On Sentaku’s seventh release, Man/ipulate encapsulates Watatsumi’s spirit, the legendary water dragon. Known as the ruler of the seas and god of the oceans, he would control storms and rainfalls, protect its waters and transform into animals and human forms making him one of the most influential creatures in Japanese mythology. Uplifting house groovers.
Official reissue of dreamy Italian early house project, originally released in 1990, a total balearic house anthem this EP comes with 3 mixes, remastered.
Höga Nord Rekords kindly welcomes Tecwaa back to the label, following up his last full length-album “Beyond the Altai” with “Elysian on Moon Lake”. He is still exploring the intersections between house, electro, techno and dub and once again he manages to harness the analogue electronics in his machines to produce modern psychedelia. “Elysian On Moon Lake” is rawer, less airy and not as sparkling as his last album. This is a tighter, and slightly darker experience than Tecwaa’s previous work, maybe caused by being in quarantine for extensive time during production, letting some of the dreaminess aside for the harsher reality in a pandemic world. Still, you get a mind-altering experience in a lot of tracks since the album starts off in a lighter tone than how it later develops. Switching from the A- to the B-side works as a rite of passage going from dusk to night; the sun rays through the blinders are replaced by neon light dancing on the walls and ceiling.
The Jaffa Kid goes deep with his second EP for Gated, appropriately titled “Second Frequencies”. Kicking off with the beatless but driving “Phased For Days”, the EP has a kind of relentless hypnotism to it, with “Trinian”‘s almost 7 minutes of spaced out electro. Flip to the B and the acid comes to the fore, with “War On Words” and its addictive 303 line pulsing over the Kid’s signature pads. “Tangential” throws in some breaks under gritty acid, and Not The Way rounds out the EP with a truly poignant melodic beatdown.
Long time deep head Thomas Cox debuts his new label Q.E.D. Recordings with his first solo release. Sounding like these house jams were composed and then stashed at the bottom of the Monogahela River, this three tracker drips with the rusted out grime Pittsburgh was notorious for in its pre-gentrification era.
The Makossa Man is back after a hiatus of 18 years with timeless cover versions from Simoncino, F.T.G, Groove Boys Project & Carlos Nilmmns.
French dynamo LB aka Labat returns for his second EP on Steel City Dance Discs. The Lyon-based artist delivers another collection of eclectic productions, displaying his trademark ability to source and integrate individuality and soul. Skincare’s title track of the same name is a pure house throwback featuring Labat’s trademark punchy 808’s, swirling synths and hypnotic vocal line guaranteed to have you moving on any dancefloor.
This one has secretly been on the sticks of some of your favorite Balearic/Disco D.J.s for quite some time now. Guaranteed dancefloor ecstasy. Finally available for the first time, in season for Summer & festivals.
Internationally recognized and much-loved festival from Japan, Rainbow Disco Club’s offshoot project ”Beyond Space And Time” record label presents their sophomore release. Their second compilation has been compiled by none other than Antal. Also known as the festival’s headliner and the man behind Amsterdam record shop/label Rush Hour, all 11 tracks are selected by Antal in a 2 x 12-inch + bonus 7-inch format. From local Dutch newcomers to ’80s Japanese cult music, rare grooves to danceable house music, and rare Caribbean soul, this compilation is a portrait of music enthusiast Antal Heitlager’s enormous collection and 30-year DJ career, a work of art that can be enjoyed by all music fans.
Part II of the Sea of Disillusions project by Youcef Debbihi, another assortment of beautifully produced atmospheric, dubbed out downtempo techno. Yousef Debbihi does it again, another perfect collection of tracks, mandatory for any tasteful DJ bag roaming in the fields of contemporary produced dancefloor business. A crafty display of his mastery in the studio, this EP gives full perspective on Yousef’s oeuvre and capabilities. If you got part I, this is mandatory, another tasting in the downtempo cosmic domaine – no regrets guaranteed.
Angis Music returns faithful and strong with a new EP from the lush imagination of Chicago veteran Specter. Entitled Ironside, and inspired by a late 60s crime drama- you will Embrace a dense 3 track journey catered to premium vibe lovers of deep house and deep techno grooves spanning from jazzy and romantic to funky and dark moods.
New Theo Parrish single appears on vinyl in the form of two mixes differing in vibe but consistent in quality and suitability for DJ use. The original rides along on a shuffling, almost Afrobeat version of house, with Maurissa Rose’s gorgeous vocal floating above the gloopy, hypnotic bassline which gets the full filter treatment. The instrumental dub places that b-line very much at the centre of the mix, starting from a single kickdrum before building up to a more techno-edged, vocal free climax. all throbbing bass, solid bears and minimal, glitchy keyboard interjections.
After the success of the first Orez the second round is bound with some eerie house bangers. Comes with a Jus-Ed remix.
Mark Du Mosch is a master of electronics. Gracing a glut of labels in a career spanning more than a decade, he arrives at Schrödinger’s Box with a very special release. Presence is a fiver tracker of enviable quality. Set in the canon of warm techno, Du Mosch focuses on melody and texture. “Studio M Uno” is bright and unassuming, “Koriander” both assured and fragile. The tracks on offer feel like the musical accompaniment to a Summer’s day, a time where cares are in the present and future worries do not exist. The unseen complexities of the everyday are an audio focus, the intertwined interplay of drum patterns in “Mrk I Utilities” and the mechanical dawn of the title piece throb with a human pulse. Always present, but never imposed, is the techno composition that brought this dutchman to the attention of so many. This is plain to hear in the diverse threads that are collected to produce the rich and varied closer, “Too Much.”
AVIVX is a young and talented queer DJ & producer from Kazakhstan, now living in Tbilisi where he has several DJ residencies. Dark Temple is his first vinyl release. On the 4 tracks, the melancholic Eastern vibes and melodies are woven into a thick energetic house blanket.
Second US West Coast release for Partout with Erbil EP from Boo Yog. Edited live performance to 2-track stereo at The Gateroom, PDX.
The Hipodrome Of Music 