Erell Ranson offers up a delicate and beautiful EP of accomplished texture and melody for his Distant Worlds debut. He shows a real delicate touch here and multiple listens will ensure the melodies and earworms penetrate deep into the psyche. Future soul music dripping in emotion, indebted to Detroit, outta France.
Detroit’s resident producer, Appian, joins ANMA with three originals that twist and grind through break and straight 4/4 beat grooves. A lot of the sound presented sets ground in the rough and rugged but minimalist feel with focus on rhythms that are sometimes complex and sometimes more reliant on the heavier dance floor cuts while simultaneously meshing new ideas with references to electronica classics that paved the way for today. The alternative take on the flip is provided by Italian producer Sofa Talk, no stranger to the label seeing his own release debut EP hitting the shops in 2017, with more focus on 4/4 beat with layers upon layers of improvised synth and atmospheric licks.
Glaswegian Leeon delivers in stunning style this follow up to 2012’s brilliant debut on his home city’s classic Seventh Sign Recordings imprint.
Sound Signature presents the return of the Essential Selections series. This second studio hook-up between Detroit veterans Theo Parrish and Marcellus Pittman first appeared way back in 2002, some three years after they made their collaborative debut on Sound Signature. Listening again all these years on, we can confirm that the three-tracker hasn’t aged a bit.
An inspired collaboration from two veteran producers on top of their game – Kassem Mosse and FIT Siegel. Three well-crafted techno and house tracks created from sessions recorded at Omar-S’ FXHE Studios and FIT’s studio at Submerge in Detroit in 2016, then mixed down by Siegel in 2018 after a few years of playing rough versions in his DJ sets in clubs around the world. Diverse EP with sounds ranging from tripping acid workouts to dubbed out electronic excursions.
Mathematics staple Giorgio Luceri comes with another positive emotive filled release with long time industry vocalist and musical innovator Greg Fore (Dream 2 Science) on the ”All That We See Or Seem” EP.
Thomas Xu is a producer and DJ based in Highland Park, MI. This is his debut solo EP and will be released on his label, Steady Flight Circle.
Jaime’s take on futuristic chi-town influenced house is present across the selections. Written 21 years ago, the music is more relevant that ever. Serene galactic themes and time travel optimism permeate the collection: the music tells tales of optimism rather than the bleak images carved by other similar compositions of the time.
Jaime’s take on futuristic chi-town influenced house is present across the selections. Written 21 years ago, the music is more relevant that ever. Serene galactic themes and time travel optimism permeate the collection: the music tells tales of optimism rather than the bleak images carved by other similar compositions of the time.
Two excellent production from Ron Trent. Aquarhythmatica comes from the Prescription era and it was produced together with Anthony Nicholson. City Beat was included in Ron’s 2009 album ‘Dance Classic’. Two absolute gems of deep house music at its best.
Julian Perez on fire, Camina O Revienta EP features 2 pounding dance floor bombs and a nice laidback track for early mornings.
Serbia’s Soul Print Recordings returns after a year away, with four pieces of beautiful and emotive deep house from the Englishman Mark Hand. The record kicks off with Midnight, a beautiful track with it’s floaty pads and gently rippling bass tones, coupled with the great soulful voice of Greg Blackman. False Leads is a percussive number, drenched in machine soul, with on the flip, Sio’s voice sits effortlessly above a downtempo beat, while Mark adds his late father’s saxophone to the mix on the final jazz enfused Mountains.
Classic of 1991 produced by John Beltran and Mark Wilson. Unmistakable Detroit House sound of that period, all completed with a great Carl Craig remix.
Matt Edwards’ R-Time Records reissue label drops four more Sir Lord Commix tracks in the third ‘Retroactive’ release. Real name Amoon Andrews, the British house producer’s early discography continues to fetch high prices on the vinyl market. Dropping earlier this year, the first two instalments featured some of Commix’s finest cuts and now the Rekids offshoot presents the third chapter, following re-releases of Mark The 909 King.
DMK step up again with another impressive release, this time with John Shima who delivers the ‘Stealth EP’. After recent releases on Exalt and Firescope records, the quality continues across this EP, with four cuts of deep atmospheric techno.
Motor City veteran Marcellus Pittman has been in fine form since returning from a four-year hiatus in early 2018. This EP – his third of the year – is, of course, really rather good. Opener “Something Like (A Dream)” is particularly good, offering a perfect balance between the rolling, head-nodding, pitched-down lusciousness of Beatdown and the spacey, delay-laden warmth of more peak-time focused Detroit deep house. If you’re looking for something a little less smooth, check the low-slung, off-kilter, cyber-acid rawness of “Jamie 326 Tsot”. While rather good, it feels a little out of place next to the fluttering, stripped-back deep house tunefulness of “Breath Beat”, whose echoing chords are especially alluring.
London based Doppelate is next up on X-kalay offering some Detroit house inspired club jams. From the languid sleaze of the sawtooth bassline on “I Can’t Get You Out of my Head” to the pin point congas and rainforest vocal shots on “Johnny Longneck”; the A side is a functional and groovy affair, stripped back to the essentials in typical Doppelate fashion. The B side takes a slightly more playful approach – Pila Pala Kisses utilizing looped pianos and some tongue in cheek percussion work before turning out a beautifully mesmerizing melody. “Club Canyon” closes things out in more understated tones; crisp hats skip over the lazy staccato bass whilst the dreamy pads induce an all too welcome state of haze.
DâM-Funk has left his LA home for another DJ tour across the European continent. What better way to celebrate this than to release a follow-up record to the infamous Architecture release from 2016. Architecture II is an up-tempo, dreamlike journey through the sonic palette of the Los Angeles based producer. The 12” contains four tracks that are carefully crafted to co-exist on the same record. ‘In The City’ is a drum oriented breeder with a constantly evolving bass line, that supports the cheerful and breezy melodies. ‘Best Weekend’ is dripping with lush synthesizer tones and meaty drums. DaM-Funk knows how to set a hazy atmosphere, the conflicting tones of the sophomore effort are impressive. ‘Best Weekend’ is a must hear for lovers of the DF repertoire. The B-side is opening up with the warm sounds of ‘Bounce’. The artist’s signature basslines thump away whilst a breezy chord and some exceptional FX work help to achieve a sense of lightness. ‘Don’t Give Up’ is a work of challenging Piano riffs and splashy synthesizers that evolve through and sometimes come together in an abundance of modulation and joy.
In true Craigie Knowes spirit, Derek Carr has been drawn off of the beaten path to supply a wider variety of sounds than you would usually expect to hear from the Irish producer. Acid, Techno and Detroit Electro tinged sounds throughout.
The Hipodrome Of Music 