Samo DJ’s label Sattaoja is back with 2 mesmerising strokes of genius from Beau Wanzer.
house
Intergalactic Gary @ Kings Night, Ketelhuis (Eindhoven) 26.04.2024
Juan Ramos – Pulse [BLESSYOU022]
Two powerfully effective club tracks by one of Berlin’s most talented Juan Ramos. A clear cut exposé of his vastly amassed knowledge in dancefloor experience throughout over a decade of dedication to the craft of steering some of the most significant contemporary underground dancefloors. Can’t really go wrong here, mandatory for any club focused record bag, with an entourage of 125 BPM percussion sample based mayhem on the A side and a slower industrial 115BPM chugger that grows into a tripped out narrative of playfully galloping transient elements.
Neuro State – I Remember Gino / Pleasures In Africa [SMR024]
Another well kept secret from the Italian cult electronic music imprint – Interactive Test. A 4 track EP with a wide range of flavours in “house” music, very much dependent on the different samples employed. A side starts off with a deep house track echoing similar atmospheric qualities as to some of the dancefloor oriented productions making their way into US underground scene around that time, specifically Chicago and Detroit. The Percapella Mix makes the dedication to the Canadian Disco legend Gino Soccio very clear with a lengthy sample of “There’s a Woman”, a track which uses early electronics in a pioneering way, with what could possibly be one of the first examples of an Acid Bass line. On the B-side, things slow down a notch with more clear cut explorations in Acid house featuring layers of synths and percussive samples and occasional placement of vocal samples from countries far away from Italy, all made possible thanks to the new exciting technologies that had recently been made available to producers at the time.
VA – AirFunk 004 [AF004]
Maxime dB and Aline Brooklyn’s AirFunk label serves up five fresh ones in their usual vein of French pop and electro-influenced dance music. The fourth edition in their V/A series makes for no less than a masterclass in such inherited arts; the A-side comes packed to the brim with airy, upper-echelonic, sophisticated but not-tryhard electro-syntheses, from the introductory chord bursts and catwalk kick-claps of ‘Nrj’ to the lippy new wave lasers and speak n’ spelled interjections of Electrodynamique’s ‘That Is Right’. The B adds depth to the A’s surface tensity, with La Gugga’s ‘Gogo Danca’ and Paul Cut’s ‘Shoes’ lending a fashionista’s verve to stringing, saxophonic deep house and bass-driven Oizo-esque flat beats respectively.
Anbau – Mortirolo ’94 EP [BAP200]
Barcelona’s Anbau debuts on Bordello with a Giro d’Italia themed EP. Dedicated to its heroic riders and specifically the late Marco Pantani. He broke through in 1994, winning one of the hardest Giro climbs with an incredible time record; the Passo del Mortirolo. He eventually became second in the final rankings of this legendary tour of Italy.
Matt Whitehead – Hotline EP [OPM02]
The obscure operation madness label is back with an insane electro and acid release from Matt Whithead.
DJ Aakmael – The Xposd EP [NDATL038]
NDATL continues with DJ Aakmael’s vibrant EP, ”The Xposd EP”. Kicking things off is ”Track 109” a lively and rhythmic blend of Latin jazz infused groove with a bouncy shuffle guaranteed to set hips in motion. Next ”Imagination” a mesmerizing groove and Aakmael’s signature solo work, transports the dancers into a hypnotic zone. On the B-side, we encounter the dynamic collaboration ”This Is Not A Game,” a potent creation by Aakmael and label head Kai Alcé, featuring sparse piano notes and a penetrating synth solo. Aakmael then draws upon his Windy City influences for the final track, ”102.5” characterized by a smooth deep bassline and velvety keys. With its diverse soundscape, ”The Xposd EP” with its captivating rhythms and melodies invites listeners to immerse themselves.
Omar S – All The Little Hands Around [AOS-1105]
Omar S’ first outing of 2024 on his own FXHE opens up with ‘Life Force’ which pairs Smith’s unique drum sounds – brushed metal, scruffy, raw – with his super sweet synths that always bring the warmth and soul. ‘All The Little Hand’s Around’ is another metallic sound tech house cut with celebratory chord loops up top and well-treated samples, then ‘Evil J’ shuts down with rasping basslines and glistening 80s keys. Another fine 12″ from the Detroit don.
Reboot – Serii Speciale [CVS007]
Curtea Veche presents another edition of their Serii Speciale, this time featuring the legend that is Reboot. 3 groovers for the dancefloor , tried and tested by some of the biggest names in the buisness.
