house
John Heckle – Desolate Figures [TABR022]
Two years after his last full-length titled ‘Second Son’, which was out on Jamal Moss‘s Mathematics label, John Heckle has returned with his second album ‘Desolate Figures’ for Tabernacle Records. ‘Desolate Figures’ revolves around vintage-tinged Detroit techno, gritty Chicago house and experimental hybrids of the aforementioned genres, with the overall result sounding deliciously and uncompromisingly nasty. The album opens with a wonderfully warped slab of Detroitish techno in the form of ‘Blindman’s Bluff’, a track deeply rooted in spacey synth and string structures that gradually transforms into a superb dancefloor track. From that point on, Heckle continues to present his broad view on house and techno across a set of track that seem to stray away from pre-fabricated song patterns, instead drawing on more abstract and less rigid textures. This ethos gives the LP as a whole a very personal and organic touch, as if it were recorded in a single take while creativity and intuition were peaking. Tracks such as the emotive ‘Inhuman Nature’, ‘Something For Your Distorted Mind’, and the acid-driven, Legowelt-esque ‘Never With You’ are all examples of Heckle’s signature blend of flowing melodics and raspy rhythms, while the industrial and very minimal ‘Love-Lies’ and the nervously rattling ‘Crazy Metal’ add a dash of experimental flavors to the LP. Its diverse content and overall DIY-attitude turn ‘Desolate Figures’ in a somewhat unorthodox package, but if you don’t shy away from experimental house and techno (or if you’re just a fan of the Crème Organization and Tabernacle labels in general), then you simply can’t afford to miss out on this one.
Magic Mountain High – Tiny Breadcrumbs [OMR002]
Latest release from the collaborative project between Move D. & Juju & Jordash. Deep and refined techno tracks.
Mr. G – VFM EP [PG048]
Mr.G is returning with a mint 4 tracker for the heads. 4 acey analog anthems with that authentic Mr.G. sound. Rich basses and excellent placed vocal cuts that allign with open hats perfectly.
Tazz – Science Friction [NK040]
Montreal producer Tazz’s take on dance music is both powerful and quirky, characteristics that have endeared him to a wide range of fans. Pinning him down much further is a harder task. Tazz tends to lay down straight-laced, tech-house rhythms, but his growing arsenal of synth sounds lend his tracks a more experimental edge. Science Friction is his second effort for Adam Marshall’s New Kanada, and it finds him in typical form.
VA – Red Laser EP 5 [RL008]
Flemming Dalum is back with a fantastic Italo remix of Sally Shapiro’s fantastically titled track. With some great backing synth from Kid Machine he has created an amazing Italo Disco tune with a great pop sensibility that makes it so simple and catchy you will be whistling it all day. Addictive Italo pop for dancefloors The Manctalo revolution continues with Manchester’s own Chris Massey and Italian DJ Rocca who bring this chug thud Italo floor bubbler to EP5. Its glittering intro floats through the cosmos with a euphoric flavour and is brought back into a big bang bass line for a great Italo Disco dancing experience. After his Red Laser debut on EP4 Leon x Leon is back with a clickety clack. This train journey inspired Italo Disco sees the Parisian producer get even more progressive and sophisticated with his music ideas resulting in this amazing 6 minute disco epic. Label Head Il Bosco imagines the soundtrack to a world taken over by decaying zombies. They must kill humans so they can eat brains in an attempt to satisfy their never ending hunger and when they have finished eating they enjoy dancing to sounds played by their favourite local Italo Disco DJ. It’s a moody electronic beat heavy horror jam that fills the room with creepy electronics and sweeping delays.
VA – Red Laser EP 4 [RL007]
To say Tony Carrasco is a bit of an italo legend is a fukin understatement. He is responsible for some of the most seminal Italo records producing Klien & MBO, Ameresie, Flash 83, Gaz Nevada, Plastic Mode and BFunk. Then take Red Laser Man and Italo legend Flemming Dalum and stick him on the remix and POW!!!!! The result is one of the heaviest tracks on Red Laser to date.
Xosar – CS Podcast 119
FunkinEven / The Abstract Eye – Egypt / Reflexes [EGLO030]
New split EP on Eglo Record featuring FunkinEven and The Abstract Eye aka GB. Acidic, spaced out, atmospheric House trips.
JTC – Valley Road (We Are 1) [SPC114]
Tadd’s acid warrior alter ego, JTC, returns to Spectral Sound a label he’s been a part of for at least a decade and with it comes an onslaught of house and funk to fill up a dancefloor. ”Valley Road (We Are 1)” has a classic Detroit sound that could easily find its way into Mike Huckaby or Rick Wade’s DJ bags, and includes the assurance that ”together we are one.” After the intense and dark Creep Acid 2xLP that came out on Nation in 2011, it’s impressive to see the former Mr. Cotton return with something so fun and buoyant. The DJ QU remix is a perfect accompaniment, coating the original version’s classic New York house elements with a deeper, hypnotic tribal rhythm that can be heard at QU’s late-night warehouse sets where Queens meets nowhere.
VA – Acid Arab Collections EP 02 [VER085]
The acid Arabic wind has not finished blowing. After the warm welcome of our Collections EP01, Versatile proudly present four new tracks for eclectic and demanding dance rooms. Once again, Guido & Herv from Acid Arab deliver one track and have asked producers from all over the world to contribute to the project. This time by Legowelt, Dj Gregory (Headcore) Professor Genius, Dj Gilb’r, Acid Arab & Shadi Khries.
Kenny Hanlon – Podkazt 48
Virginia – BIS Radio Show #702
Steffi – BIS Radio Show #702
Omar S – Nelson County [AOS123]
Detroits finest is back with some ultra cool tracks… title track grabs back to the classic unpolished house sound, where the other two tracks sound rawer as if Unit Moebius was jamming with Omar S in the Dystopia basement! Jacking drum machine driven cuts.
Hieroglyphic Being – A Synthetic Love Life: +++10 Love [MATHSPLUS010]
“A Synthetic Love Life” is an 8 track “compilation of experimental tunes & sonic art in retrospect from 1996-2013”. Mathematics label boss/founder Jamal Moss releases some of his more challenging tunes on the Mathematics Plus side label. Limited pressing, hand stamped with printed insert.
Neil Landstrumm – Like A Sultan EP [RAWAX003LTD]
The Scottish techno veteran with some forward-thinking & energetic pumping house/bass tracks!
Xosar – Retreat 2 Rapture EP [ENS001]
Ensemble is dedicated to togetherness and deep, timeless house music, initiated by 22tracks.com Brussels house selectors Gratts and Kong. First release by none less then Xosar plus a remix by Xan Xosa aka San Soda.
R-Zone – R-Zone 07 [RZONE007]
The much loved R-Zone series continues apace here with three more rough analogue jams for its seventh release. ‘If U Going Thru Hell Keep Going’ is a paranoid, angsty bit of house jack with a busy synth line, hard hitting percussion and plenty of muddy, murky atmosphere. ‘Emojako’ is even more unhinged and off filter with its weird hooks, dusty hi hats and intense drum workouts. It’s a physical one that will fuck with your mind as it changes direction freely, and final track ‘Subatomi’ is just as freaky and left of centre. The synths are lively and charming, spraying about above a cacophony of woody percussion and heavy drums. It’s grainy and roughhewn but groovy and catchy at the same time.
