Shanti Celeste / Funkineven – SSS [APRON020]

In recent times, Bristol’s Shanti Celeste has proved more than adept at blending tough, body-popping electro beats with picturesque electronics and luscious, eyes-closed melodies. She’s at it again here, following up two excellent outings on Future Times with the brilliant “SSS”. Expect just the right blend of tactile, eyes-closed melodiousness, snappy drum machine work, and a fluid bassline that subtly doffs a cap to Syclops’ “Where’s Jason’s K”. Apron boss Funkineven offers his own interpretation on the flip, bringing it closer to early 808 State territory, while adding some neat, boogie-influenced synth touches and saucer-eyed piano flourishes.

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Shanti Celeste / Funkineven – SSS [APRON020]

Fred P – Rawax Aira Series Vol.3 [AIRA003]

Fred P aka Black Jazz Consortium’s musical set phrase isn’t following new trends. Fred is often simply melting shuffling percussions with elementary melodies. but he does it in a sense that the heavy used and abused phrase ”deepness” finally gets a fresh truthfully new meaning.

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Fred P – Rawax Aira Series Vol.3 [AIRA003]

Leonid – Otherworld [ELEVE006]

Eleve welcomes Leonid into the family with Otherworld EP. He brings a three-track EP whose amazing sound and percussion, trademark basslines and detroitish leads and pads promise to transport many dancers to other worlds. A side starts with ‘Xana’, an esoteric house excursion with a mechanical edge. Next track is ‘Púca’, in the spirit of his deepest previous work with a characteristic syncopated bassline. B side long track is ‘Embarr’, an adventurous imagination trip across the sea; classic Leonid elements such relentless percussion and heavy bassline meets acid elements to create a one-way ticket to universal sub-conscience.

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Leonid – Otherworld [ELEVE006]

Santiago Salazar – Chicanismo [LWYFLP001]

It’s been a decade since Underground Resistance affiliate Santiago Salazar made his debut on Los Hermanos. Surprisingly, this double pack represents his first attempt releasing an album, though whether Chicanismo was intended to be a ‘proper’ full length is a moot point. There’s certainly plenty to enjoy, with Salazar melding his usual influences – deep house, Detroit techno, tech-house, Latin rhythms and dreamy, rave-era, breakbeat driven grooves – into a range of attractive, floor-friendly cuts. There’s naturally much to enjoy throughout, from the title track’s Motor City beats, heavy bass and swirling pads, to the bumpin’ tribal rhythms and mangled tropical bird noises of ”UKB to LAX”.

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Santiago Salazar – Chicanismo [LWYFLP001]

Scott Grooves – Parts Manager (First Four) [NM008]

New Scott Grooves 12inch on Natural Midi representing the first four parts of the Scott Grooves sound – Basic Part, Synth Part, Jamaican Part, and the Gritty Part. Even though all four tunes differ from each other, they all have Scotts unmistakable groove.

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Scott Grooves – Parts Manager (First Four) [NM008]

Kai Alce – Sunday Transit [POEM001]

Detroit house hero Kai Alce inaugurates People Of Earth with a stellar EP showcasing his knack for the most soulful of modern, Motor City deep house. First up “Quiet Revenge” has that classic Three Chairs kind of vibe; all soulful deepness that this circle and their extended cast of peers have the knack for, complete with smooth Rhodes piano and dusty rhythms. On the flip “Sunday Transit” is a more straight up deep house jam with female vocals shouting out the lowdown loud and clear; wicked groove on this one. The dub version of this surpasses the vocal for those less keen, but why would you.

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Kai Alce – Sunday Transit [POEM001]

Natan H – Lignes EP [FS029]

Finale Sessions presents this release by Natan H hailing from the “City Of Angels”. The track “Lignes” with its melodic pads and its wavering synths make for a late night beauty. Track 2, “O (Phase)” is another late night stomper with moving chords and melodic drum patterns that keep it a smooth sounding piece. The dub techno song “Invariant” (Feat.Jordan) is floor filler for sure with its heavy laden pads and synths and its monstrous sounds.

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Natan H – Lignes EP [FS029]

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.

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60 Miles – 60 Miles 01 [60MLS001]

Rick Wade – Storng Arm [RYMD002]

WADE, Rick - Strong Arm EP

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.

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Rick Wade – Storng Arm [RYMD002]

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.

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O.B. Ignitt & Omar-S – The 90s Evolution Of What it Was [OBONIT003]

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.

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2000Black – Make It Hard [RHM015]

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.

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Generation Next – Ender [7DAYSGN1003]