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 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 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 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.
Mark King debut on FXHE records. Quality Detroit house and techno. Comes with an Omar S. remix.
Aubrey with a new Detroit influenced EP on Rawax lmtd. Balancing right on the line of techno and house.
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.
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.
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.
Appian’s forthcoming release ‘Chatter EP’ on Fina Records is a testament to his varied and experimental production style; a distinctive sound borne out of inspirations as varied as funk, experimental electronica, disco, “80s stuff” and early house. Monty Luke showcases his freethinking and flamboyant production prowess with a bad ass reworking of ‘Operator’.
Twenty-five years after the first release, and ten years since the Paradise Original has gone out of print, Expanded Music and Manuel Goettsching have therefore decided to release this unique tune once again. Derrick May remix included.
Sam Shepherd has long been a master of the kind of ultra-deep, rolling, soft focus deep house that raises the spirits and soothes the soul. Even so, there’s something incredibly special about “Nuits Sonores”, the lead track from this EP. Based around a deep, tactile groove and blessed with rising synth solos, dancing acid lines and his usual fireside Rhodes antics, the track rises magnificently for 12 spellbinding minutes. As it progresses, further elements make their way into the mix, until it reaches the kind of organic deep house climax that makes even the grumpiest souls go weak at the knees. Flip for “Nectarines”, the kind of loose-limbed fusion of deep house sassiness, Detroit techno electronics and fluid jazz drumming at which Shepherd has always excelled.
Few projects in electronic music have remained at the very cutting edge for as long as Reagenz, a collaboration between San Francisco based Jonah Sharp aka Spacetime Continuum and Heidelberg based David Moufang aka Move D. Twenty years after their first project, comes The Periodic Table, a stunning live album captured at The Bunkers tenth anniversary party at Public Assembly, Brooklyn, January 2013. The Periodic Table incorporates elements of house, techno and ambient in an organic flow that few artists could replicate.
Long established Detroit talent Keith Worthy traverses a fine line between deep, bumpy house and raw techno on his debut double album, The Price of Non Conformance. A conceptual project that takes you on a virtual walk through the streets of Detroit. From a musical standpoint, the sound and feel of T.P.O.N.C. aligns with Worthy’s own DNA, a complex blend of house and techno, and all while incorporating a degree of fantasy into every composition.
Given that this is the first album from the great Theo Parrish since 2007, it’s unsurprising interest in American Intelligence has rocketed over the course of the year as Sound Signature left a trail of hints. American Intelligence is a fine album; deep and woozy in parts, undeniably soulful, shot through with jazz influences and full to bursting with killer cuts. By now, everyone should know the brilliant “Footwork” single; soon, clubs will swing to the off-kilter dancefloor jazz of “Make No War”, the 21st century broken house of the epic “Fallen Funk” and the decidedly odd – but brilliant – “Helmut Lampshade”.
Wild Oats is proud to present the latest release from London artist K15. K15’s music always radiates soul and promise. He has been in the music scene in London for a while, but is a bit of an unsung hero in our eyes. His skill of mixing genres is unmatched. Pulling from different influences regardless of genre or era is what gives his music its distinct style. “Insecurities” is K15’s debut on Wild Oats; a 5-track EP with sampled dancefloor classics, re-works, and original music.
It’s been some 10 months since the last release from the Austere imprint. Here, the label re-boots with a split EP featuring a variety of sinewy deep house gems. There’s something particularly delicious about Gradul Lashton’s “Summer Solace”, a sweet mixture of darting acid lines, jaunty rhythms and dreamy melodies. Fat Dog’s “All That I Own” is a fluid, bluesy delight – with a little dubbiness about the drums, naturally – while Life Recorder’s “From Above” sounds like a long lost Detroit techno classic – all stargazing pads, intergalactic synth bass and relentless cymbals. Best of all, though, is Arnheim’s “Late Night In The Loft”, a bittersweet fusion of mournful pianos and shuffling, ultra-deep grooves.
A long and distinguished recording career for the always faithful Norm Talley has been lacking something Tsuba shapes until now, so kudos to Kev Griffiths for coaxing three drops of powerfully deep and danceable house from the Westside Detroiter. Each track here offers a different mood with A-side cut “Mid-Nite Madd-Ness” the peak time burner with classically Detroit house styled cymbal clashes cuing breakdowns, while vamping chords ascend and descend. “Holiday” is the warmer summer house jam with woozy Rhodes on loop, while “One Track Mind” is deep and rhythmic with a sultry vocal to boot.
The Hipodrome Of Music 