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.
Sistrum welcomes music legend Alton Miller to the fold for release number thirty three. For “All The Little Things,” Alton lays it down in fine form and enlists the incomparable vocal talents of Ree to bring the soulful vibrations as only he can.
When it comes to soulful house, Detroit native Alton Miller is about as ingrained as it gets. Waella’s Choice sow the seeds with ‘All Things Good’. Club music for the sensitive souls, with some arresting spoken word poetry and even a broken beat deviation. ‘All Things Good’ is the fourth release from London label Waella’s Choice.
UK based producer & all around studio buff, Mark Hand, gets us into spring mode with a sick EP which takes inspiration from detroit. Detroit’s finest, Patrice Scott, finishes off the ep with a great remix.
Since 2014 the Innate blog has been delivering high quality “slow journalism”, serving up articles that shine a light on artists that have otherwise gone under the radar. Four years on, the Innate team has decided to launch their own label with the same stated aims, namely to showcase deep electronic music with warmth and soul, produced by unheralded heroes old and new. The label’s first release – a four-track, multi-artist missive – offers a neat summary of what listeners can expect to hear in the months and years ahead. Tracks by Gilbert, Mark Hand, Lerosa and Innate founder Owain K.
John Daly is without a doubt one of the most influential artists of deep Dub-House. The Irish man’s music has an unique and truly original trademark sound. With these two tracks he proves once again his exceptional quality and makes no secret about his influence, real Chicago and Detroit House in a fresh and timeless outfit with his special twist.
Leonid Nevermind is back with a new sophisticated detroit house EP. 4 groovy soulful tracks with storytelling titles, hazy vocal elements, slapping funky basslines and bluesy piano patterns enswathing with mysterious chords and thrilling lucid melodies.
Another kicks off 2018 with its first release, coming from Kenneth Scott who delivers a 3 tracks EP with a deep electro and deep house feel. Straylight feat Dave Aju has been remixed brilliantly by the one and only Kai Alce. Analog warm textures and efficient grooves all along this ethereal masterpiece.
FIT Siegel and DJ Sotofett join together on their first 12″ collaboration as S & M Trading Co. – a voyage many years in the making. Dark and atmospheric strings sail over a thumping bass line, all while a banging 909 beat and percussions keep this ship on course. The route is long, the conditions are rough,but soon a mysterious landscape beings to take shape beyond the haze. *12″ also contains Acidic and Synthetic mixes.
Patrice Scott’s works make Sistrum, his label, designing the shapes of what a classic house record must sound like. Not only a nice guy, Patrice is one of the most talented producers of the planet House and he naturally is respected for that. Sounds of The City continues to put out the music of the Originators’ sons and Reborn Goodness is probably one of the most important addition to the label’s catalogue.
We are blessed with another 12inch from Marcellus Pittman’s Unirhythm Records. True to Pittman’s genre free approach to music – on this record we hear sounds from the ethereal to the creepy, from the dirty to the deep.
Two killer Marcellus Pittman tracks on a new 12” for his own Unirhythm Records. Deep and wild rhythm workouts in true Pittman fashion.
Elemental house grooves from Midwestern upstart Appian with a remix by Chicago’s Bell Boys. Warm, sensual, and gloriously straightforward, Stripped & Chewed 012 is a modern study in the timelessness of house music.
The Hipodrome Of Music 