detroit house
Marcellus Pittman – Cant Forget About You [UNI1005]
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.
Marcellus Pittman – Revenge For Nothing / Red Dogon Star [UNI1004]
Two killer Marcellus Pittman tracks on a new 12” for his own Unirhythm Records. Deep and wild rhythm workouts in true Pittman fashion.
Appian – Rite of Passage EP [SCRS012]
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.
Jaime Read – Relief Sevensixty [MC014]
Jaime Read is something of an unsung UK legend. ‘Relief Sevensixty’ is a collection of Read’s rarer tracks that have appeared in a roundabout way, on a legendary Chicago label in a tale that has by now been widely documented. Across 4 tracks this EP shows what a dynamic producer Read is, the music contained within has a depth and maturity and of course it’s some funky as, futuristic, space Techno that sounds like it’s just escaped the warp drive and landed here on earth and implanted itself in our eardrums.
Aybee – Nexus EP [RDV002]
Aybee makes his debut on Molly’s newly launched RDV (Recit de Voyage) with the label’s second release. The ‘Nexus’ EP follows the DJ/producer/filmmaker’s 2016 LP ‘The Odyssey’ on his own Deepblak imprint and recent 12” ‘The Motion Syntax’ for London’s DMK. Aybee is mining a deep & hypnotic house sound to maximum effect, employing the tribal drum patterns, hypnotic synths and signature grooves that helped establish the Deepblak sound. The trio of tracks make for a perfect follow-up to RDV’s debut from Prophets of a New Generation, and fit beautifully within the trademark deep, subtle & groovy style of the Parisian DJ & Rex Club resident Molly, who herself is quickly establishing herself as a label owner with her own unique vision.
VA – US I-75 EP [FSS004]
Julion De’ Angelo / Thomas Xu – Roots That Talk [SS069]
A strong debut on Sound Signature by young Detroit-based artists, Julion De’Angelo and Thomas Xu.
Ron Trent – Machines [EB009]
The 3rd part of the Humans Drums & Machines – Trilogy by House Master Ron Trent! The last part of the series seems to be the strongest. Ron’s unique sound spectrum in full beauty is shown here on “Dimentions & Beyond”.
Rick Wade – Guardian Of Forever [SNF014]
Detroit legend Rick Wade steps up for the fourteenth release on vinyl only imprint Shall Not Fade with his melodic, dancefloor fuelled ‘Guardian Of Forever’ EP.Rick Wade or Big Daddy Rick is an artist who needs little introduction, a true House music legend, Rick serves up three of his signature style tracks, accompanied by a remix from LK. The four track EP features jazz fuelled cuts, perfectly suited for the dancefloor.
Patrice Scott – Soulfood [SIS029]
Patrice Scott returns to home base with a fresh trio of sonic delicacies for the Sistrum faithful. Bringing his signature depth of sound yet infusing a sense of funk, Patrice lays it out proper, as always.
Leonid & Laak – Yesterday For Tomorrow [SLPVNL006]
The sixth vinyl missive from Soul Print Recordings is a double-header featuring two tracks apiece from Leonid and Laak. The former handles the A-side, laying down two deliciously intergalactic chunks of spacey deep house. On “Urania 1”, he wraps psychedelic acid lines, supernova chords and Motor City melodies around a snappy drum machine groove, before working the acid lines further on the deep and hypnotic “Urania 2”. Laak takes over on the flip, peppering a bouncy, off-kilter drum machine groove with cyclical melody loops and undulating acid lines on “Sp”. “Waiting For Tomorrow” is arguably even better, with the fast-rising producer wrapping a tactile, synth-bass heavy backing track with fluttering electronics and sunrise melodies.
Mike Huckaby – Too Many Classics To Be Left With Little Or No Protection [DT004]
When the TSA agent left a little note in Mike Huckaby’s DJ case at the airport instructing him to protect the records that he dj’s with, little did he know that Mike Huckaby would be compiling his first LP. Given his length of service, it’s rather surprising to find that this is officially his debut album. This is a collection of previously released tracks that have been in demand ever since. It’s naturally packed with highlights, from the luscious minor key chords, jazz-funk bass and sneaky vocal samples of “The Jazz Republic” and thrilling peak-time stomp of “Dance”, to the jazzy piano flourishes, loose-limbed beats and starry electronics of “Groove Box”. Also worth checking is the fireside heat of bongo-laden beatdown shuffler “Mathematics From The Jazz Republic” and the sax-laden disco-house bump of closer “Flashback ’78”. A collection of too many classics, produced by Mike Huckaby.
Aybee – The Syntax EP [DMK004]
The London based DMK label returns with the Deepblak Recordings label head honcho Aybee, with four tracks of deep house on the ‘Syntax EP’.
Theo Parrish – Gentrified Love Part 3 [SS066]
The third release in Theo’s Gentrified Love series on Sound Signature. Side A, ‘Trust’, features Amp Fiddler and Ideeyah. Flip the disc over for another excellent collaboration between Theo and Amp on ‘My Soul’!
Reggie Dokes – Black Lives Matter EP [RMCE005]
Inspired and positivie vibrations from the DJ, producer and label head, Reggie Dokes from Detroit City.
VA – Nightfall & Other Stories [RS025]
London/Lisbon label Release/Sustain start the year as they mean to go on. Presenting a 4 track various artists 12” titled “Nightfall & Other Stories”. Opening proceedings on A1 is Vakula, a regular at the Release/Sustain ‘Conclave’ parties and part of the RS family. His offering, “809”, is a percussive drum tool trip of a track, with sporadic raw percussion shooting shining across a positively minimalist backing. For A2, we see Italian stalwart of underground dance music Simoncino. Obscure sample work, and a repeating line ‘I can use a friend’, twist and turn over rugged, thumping, functional drums and bass. Furthering the quality of this standout 12” is Chicago house music pioneer Vincent Floyd. Rich in melody and familiar classic house sounds, Reggie’s soft jacking house sound bring a silky smooth, North American touch to a previously rugged, European 12 slab of wax.
Rick Wade – People Of Earth 006 [POEM006]
Rick Wade delivers 3 excellent tracks for People of Earth’s sixth release. Escapism is warm, distorted & moody. Dark strings, chords & a thick kick with low end that gives subwoofers a work out.
Jay Daniel – Broken Knowz [TCLR018]
It’s amazing to think that Jay Daniel is still only 25. Since making his debut five years ago, the producer has been responsible for some of the finest house music to emerge from Detroit in recent times. Interestingly, he’s slightly modified his woozy and gently soul-flecked blueprint on this hotly anticipated debut album. For starters, many of the tracks – standouts “Paradise Valley” and “Knowledge of Selfie” included – feature live drums, played and recorded in his mother’s basement. This rhythmic adjustment gives Broken Knowz a far looser and warmer feel than his previous work, in the process elevating his deliciously rich and musical deep house to a whole new level. In other words, it’s an impressively assured and entertaining debut album.
DJ Nature & Damon Lamar – Shubaka 03 [SHBK003]
Shubaka 03 comes pushing hard. Dj Nature, the legendary Milo Johnson from 90´s NYC scene, is here at his best, with a magical downtempo house track with a crispy bass line, and mystery keys. Damon Lamar well-known for his contribution to the dance music with his fantastic releases on his own label, tetrode, (and his first works as ‘Baby Pop’), is bringing to B-Side an emotive, atmospheric and deeply rooted slow house track.