VA – 1st Unit: Underpass Records EP [RH-STOREJPN12]
All musical movements require a spark to set them alight; in the case of Japanese house music, that spark was provided by the forward-thinking resident DJs of The Bank in Roppongi, Tokyo. In 1989, to celebrate the ground-breaking club’s first birthday, the venue released a 12” EP featuring first-time productions from three of its DJs, Junichi Soma, Shuji Wada and Strong Katsuya AKS Katsuya Sano. Widely considered to be one of the first ever EP of house music produced in Japan, 1st Unit was never officially released. Instead, 500 of the 1000 copies pressed were given away at The Bank’s first birthday party, with the rest initially being sold not in local record stores, but rather the venue’s own in-house shop. Three decades on, the 12” is finally set to get its first worldwide release via Rush Hour’s Store JPN Series.
Siegmar Fricke – Commercial Breakdown EP [CMF003]
From home recorded tapes in the 90s to a newly released vinyl record in 2024, The Comfort presents their third release, Siegmar Fricke’s Commercial Breakdown. Back in the year 1990, the working method of Siegmar Fricke and his contemporaries was one best described as a DIY recording process. With spare tapes, glue, scissors, and sheer determination, Siegmar sought to share his music with an audience hungry for adventurous electronic music. In an era of limited access to labels and platforms, those not conforming to commercial trends had little choice. Thus, tapes like this one, dubbed simply as “home-recordings,” circulated among DJs and friends, embodying the playful experimentation of musicians exploring unconventional sounds and even dabbling with mainstream pop sounds.
Christopher Rau – Blade EP [PHONOGRAMME43]
Christopher Rau unveils his latest four-track EP, “Blade,” out on esteemed Parisian label Phonogramme Records. Rau’s signature deep, soulful sound shines through on the EP, infused with elements of jazz and funk. Each track is a captivating journey, transporting listeners into Rau’s world of emotive and atmospheric productions. Opening track “Blade” sets the stage with its pulsating bassline and hypnotic melodies, while “Alfred” delivers a soulful and groovy groove. “Comet” takes things up a notch with its energetic and upbeat tempo, while “Lee” concludes the EP on a dreamy and introspective note. “Blade” is a must-have for house music enthusiasts and is sure to solidify Rau’s position as a genre pioneer.
VA – Many Shades Of House (Selected By Lea Lisa) [FVR192]
Favorite Recordings and Lea Lisa present Many Shades of House, a personal selection of House music tracks that have a very special place in Lea Lisa’s heart and in her record box. Amongst this selection, Many Shades Of House is including many very rare and hard to find titles, mostly never reissued on vinyl until now.
Members Only – The Worst Edits Vol.6 [MO022]
Members Only is back for 2024 with another entry in what must be one of the most creatively off-the-wall series of edits ever committed to wax. The 4 cuts on offer here deftly blur the lines between disco, house, and EBM reminiscent of The Music Box or Medusa’s.
VA – xoxo [BAKK020]
The Den Haag label, Bakk presents it’s closing release. This concluding compilation contains a selection of the many artists that took part on the label, from the first demo until the last drop of ink printed. 11 years, 11 tracks. xoxo
Jay Bliss – Neuromancer [BERGA06]
After being featured on BERG AUDIOs “Horizons” compilation, Bucharest’s Jay Bliss is back on the label with his first solo release in more than seven years. What to expect? A delightful blend of deep, dub, minimal & even a disco influence for the highly awaited track “Neuromancer”.
I-F @ Panama Racing Club Mad Wednesday 17.01.2024
VA – Inside Vol.3 [NERO061]
Third chapter of the ‘Inside’ series of various artists EPs selected by Neroli’s very own Volcov. Fred P makes a welcome return on the label with a late night banger with heart warming strings entitled ‘Time Well Spent’. The rest symbol project [by Molinaro, Moreiya and Wendy Lavone] offers the blissful cinematic ‘Etius Motif’. On the flipside Hakim Murphy and G. Marcell team up as Resonating with the raw relentless ‘J707’ and Patrice Scott’s lush opus ‘Untitled’ from The First Circle [Neroli’s 20th anniversary] album appears here in a longer beat version.
DJ Steaw – Seascape EP [NG149]
Underground hero and label boss DJ Steaw makes his Nu Groove debut with ‘Seascape EP’, a four-track odyssey of deep, soulful house. Opening with the powerful stabs of ‘Take It There’, ‘Seascape EP’ explores the producer’s signature, bass-heavy sound as well as the myriad of influences from further afield. The title track ‘Seascape’ contrasts breathy pads with bright, dynamic percussion, as ‘Close To You’ and ‘Exotica’ further demonstrate a recognisable, nostalgic aesthetic that is both club-ready and dreamlike in quality.
The Hipodrome Of Music 