Kuba Sojka returns to the London based DMK label to deliver an impressive album of deep, techno inspired grooves.
detroit house
60 Miles – 60 Miles 01 [60MLS001]
60 Miles are John Daly and Cian Frawley aka Frawl. They got together in the studio after one of the infamous Backwards parties in Limerick and 60 miles was born. It arrived fully formed. Label, live act and mindset. They cut their tracks in the moment. 2 self contained setups, no sync between them. No going back. Drums. Jazz. Techno Soul.
Scott Ferguson – Tribute To My Twenty Something Year Old Self Pt#1 [FPR043]
Andrew Red Hand – Radio UR Mix 4
Rick Wade – Storng Arm [RYMD002]
Detroit legend Rick Wade is back with a nice new EP on Rymd. First up “Strong Arm” is the kind of real proper deep house that is often imitated but hardly matched. From the unmistakable knack of its groove to its swirling and mesmerising Rhodes in the foreground. “Funkopolis” gets deeper and as the name suggests has a totally killer bassline and just generally awesome soul goodness going on. Proper Detroit style representing here. Italians Deep 88 and Emotion (Ignacio) turn in some surprisingly good remixes on the flip that do their job well by not deviating too much from the originals and reworking the grooves into decent alternate versions.
Orson Wells – Midnight Mystique [SM001]
Two deep electro flavoured 808 rhythm pieces on side A, plus a mystic morphing journey exploring the borderline between house and techno on the flip.
O.B. Ignitt & Omar-S – The 90s Evolution Of What it Was [OBONIT003]
Some three years on from their last collaborative outing – the Wayne County Hill Cops (Part 2) 12″ on FXHE – Detroit producers O.B Ignitt and Omar-S join forces for another trip into Motor City deep house territory. They wisely explore different moods and approaches throughout, starting with the fluid, dreamy hypnotism of “Seem Like You’re All Ready” – an exercise in luscious loops and dusty drum machine grooves. There’s a lovely early ’90s bounce to the evocative synth bass, classic riffs and cut-up vocal snippets of “Follow Me”, while closer “Hold The Line” owes much of its’ instinctive power to a deliciously rubbery acid bassline and vintage US garage drums.
2000Black – Make It Hard [RHM015]
Dego, Akwasi Mensah and Kaidi Tatham’s 2000 Black project is back with three timeless pieces that blend the group’s love for soulful futuristic beats and organic instrumentation beautifully. Firing on many levels and sure to tear up a floor or two this summer. To most headz, the producers behind 2000black need no real introduction. Initially inspired by breakbeat, house and techno, 4heros Dego has been constantly moving since the early nineties, enriching the drum & bass, soul and London boogie scene in his own unique way.
Generation Next – Ender [7DAYSGN1003]
Coming off his last record, ‘Nocturne’, Generation Next shows us that he has no plans in slowing down. Even though his last EP was impressive, ‘Ender’ just shows us how much this producer has evolved.
Ben Christensen – Inouno [S7G001]
Inouno is 7 minute house groover that nods to the classic house sound of the 90s, while keeping it modern, soulful and funky.
Spirit Of The Black 808 – Invasion Of The Black Bass [SOTCSB801]
For the first reference, Sounds of The City welcomes the mysterious Spirit Of The Black 808. Invasion Of The Black Bass it’s warm in every way and infectious. Both tracks share the same chords grid, one could be a re-interpretation of the other. Both are very warm and melodic. Frenzy In Firenze on the other side demonstrates SB8’s skills for groovy tools and more DJ oriented tunes.
John Shima – Prototype EP [BOE027]
John Shima is making waves with his fresh approach to that classic Detroit sound. His contribution for Boe is nothing short of a stunning representation of underground electronic music. ‘Prototype’ is a sonic ode to industry: blueprinted in the motor city and forged in Sheffield. It’s heads down for the dance floor with shimmering metallic overtones and a side order of robot jack.
Patrice Scott – Euphonium: The album [SISLP001]
Patrice Scott presents his first full length artist album: Euphonium, The Album. Encapsulating the essence of the Sistrum sound, Euphonium, The Album sees Patrice offering up 9 tracks cut from the same cloth as his previous work for the label – sublime and evolved with depth and authenticity as only he can convey. Without a doubt, it is the modern sound of deepest Detroit.
Big Strick – Simple Pleasures [7DAYS1012]
Big Strick can usually be relied upon to deliver solid, soul-flecked deep house with that distinctive Detroit touch. That’s certainly what he delivers on Simple Pleasures, the latest 12″ for his 7 Days Entertainment imprint. There’s a lovely warmth and sun-kissed fluidity to bongo-laden opener “Ghetto Man”, whose enduring appeal is partly based on the delicious melodiousness of Strick’s hazy electronic pianos. “Don’t Wait Up” successfully riffs on a similar theme, before “48 Hours” displays the veteran Detroiter’s skills with dense percussion and ocean-deep chords. Best of all, though, is the dreamy beatdown of “Illuminated”, whose thicket drum machine beats and glassy-eyed pads are particularly memorable.
MGUN @ The Lift (Mantova, Italy) 20.02.2015 – Lovecast 007
Mark King – Ever Forward [FXHE-MDK]
Mark King debut on FXHE records. Quality Detroit house and techno. Comes with an Omar S. remix.
Aubrey – Abstractions EP [RAWAX009LTD]
Aubrey with a new Detroit influenced EP on Rawax lmtd. Balancing right on the line of techno and house.
Fit Siegel – Carmine / First Found [FIT012]
A moody techno classic perfect for the lonely season. Subtle, low-key and thumping, the title track revolves around a bittersweet piano lead, elegiac 303 and Blade Runner string swells. It’s a high-tech driving song in the tradition of Model 500’s low-key classic ”Pick Up The Flow” and FIT sounds more assured than ever. ”First Found” is Mills-ian jigsaw puzzle techno imbued with breathy and addictive humanity. Stacatto, free-jazz informed piano solos lock into ping-pong synths — eventually, a female vocal emerges over a bed of arpeggiated bass. Loose yet robotic, ”First Found” is first-rate Detroit techno mysticism.
Theo Parrish / Mike Grant – Moods & Grooves Classics Vol.5 [MG050]
Rounding out this iteration of the Moods & Grooves classic series are two of its best selling releases from one of Detroit’s most prolific producer’s, Theo Parrish, and label head Mike Grant. The Mr. G remix of My Soul, My Spirit nets a pretty penny at the online marketplace so if the steep prices have deterred you, now is the time. Chunky was produced during the time Theo was a leader of Detroit’s raw & dirty house sound. In celebration of the Moods & Grooves’ 50th release it’s being offered on limited coloured vinyl.
John Daly – Shine EP [LFR009]
Irish maestro John Daly kicks of the new year with a release on Love Fever Records. Layered, progressive, modern electronic music with ethereal harmonics and a nod to analogue forefathers is a universal in John Daly’s musical cannon. And with Shine he’s formulated a song that could encapsulate a moment in time at a Love Fever party. That 5am throb. Peaks and lows of a breather in the night, the sweating crowd, the stabbing baseline and fluctuating strings played loud and proud. In short an unstoppable single from a producer on the very top of his game. A Detroit influenced yet clearly very contemporary release with strong support already on this one.
The Hipodrome Of Music 