.

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Mister Ho & Heap – Feeling Hopeful [ESP045]

VA – First Chapter [VM001]

YAKINE/TELURIC/SUCIU - First Chapter

Vade Mecum is the latin for a handbook that is intended to be carried at all times. The new Bucharest based label, a sublabel from Stomping Grounds curated by Jay Bliss, aims for the same thing, putting together for the first release three tracks that trancend time and genres. Tracks by French producer Yakine and the Romanians Teluric and Suciu.

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VA – First Chapter [VM001]