Skylax welcomes back Byron The Aquarius. A true craftsman from Alabama, Byron blends the spirit of Detroit’s deep house with live jazz energy. This new EP, Afrofuturism, is a statement of intent: four deeply musical tracks rooted in soulful rhythm and cosmic funk.
Andy Ash is a long time contributor to the sound of Quintessentials. The Liverpudlian shows superb diversity on his new EP called „Silent Planet“. The opener, „Patch 2“ is a stripped down masterpiece of Dub Techno and a perfect club tool. „Hross“ can be called Acid House, and you know we love that. The B-side shows more of a relaxed vibe with the beautiful string-laded „Franco alley“ and the smooth low BPM track „Yellow“. This silent planet has something to say and shows great variety of styles and Andy’s skills as a producer.
New release on Rawax Motor City Edition with a special re-issue of Rick Wade’s “Deep House Monster” called “Night Trackin” which came out originally on Elevate, the label from Daniel Bell in 1997.
Rick Wade on Norm Talley’s Upstairs Asylum are words that will excite any true school house heads. Wade is a production machine who turns out always no-frills, trusty and tracky grooves of the sort that are always essential for building a vibe in a set, and Talley’s a fellow Detroit head who has long been helping to shape the house sound. ‘So Juicy’ begins with a flourish, lavish strings and chunky drums that slide along nicely. ‘Midnight Hustler’ sinks into a slightly more steamy and deep sound with hints of 60s US soul and funky licks, ‘Turn Out’ is a more traditional deep house roller with a comic vibe and ‘Lonely Symphony’ brings some cinematic string drama to a breezy blend of house beats.
Detroit’s DJ Slush presents his debut solo EP Model Collapse with five versatile tracks inspired by classic stripped down Midwest house & techno. The EP marks the launch of Polytechnic Recordings – a new sub-label of Mark Grusanes Disctechno Music – run by Eric Schwab (DJ Slush) & Grusane. Following his productions on the Midwest Rhythms series, Model Collapse delivers more jacking drum machine programming, spacey & melodic synth lines, and a few psychedelic elements, with nods to the early years of deep house & proto-techno, packaged in a full color jacket sleeve.
Reedale Rise has already made his mark with releases on Frustrated Funk and Delsin, but this latest release shows there’s a whole new side to his sound. If you think you know him, think again. He’s come through with three tracks of pure futuristic depth, all infused with Detroit influence. Envision Blade Runner-inspired machinery, deep house grooves and endless soul—this EP is a must for any true enthusiast. Detroit’s Big Strick lays down his iconic tough-soul-house swing on the remix, completing a record that channels the lost history of underwater alien civilisations.
Arriving almost 35 years since he wowed the world with his game-changing debut, the Afterlife EP, Lift Off was inspired by Trent’s desire to ‘let the imagination speak for itself’ while exploring the diverse influences that have shaped his unique musical perspective. A departure from his previous album, 2022’s downtempo masterpiece as Warm, What Do The Stars Say To You, the 10-track set features a mixture of epic instrumentals, inspired collaborations and vocal cuts whose music was written with certain singers in mind. While it features music that ripples with the experienced producer’s familiar aural trademarks – rich rhythms, warm chords, impeccable instrumentation, inspired arrangements, and lashings of heady hand percussion – it also consciously explores a variety of sounds and tempos, in the process blurring the lines between dance music’s past, present and future. It’s a vision, in his words, of what dance music can become.
Laurent Garnier’s COD3 QR returns with a stellar four-track vinyl release featuring U.S. luminaries, K’ Alexi Shelby and DJ Bone, alongside French wizard Marc Bedikian and one of COD3 QR’s star players, Squal G.
Detroit deep house don Rick Wade back in full force with four cuts of pure groove, lush vibes, and soulful grit on Phonogramme.
Chicago born, Detroit-raised Delano Smith is one of the foundational artists of the contemporary house scenes. In 2023, he revealed he was suffering with a rare form of cancer but as this new EP title suggests, he is still here and still crafting high-grade sounds. ‘When I Was Young’ kicks off with his signature smoky drum loops and train travel sense of hypnosis. ‘The Rush’ is another heads down jam, this time marbled with eerie pads and wet clicks and claps that oil the groove while ‘Rewired’ shuts down with real late night delicacy and evocative minimalism.
Andy Vaz delivers The New Germans EP, a deep house heavyweight straight from Deutztroit Studios in Cologne. Tracks like ‘2 Brown Skinned Brothers’ and ‘Hometown CGN’ bring a raw, soulful vibe that hits different. This is underground fire for those who know what’s real.
Demuja unveils ”Blueprint”, the first release on his label MUJA to feature collaborations with other artists, both familiar and fresh faces in town, Kylle Hall, Gonno, Retromigration, Makez, Basic Soul Unit and Hubie Davison. While it offers a variety of sounds, it stays true to its core, remaining focused on deep and underground house music.
The Sound Signature boss remains in a class of one and continually finds new ground to explore in the studio, often taking a freeform jazz mindset to roughed-up house and techno that blends the mechanical with the soulful in otherworldly, hypotonic fashion. ‘Orange Barrel Action (Yellow Flashing Light mix)’ is very much in that mould with lumpy drums detuned and off-grid keys and hissing hi-hats all coalescing into something seductive and subversive. ‘Pianamonn’ is a deep house foundation topped with weird and wonky keys in inimitable Theo Parrish style.
Forbidden Dance Records presents its 10th vinyl release: “Various Shades Vol. 1” – a milestone that encapsulates the label’s commitment to diverse and innovative dance music. This V.A. EP features a carefully curated lineup of artists, blending renowned names with emerging talents: Patrice Scott, Aleqs Notal, XDB and Gary Superfly. The release offers a genre-spanning journey, with each track contributing to a rich and colorful exploration of sound that defines the label’s ethos.
Marcellus Pittmann’s deep and unique house cuts are on his Unirhythm label. Faze out reminds us of those classic early Unirhythms with the robotic rhythms.
Omar S, the FXHE label boss, wastes no time in dropping heat this New Year as he once again hooks up with vocalist Desire for this latest house gem. Up first is ‘Something Real’, in the classic Omar S mould of laying down a deep, heartfelt drum line and then topping it with a mad emotive vocal hook that is filled with r&b goodness and joined by the most subtle cosmic chord motifs. ‘Hard Leaf Rag’ follows next, so raw it will make your ears tickle with its busted drums and serrated stabs. Then flip it over for ‘Conant Leaf Rag’, which pairs warbling synth sounds with dusty hi-hats and tight kicks for a nice, full mind and body workout.
‘Solitude’ is a perfectly apt title for anything Sistrum label head Patrice Scott does. The US deep house master makes such introverted and introspective sounds that they have you utterly transfixed in the moment, locked into thought and gazing on at his gorgeous synth designs which are cosmic, meaningful and jazzy. The title track here does all that and more with some deft vocals laced in and gentle tambourine sounds. ‘Inoffensive Dance’ is another meditation of deepness with loose drums and lovely melodies all soothing mind, body and soul.
The second volume of Byron The Aquarius’ Dey Know on Phonogramme. Four serious grooves on a green coloured vinyl.
The deep house maestro Alton Miller turns out supremely designed sounds as this one on Mister Bear evidences. ‘Afrika Alright’ opens with smoky, soulful vocals and lovely flute melodies next to wispy synth explorations, ‘Dub Afrika’ pads it out with some extra pillowy low ends, then ‘Hang On’ brings some bright xylophone melodies and jumbled percussion to a more Afro tinged house shuffler. Last of all is ‘Super Hero’ with its whimsical synth leads and interesting sound designs adding rich detail to a dusty deep house groove.
The Hipodrome Of Music 